As a Pixel owner, how much do you lose in terms of the pixel-exclusive software when using graphene?
That’s wild to give that up. I never carry my actual cards anymore for convenience and security. Plus Google Pay gives the retailer a virtual card number, keeping your real one safe.
Not to mention it’s safer to bank on a phone vs computer, as you’re less likely to have a virus or Keylogger since everything is containerized.
As much or as little as you like, as Graphene uses a sandbox for Google Play Services. It’s up to the user, some have more or less degoogled completely (like myself), and others use the same apps they did on stock Android, but with harsher permissions.
I’ve not found any real difficulty getting away from the apps I used to use, as there are FOSS alternatives for almost all of them that imo, work much better and require far less personal data (two I use on a daily basis are a NewPipe fork with Sponsorblock functionality, and InnerTune, which has completely replaced Spotify for me.) I do still use Google Maps, albeit with all permissions other than network restricted (as I don’t use real time navigation, and have yet to find an alternative that matches it for business detail accuracy, street view and ease of use.) I also still use Google Camera, albeit without any network or other nonessential permissions.
So basically, Graphene can be used the same way as stock Android. It just gives you options and control over your device and digital privacy. GrapheneOS is first and foremost about device security, and is the best custom OS out there in its field.
I was moreso focused on things like “Now Playing” or on-device translation
I do still use Google Maps, albeit with all permissions other than network restricted (as I don’t use real time navigation, and have yet to find an alternative that matches it for business detail accuracy, street view and ease of use.)
Check out GMaps WV from F-droid, it’s the web version of Maps wrapped in a webview. It can’t do realtime navigation (because Google won’t let it) but you said you don’t need that. It can plot courses and give you all the details for them, just can’t do the actual live navigation.
It doesn’t need any Google-specific support on the phone, just a working webview.
Please note that, just like on the Maps website, you’ll get a nag screen to accept their cookies and they’ll show it each time you open the app if you reject cookies or close the screen, until you either accept or live with it. But the cookies will be restricted to that webview so the most they can do is track how you use the Maps website.
