TL;DR
- The HIROH Phone is a privacy-focused device that runs e/OS and has a physical kill switch to restrict access to the camera, mics, and connectivity options.
- The smartphone is now available for pre-order in the US and will cost $999 when it launches early next year.
- It packs a 5,000mAh battery, a triple-rear camera setup, 16GB of RAM, and a MediaTek chipset.
There’s a lot of talk about de-Googling these days. The movement essentially advocates cutting Google’s access to private information on people’s devices. That’s why many privacy-focused operating systems, like GrapheneOS, are gaining traction among users who want to avoid Google’s tracking and data collection and protect their information from reaching the wrong hands. Now, a new smartphone called the HIROH Phone is promising all those things, and it even adds a hardware kill switch for extra peace of mind.
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The HIROH Phone is now available for pre-order in the US for $99, though its final retail price will be $999 when it ships in February 2026. The company behind the device is headquartered in Texas and isn’t shy about its ambitions. It wants to compete directly with the Samsungs and Apples of the world. HIROH’s website even includes a detailed comparison chart that pits the HIROH Phone against the Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus, signaling exactly who it’s going after.
At its core, the HIROH Phone runs on e/OS, a privacy-centric, de-Googled operating system also found on devices like the Fairphone Gen 6. e/OS removes all Google services and trackers from the operating system, replacing them with open-source, privacy-friendly alternatives. This means your device doesn’t constantly connect to Google’s servers or build a behavioral profile based on your usage. Users get to keep the familiar Android experience, apps, customization, and functionality, without the usual data collection that comes with it.
The physical kill switch on the HIROH Phone is designed to quickly disable the camera and microphone, ensuring that no app, system process, or malware can override it. A separate connectivity switch can instantly shut off GPS, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth with one tap.
Under the hood, the phone runs on the MediaTek Dimensity 8300 chipset, backed by 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, expandable via a 2TB encrypted microSD card. It packs a 6.7-inch 120Hz AMOLED display, a 108MP + 13MP + 2MP triple rear camera setup, and a 32MP front camera. Powering the package is a sizeable 5,000mAh battery, and you get a fingerprint sensor for secure unlocking.
The company claims the HIROH Phone conducts zero on-device data collection, setting it apart from mainstream smartphone brands like Samsung and Apple.
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