this post was submitted on 20 Sep 2025
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Yet another reason why running GrapheneOS is a great idea. The surveillance state is now.
Pixel only?
yes, and you have to get one that is from google and isn't from a carrier so you can unlock the bootloader. Carrier versions have locked bootloaders.
I just bought a Pixel 10 from Spectrum with the repeated assurance that the phone would be fully unlocked after it was paid off and had several months of service. I intended to load Graphene OS, but apparently I was fucking lied to yet again by another business that will say anything to make a sale.
I can't do anything about that now, but I can move to another carrier and make damn sure they don't ever make another dime off my mobile account.
I believe GrapheneOS is not available for the 10 series yet. I've been keeping on top of that since I want to change my phone in December, but so far, the last version of Pixel that is known to work with GrapheneOS is the 9 series.
It is not yet available for the Pixel 10 and I believe it will be delayed because Google has made Android development private.
They thought you meant carrier-unlocked. That's what most people care about, being able to switch providers.
I doubt they even knew what a bootloader is.
Nope. I clearly told them I was going to install Graphene OS and I would not be changing carriers.
They didn't know the real answer so they just made something up.
Once it's carrier unlocked you should be able to unlock the bootloader though right?
Those are 2 entirely different things. There are phones that are carrier locked that can have the bootloader unlocked, also the other way around.
I would look at the model number, and then search if it's bootloader unlock able in XDA developers or something like that.
Huh, guess I got lucky with my pixel 9 from mint mobile last year lol
I don't believe they are related
I have a Canadian carrier purchased phone. Brand new Pixel 9. 5$ a month. For 24 months.
It has only ONCE booted to the Google version of Android.
To flip the toggle to enable OEM unlock.
I kept WiFi off and hadn't inserted a SIM so it couldn't update or do anything else that might have prevented flashing graphene.
Not sure if that was necessary, but it worked.
And now I live my life free of google software surveillance.
Just so nobody else is confused, Canadian carrier phones legally have to be sold unlocked as of 2017
Carrier unlocked, yes.
Bootloader unlocked, no.
Rogers in Canada has pixels that allow unlocking the bootloader (just got a pixel 9, and once I have some time I'm going to try putting a custom build on it).
Mine went fine. I kept the radios off before using it and fully flashing just in case.
I read on the grapheme forums that some carrier software might flip a bit or something if it gets downloaded/provisioned.
In most markets, kind of. There are some others but most aren't sold in NA other than the Pixel.
Ah okay, thanks