The Murena One is Pure Android, not Pure Google - Android Central

But now the e Foundation has a phone of its own, the Murena One.

This isn't a regular review because this isn't just a regular Android phone.

With support for the microG project, a slimmed-down version of Google's proprietary additions to Android, you can have apps like Gmail, Google Photos, or Maps running through the Applab store.

It allowed me to focus on all the things the e Foundation gets right while knowing that the things missing were just a quick install away if I needed them.

A ton of other apps, like Signal (my preferred messenger client), are readily available through the phone's built-in app directory.

Of course, you also get access to third-party app stores like F-Droid if that's how you want to get your apps.

The biggest difference though between the Murena One and every other commercially available phone running Android is inside the settings app.

A company like the e Foundation can take what is there (though /e/OS is a fork of LineageOS, which is forked from AOSP, the point still stands) and make a really good smartphone with it while excluding Google from the picture.

The experience is pretty much the same as any other mid-range Android phone for me.

That's a double-edged sword because some of the things Google does that I like rely on tracking, like with Assistant.

Most people want an Android phone because of all the things Google adds!

Some folks just want to buy the best phone and enjoy it without worrying about Google knowing what apps you use or keeping track of the things you search for.

As mentioned, the benefit of Google knowing things like you buying plane tickets to Hawaii means it you get access to reminders, boarding passes, and everything else that makes the trip easier.

Even if you do want to fill it with games and apps and care about Google tracking you, this can be the phone for you.

The Murena One is the first phone from the e Foundation and it runs the excellent Google-free /e/OS

It's a great phone for anyone who wants less Google in their lives

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