CalyxOS

{{short description|Free and open-source privacy-focused operating system based on Android}}

{{Infobox OS

| name = CalyxOS

| logo = Logo CalyxOS.svg

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| developer = The Calyx Institute

| family = Android (Linux)

| working state = Current

| source model = Open source

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| latest release version = {{wikidata|property|reference|P348}}

| latest release date = {{start date and age|{{wikidata|qualifier|P348|P577}}}}

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| repo = {{URL|https://gitlab.com/CalyxOS}}

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| update model = Over-the-air (OTA), ROM flashing

| package manager = APK-based

| supported platforms = arm, arm64

| kernel type = Monolithic (Linux)

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| website = {{URL|https://calyxos.org}}

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CalyxOS is an Android-based operating system for select smartphones, foldables and tablets with mostly free and open-source software. It is produced by the Calyx Institute as part of its mission to "defend online privacy, security and accessibility."{{Cite web|title=About The Calyx Institute - Calyx Institute|url=https://calyxinstitute.org/about|access-date=2021-11-02|website=calyxinstitute.org}}

CalyxOS preserves the Android security model, using Android's Verified Boot system of cryptographic signing of the operating system, and running with a locked bootloader.{{Cite web |title=Security FAQ |url=https://calyxos.org/docs/guide/security/security-faq/ |access-date=2023-03-03 |website=calyxos.org}}{{Cite web |title=Android Security Bulletins |url=https://calyxos.org/docs/guide/security/bulletin/ |access-date=2023-03-03 |website=calyxos.org}} CalyxOS also features an installer that guides the user through the process of unlocking and then re-locking the bootloader.{{Cite web |title=CalyxOS: Google-freies Android |url=https://www.linux-magazin.de/ausgaben/2021/09/calyxos/ |access-date=2023-04-13 |website=Linux-Magazin |language=de-DE |quote=Bei der Installation wird auch der Geräteschlüssel von Google gegen einen von CalyxOS ausgetauscht. Das ermöglicht einen verifizierten Bootvorgang und stellt sicher, dass sich nur von CalyxOS signierte Updates installieren lassen. Um den Schutz zu aktivieren, fragt der Installer am Schluss, ob er den Bootloader wieder sperren soll, was es zu bestätigen gilt. Anschließend ist die CalyxOS-Installation startklar.}}

History

The Calyx Institute annual reports{{Cite web |title=Financials and Annual Reports - Calyx Institute |url=https://calyxinstitute.org/about/financials-and-annual-reports |access-date=2022-07-26 |website=calyxinstitute.org}} state CalyxOS was publicly launched during their 2018–2019 fiscal year. Inspiration included Tails and Qubes OS, and goals were said to be "completely open source", removing proprietary Google tracking, and including apps Tor, Signal and CalyxVPN for increased privacy.{{Cite web |title=Annual Report 2018-2019 |url=https://calyxinstitute.org/rails/active_storage/blobs/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsibWVzc2FnZSI6IkJBaHBDZz09IiwiZXhwIjpudWxsLCJwdXIiOiJibG9iX2lkIn19--a6503e066f928f6954ce8c9af2285d5afdad4788/CalyxInstituteAnnualReport2018-2019FINAL.pdf |access-date=2022-09-19 |archive-date=2022-07-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220726135051/https://calyxinstitute.org/rails/active_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--4d66864f7b045d0be684406cf134fc7607100ef3/CalyxInstituteAnnualReport2018-2019FINAL.pdf?content_type=application%2Fpdf&disposition=inline%3B+filename%3D%22CalyxInstituteAnnualReport2018-2019FINAL.pdf%22%3B+filename%2A%3DUTF-8%27%27CalyxInstituteAnnualReport2018-2019FINAL.pdf |url-status=bot: unknown }}

CalyxOS supports select Google Pixel, Motorola and Fairphone devices, While offering "extended support" for some older Google Pixel devices and the SHIFT SHIFT6mq.{{cite web |title=Device Support |url=https://calyxos.org/docs/guide/device-support/ |website=calyxos.org |access-date=11 October 2023}}

Around April 2022, CalyxOS announced support for the Fairphone 4, OnePlus 8T, 9, and 9 Pro.{{Cite web |title=Fairphone 4, OnePlus 8T, OnePlus 9 test builds now available |url=https://calyxos.org/news/2022/04/01/fairphone4-oneplus8t-oneplus9-test-builds/ |access-date=2022-07-30 |website=calyxos.org}}

However, in May 2022, CalyxOS announced OnePlus builds were pulled because the bootloader could no longer be relocked on newer device firmware.{{Cite web |title=May 2022 Security update - Fairphone 4, OnePlus 8T, 9, 9 Pro |url=https://calyxos.org/news/2022/05/04/fp-op-may-update/ |access-date=2022-07-30 |website=calyxos.org}}{{Cite web |title=OnePlus Android 12 firmware - relocking no longer works |url=https://calyxos.org/news/2022/07/06/oneplus-android-12-relock-issue/ |access-date=2022-07-30 |website=calyxos.org}}

