I struggled to work out what it was for and why I might want to install it on my Pixel 10 Fold - until it I went to the download page and dawned on me that it's to make non-Pixel phones look like Pixel ones.

It might be worth mentioning the whole reason for this to exist on the site somewhere.

▲ pdrmky 3 days ago | parent [-]

"PixelOS is an AOSP based ROM, with Google apps included and all Pixel goodies. We aim to provide an experience similar to Google Pixel phones with numerous performance enhancements and a small amount of useful additional features."

Was this not on the front page when you looked?

▲ boomlinde 3 days ago | parent | next [-]

Yes, but it doesn't really make that clear. I first thought that it was a replacement OS for Google Pixel phone which replicates the functionality of the original OS but adds enhancements and features.

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ethersteeds 2 days ago | parent | next [-]

That's the brand confusion born of appropriating Google's Pixel mark and the reason why trademark protection exists.

If you make a hamburger seasoning blend that approximates the taste of McDonald's and call it "McDonald's burger flavor", you're going to have a bad time with the legal system. I don't expect this to fly either.

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boomlinde 2 days ago | parent [-]

I don't know, I was never confused about the branding.

	▲	ethersteeds a day ago \| parent [-]
		You said, "I first thought that it was a replacement OS for Google Pixel phone", which was my experience as well. I was arguing that confusion began with the branding. It could be said that better copy on the landing page could offset it, but it's still a reasonable interpretation of the name 'PixelOS'.

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pdrmky 3 days ago | parent | prev [-]

Fair. I got to the "experience similar to Google Pixel phones" bit and thought well I've already got a pixel so I don't need this, but I see your point about the extras.

▲ avhception 3 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

This is exactly what was on the front page when I looked, and I was confused as well. I own a Pixel device and have replaced the original OS with Lineage in order to get rid of some of Googles more aggressive behavior, like pushing Google Wallet in front of my face through notifications. I thought the intention for this ROM might be to get back some of the original Pixel OS functionality.

▲ mgdev 3 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

This is text written for someone who already knows what all these things are.

Classic engineering communication error.

▲ lemagedurage 3 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

It doesn't help that GrapheneOS _only_ works on Pixel phones (and also doesn't mention this on their homepage).

▲ defrost 3 days ago | parent [-]

That's _not_ true. See recent HN submissions about GrapheneOS on Motorola (signature 27).

Edit: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50380810

▲ lemagedurage 3 days ago | parent [-]

Seems confirmed but not released yet?

Can't find it on

https://grapheneos.org/faq#device-support

https://grapheneos.org/releases

	▲	defrost 3 days ago \| parent [-]
		That's a flagship release - but it's `Motorola's first with a performant implementation of ARM Memory Tagging Extension` with more cheaper variants following. MTE is the hardware capability that GrapheneOS relies on for its claims of security (along with coding practices) and it's the reason GrapheneOS has only been released to certain Pixels to date. (2023) https://security.googleblog.com/2023/11/mte-promising-path-f...

▲ Lerc 3 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

At no point do they specify for whom they intend to provide this experience.

	▲	pdrmky 3 days ago \| parent [-]
		I read it as people who don't already have pixel phones, but clearly a lot of other people aren't, so they might need to be more explicit.

▲ pixeljam 2 days ago | parent | prev [-]

This does not really explain much, at all.

Also, is this a bot/LLM account?