Privacy is on everyone’s minds these days — even Google’s. Android 13 is built from the ground up, focusing on privacy and security above all else, but if that’s not enough for you, you’ll need to look elsewhere. Murena has been around for a couple of years now, offering a custom OS for devices like the Fairphone 4, but today, it’s finally time for the company to unveil its own hardware.
The Murena One isn’t a flagship phone designed to compete with the Pixels and Galaxy S22s of the world — it’s even unlikely to compete with Google’s upcoming Pixel 6a. Instead, Murena brings a privacy-focused mindset to a budget-friendly device that, while certainly not the most powerful on the market, seems destined to attract a niche audience. Priced at $379, it’s not exactly in a position to break the bank, which could make it an intriguing secondary device for some users.
Not that you’re getting a flagship phone for that cash. As reported by The Verge, the Murena One has a 6.5″ 1080p LCD display, 128GB of storage, 4GB of RAM, and is powered by Mediatek’s Helio P60 octa-core processor. It’s nothing too impressive, and is perhaps a missed opportunity to grab even more attention by offering a smaller, more pocketable size. The phone’s back features three cameras, including a 48MP wide lens, along with a 25MP front-facing sensor for selfies. As boring as this all may sound, it does include a microSD card slot and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
The real appeal of the Murena One lies with its software, especially if you’re a fan of Android but not Google. With /e/OS, the company has replaced every aspect of the phone to remove Google’s software. It’s got a new browser, a new messaging app, replacements for all of those Workspace apps you rely on, and a custom-built music player. Murena is also working on Elivia, an Assistant clone that should enable voice commands in the future. It’s all rolled up in a custom skin that looks — if we’re being honest — just like iOS.
That said, this is still Android, and it’s still running Android apps. Murena has built an app directory designed to offer all of your favorite software, complete with a custom privacy score delivered by the company. You’ll even find Google apps in the “App Lounge,” which, unfortunately, requires a Google account sign-in to download much of the software available. To make up for the inclusion here, Murena doesn’t show your identity when downloading apps and uses microG to replace Google Play Services and other required libraries. From hands-on reports, it doesn’t sound like a perfect solution — neither private enough to satisfy those who need a break from Google, nor offering an easy way to get apps for those who want their favorite services.
Unfortunately, it’s not the only potential dealbreaker. The latest version of /e/OS is based off of a LineageOS build that itself is based off of Android 10 — as in, the version Google shipped nearly three years ago. And while LineageOS has since upgraded to newer versions, it’s unclear when /e/OS will follow suit.
For now, the Murena One will likely remain a niche phone, not the type of gadget capable of completely revolutionizing the industry. It’ll be available in June in the US, Canada, Europe, the UK, and Switzerland. You can sign up for the waitlist now to be alerted when stock is ready.
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