In March 2024, CalyxOS added support for the Fairphone 5.{{cite web |title=Fairphone 5, March update progress |url=https://calyxos.org/news/2024/03/05/fp5/ |website=calyxos.org |access-date=11 May 2024}}

Software

class="wikitable"

|+{{Incomplete list|date=September 2022}}

!Software

name

!Feature(s)

!Notes

Aurora Store

|Alternative to the standard Google Play Store

| Aurora Store uses the same standard catalog of apps and installs apps directly from the Google servers to phone.{{Cite web |title=Aurora Store |url=https://calyxos.org/docs/guide/apps/aurora-store/ |access-date=2022-09-29 |website=calyxos.org}} CalyxOS gives Aurora Store special privileges so that app updates can be automatically installed.

Chromium

|FOSS web browser

|Bromite fork, succeeded DuckDuckGo mobile browser as the default web browser in June 2022.{{Cite web |title=June 2022 Security update - Pixels |url=https://calyxos.org/news/2022/06/08/june-update-pixels/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20221025201805/https://calyxos.org/news/2022/06/08/june-update-pixels/ |archive-date=2022-10-25 |access-date= |website= |language=en-US}}

F-Droid Basic

|Repository of FOSS applications for the Android platform

|CalyxOS includes a version of F-Droid called "F-Droid Basic" which allows for streamlined app updates, installs, and uninstalls without elevated privileges.{{Cite web |title=F-Droid |url=https://calyxos.org/docs/guide/apps/f-droid-basic/ |access-date=2022-09-29 |website=calyxos.org}}

MicroG

|FOSS implementation of proprietary Google Play Services

|Some apps dependent on Google Play Services may not work with MicroG, use of MicroG is optional.{{Cite web |title=microG |url=https://calyxos.org/docs/guide/microg/ |access-date=2022-08-01 |website=calyxos.org}}

Organic Maps

|Navigation app with privacy

|A privacy-focused navigation app for driving, hiking, and cycling. The application uses OpenStreetMap for its map data. It can download maps on the device to be used for location information and navigation without an internet connection.{{Cite web |title=Organic Maps: Offline Hike, Bike, Trails and Navigation |url=https://13ea2c58.organicmaps.pages.dev/ |access-date=2023-08-24 |website=13ea2c58.organicmaps.pages.dev |language=en}}

Seedvault

|Encrypted backup and restore application for Android

|The Calyx Institute sponsored development of SeedVault {{Cite web |title=SeedVault - Calyx Institute |url=https://calyxinstitute.org/projects/seedvault-encrypted-backup-for-android |access-date=2022-07-23 |website=calyxinstitute.org}} and an annual report states they "debuted SeedVault" during their 2019-2020 fiscal year.{{Cite web |title= Annual Report 2019-2020 |url=https://calyxinstitute.org/rails/active_storage/blobs/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsibWVzc2FnZSI6IkJBaHBDdz09IiwiZXhwIjpudWxsLCJwdXIiOiJibG9iX2lkIn19--81809120043e90f907f74d18db1d9e5bb8657ae7/Calyx_AnnualReport_2020_FINAL.pdf |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220726135158/https://calyxinstitute.org/rails/active_storage/disk/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsibWVzc2FnZSI6IkJBaDdDRG9JYTJWNVNTSWRRbFYxU21GWWRGRTNURWRJVGpGQk5FdFVZalJVUVVVeEJqb0dSVlE2RUdScGMzQnZjMmwwYVc5dVNTSnRhVzVzYVc1bE95Qm1hV3hsYm1GdFpUMGlRMkZzZVhoZlFXNXVkV0ZzVW1Wd2IzSjBYekl3TWpCZlJrbE9RVXd1Y0dSbUlqc2dabWxzWlc1aGJXVXFQVlZVUmkwNEp5ZERZV3g1ZUY5QmJtNTFZV3hTWlhCdmNuUmZNakF5TUY5R1NVNUJUQzV3WkdZR093WlVPaEZqYjI1MFpXNTBYM1I1Y0dWSkloUmhjSEJzYVdOaGRHbHZiaTl3WkdZR093WlUiLCJleHAiOiIyMDIyLTA3LTI2VDEzOjU2OjU3Ljg4M1oiLCJwdXIiOiJibG9iX2tleSJ9fQ==--51cc2b1f808a27865be731aad6025fbd1eb86c3d/Calyx_AnnualReport_2020_FINAL.pdf?content_type=application%2Fpdf&disposition=inline%3B+filename%3D%22Calyx_AnnualReport_2020_FINAL.pdf%22%3B+filename%2A%3DUTF-8%27%27Calyx_AnnualReport_2020_FINAL.pdf |archive-date=2022-07-26 |access-date=2022-09-19}}

