I’m sick of Google running my life, but the /e/OS Fairphone wasn't the de-Googled solution I needed

The author was once deeply reliant on Google's services, using them for everything from search to communication to entertainment. This level of dependence made the prospect of de-Googling, or removing Google from their life, daunting. When the Fairphone 6 Plus, a phone with a custom operating system that removes Google services, arrived, the author was eager to try it.

The /e/OS version of the phone removed all proprietary Google services, tracking, and built-in Google apps, but still ran on Android. This allowed the phone to work with many Android-compatible apps, a big hurdle in the process of de-Googling. The author was able to switch to DuckDuckGo as their default search engine and use services like Proton for email.

They were also pleased with the privacy-focused Advanced Privacy widget included with /e/OS. Despite these initial successes, the author soon found that de-Googling came with challenges. The /e/OS operating system lacked some standard Android features, such as the ability to customize app arrangements on the home screen. They also encountered issues with the App Lounge, a built-in app store, and found alternative navigation apps to Google Maps lacking.

The Fairphone 6 Plus itself was a well-constructed, repairable device, but its performance and camera were not as impressive as some other Android phones. The author ultimately concluded that while the Fairphone 6 Plus provided some benefits in terms of privacy, it was not the ideal solution for their needs. The high cost of the phone and the need to pay for premium services like Proton's encrypted mail added up, and the hardware limitations made the experience less enjoyable than using a standard Android device.