I finally did the step and installed CalyxOS on my Fairphone 5. It’s not the best operating system in terms of privacy and security but it’s the best option that works on a Fairphone. If I could, I would prefer GrapheneOS. However everything is better than sticking to stock Android.
I decided to not install MicroG to get a mostly degoogled device (It’s still contacting Google and Android Servers to authenticate certifcates, grab the network time, Capative-Portal-Check, … You can read about this here).
It doesn’t bothers me to not be able to use Apps which require GooglePlayServices/MicroG cause I don’t use them anyway.
The only downside is, that I can’t use a reliable WiPS (Wifi-Positioning-System). This system becomes handy if you don’t have a stable GPS Signal (If your indoor). By scanning surrounded WiFi signals and Bluetooth beacons, it can predict pretty exact where you are based on the signalstrength and the angel of arrival to the signal.
Unfortunately the stock LocationServices are baked into GooglePlayServices and because I don’t use MicroG, CalyxOS only uses the GPS Signal.
But there is a solution! BeaconDB!
BeaconDB is a crowdsourced geolocation database. Via the app Neostumbler I can scan my surrounding for Wifi Signals and Bluetooth Beacons and upload the data with the GPS location to the Database so other people can profit from it. There are already about 64 Million scanned networks in the database.
To be able to use the in formations from Beacons database I had to install AltLocationServices and set it as my desired simulated location app in the developer option.
Et voila! I’m able to use WiPS without Google Location Services or MicroG!
But this only works because of people like you and me who are willing to contribute to this Database. So thank’s to everybody who makes this work!
Overall im very happy with CalyxOS. It feels very relieving to know that I managed to minimize my digital footprint a bit further.