SeedVault is also used by LineageOS.{{Cite web|url=https://www.xda-developers.com/lineageos-seedvault-open-source-backup-solution/|title=LineageOS adopts SeedVault as its open source backup solution|first=Skanda|last=Hazarika|date=November 4, 2020|website=XDA Developers}}{{Cite web |last=Hazarika |first=Skanda |date=2021-03-31 |title=LineageOS 18.1 based on Android 11 is here for nearly 60 devices |url=https://www.xda-developers.com/lineageos-18-1/ |access-date=2023-04-13 |website=XDA Developers |language=en}}

Signal

|Encrypted calling/messaging app

|Free, privacy-focused messaging and voice talk app, preinstalled as messaging app in CalyxOS.{{Cite web |title=Signal |url=https://calyxos.org/docs/guide/apps/signal/ |access-date=2022-09-29 |website=calyxos.org}}

CalyxOS ships with MicroG as an open-source alternative to the Google Mobile Services, including Mozilla Location Services as an optional replacement to the location services provided by Google, but gives the user the option to disable microG and its location services.{{Cite web |date=2021-11-13 |title=5 De-Googled Android-based Operating Systems |url=https://itsfoss.com/android-distributions-roms/ |access-date=2023-04-13 |website=It's FOSS |language=en |quote=Instead of not shipping the Google Mobile Services (GMS) and leaving users to figure stuff out by themselves (flashing gapps etc), CalyxOS ships with microG. However, you can choose to enable/disable it, thus, giving you total control. [...] Uses Mozilla Location Services instead of Google’s Location Services}}

Reception

In October 2020, Moritz Tremmel reviewed CalyxOS.{{cite web|author=Moritz Tremmel|date=2020-10-19|title=CalyxOS im Test: Ein komfortables Android mit einer Extraportion Privacy|url=https://www.golem.de/pda/pda-151555.html|access-date=2021-02-02|work=Golem.de|language=de}} A month later, Tremmel explained why he preferred CalyxOS over LineageOS.{{Cite web|last=Tremmel|first=Moritz|date=November 10, 2020|title=Bye-bye, Lineage OS!|url=https://www.golem.de/sonstiges/zustimmung/auswahl.html?from=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.golem.de%2Fnews%2Fandroid-bye-bye-lineage-os-2011-151899-3.html|url-status=live|access-date=2021-11-02|website=www.golem.de|language=de|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112014608/https://www.golem.de/sonstiges/zustimmung/auswahl.html?from=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.golem.de%2Fnews%2Fandroid-bye-bye-lineage-os-2011-151899-3.html |archive-date=2020-11-12 }} A year later in September 2021, Tremmel further explained how CalyxOS was different from other ROMs because it did not require as much "fiddling".{{Cite web|last=Tremmel|first=Moritz|title=CalyxOS: Google-freies Android|url=https://www.linux-magazin.de/ausgaben/2021/09/calyxos/|access-date=2021-11-02|website=Linux-Magazin|language=de-DE}} Rahul Nambiampurath, writing for MakeUseOf in March 2021, termed CalyxOS, "[one of the] best [Android] ROMs for privacy ... offers the perfect middle ground between convenience and privacy".{{Cite web|date=2021-03-29|title=What's the Best Privacy-Focussed Android ROM?|url=https://www.makeuseof.com/best-android-rom-for-privacy/|access-date=2021-11-02|website=MUO|language=en-US}} In August 2021, Android Authority wrote CalyxOS "puts privacy and security into the hands of everyday users."{{Cite web|title=Gary Explains: Linux turns 30, Tesla's D1 chip, Power⚡️ over Ethernet & more!|url=https://www.androidauthority.com/newsletters/gary-explains-newsletter-aug-26-2021/|access-date=2021-11-02|website=Android Authority|language=en-US}}

In 2022, the book c't Sicher ins Netz: How to block out monitors and attackers, said "CalyxOS is one of the youngest custom ROMs, it will only celebrate its second birthday in summer 2022. With a built-in Datura firewall, VPN and Cloudflare DNS, Calyx promises more security than some other mobile systems."{{Cite book |last=c't-Redaktion |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nUhwEAAAQBAJ&dq=%22CalyxOS%22+-wikipedia&pg=PT60 |title=c't Sicher ins Netz: So sperren Sie Überwacher und Angreifer aus |date=2022-05-18 |publisher=Heise Medien GmbH & Co. KG |isbn=978-3-95788-313-1 |language=de}}

In 2023, CalyxOS was the one alternative phone operating system recommended by Carey Parker in the book Firewalls Don't Stop Dragons.{{Citation |last=Parker |first=Carey |title=Odds and Ends |date=2023 |url=https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4842-9036-1_13 |work=Firewalls Don't Stop Dragons: A Step-by-Step Guide to Computer Security and Privacy for Non-Techies |pages=541–558 |editor-last=Parker |editor-first=Carey |access-date=2023-04-13 |place=Berkeley, CA |publisher=Apress |language=en |doi=10.1007/978-1-4842-9036-1_13 |isbn=978-1-4842-9036-1|url-access=subscription }}