How to Purchase a LineageOS-Ready Android Phone

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However, utilising LineageOS on its own has a lot of benefits. So what should you do if you want a new phone but prefer LineageOS over standard Android? This is the manual you need.

Determine Your Phone Preferences.

You cannot just stroll into a store or even go online and get a phone with LineageOS. The software must be installed by you. This implies that in order to discover a compatible device that suits your demands, you need to think carefully about what you need in a phone.

These days, there are a variety of phone models. Do you favour a more compact phone? The better the size, right? You want a stylus, right? Or does it ultimately just come down to price?

The specs are the next item. Never heed marketing advice or even tech reviews. If you often use cheap phones and they have always met your needs for speed, keep looking at cheap phones. Although an extremely high-resolution display is attractive, it can quickly deplete your battery and demand a quicker processor. Have you ever utilised NFC, and do you think wireless charging is worth the extra money?

This advice is applicable to buying any phone, but when looking for a device to run LineageOS, it's especially crucial to have a clear idea of what you want in advance. Because LineageOS isn't supported by the majority of hardware, you can't just buy any phone and assume that support will be provided. You will need to search through the list of supported devices to find what you're looking for.

View the List of Supported Devices.

A list of the devices that LineageOS currently supports is available, along with a list of previous supported models. The devices are not listed in any particular sequence and are divided up by manufacturer.

A image, the technical details, and the precise model numbers are displayed when you click on a gadget. There is enough information provided here for you to obtain a broad idea of the possibilities that might be suitable for you. Find phones that meet your requirements by looking through this information. Would you like a big battery? Looking for a camera with a higher megapixel count? Want a phone that is narrower than the one you now have? Each supported device's precise dimensions are provided by LineageOS.

Here are some of the important sections to search for as you reduce your list of options:

Released: This displays a device's release date, allowing you to determine whether you can buy it brand-new or if you need to seek for a used model.

Current Version: This displays the most recent versions of Android and LineageOS that are compatible with the device. Some models may still be running the older version of LineageOS because the most recent update doesn't roll out to all devices at once. An update might arrive after several months or it might not. It makes sense to purchase a device that is already running the most recent version of LineageOS if you plan to install it on it.

Supported Models: Strictly speaking, LineageOS does not support whole product families, including the Motorola Edge. The precise model number of the phone should be available on the LineageOS device page instead (for example, one supported model of the Motorola Edge is XT2063-2). This is due to the fact that unsupported carrier models and other variations are frequently present.

After choosing a device, it's time to go shopping.

Get Prepared to Buy a Phone

Most folks just go to the closest carrier store and look at the possibilities there. But this is not the strategy to utilise if you want to use a custom ROM. These phones are frequently carrier-locked. This causes headaches that you occasionally can't get rid of.

Here's what you want to do in order to prevent such mishaps.

Purchasing an unlocked phone

The best course of action is to avoid the trouble and purchase an unlocked phone. An unlocked phone can be purchased similarly to a PC. You can play around with the gadget however you like. Before you may install LineageOS on your device, you must first unlock the bootloader (which is distinct from unlocking from a carrier).

This typically entails purchasing a phone outright rather than making a monthly payment to the carrier. Even though it costs more up front, this is frequently less expensive in the long run. If money is an issue, there are alternatives to using a carrier to finance your phone purchase.

2. Examine Using an Old Phone

If you choose a used device, you can save even more money. This might be your only choice, depending on the type of phone you're looking for. This is one advantage of selecting LineageOS over vanilla Android, though. You are more liberated from each device's scheduled obsolescence.

You can choose to keep using older phones if you prefer its aesthetics, but you won't be able to do so permanently because Google will ultimately modify Android in a way that makes it impossible for LineageOS developers to support older hardware. However, that might not happen for a while. A used smartphone can have a longer support term from LineageOS than a brand-new phone purchased from a carrier.

Validate the model number.

Depending on where you shop online, you may be able to find your phone by searching for it using the precise model number that LineageOS supports rather than the store's name. If this doesn't work, try using Ctrl-F to look for the model number in the description of the phone after opening its page on the website.

To discover precise information, you might occasionally need to go to the phone's page on the manufacturer's website. Whatever you do, don't rush through this process. If you are able to unlock the bootloader but are unable to install LineageOS because you bought an unsupported model, you will not be able to get your money back unless you can successfully restore stock Android to your phone.

Exactly adhere to the installation instructions

It's time to start installing LineageOS once you have your phone in your hands. Technical expertise is necessary for this process, but since you've done your homework beforehand, you're far less likely to encounter problems. The methods provided in the installation instructions on the LineageOS website have been confirmed to work on the mentioned models. If you don't follow them precisely, you risk having to restart or, even worse, bricking your device.

Installing the appropriate software on your computer to communicate with Android devices can occasionally be challenging. You require the Android SDK in order to execute the ADB and Fastboot instructions.

You can download this and use your current Android phone to test it out. You're far less likely to experience problems with the LineageOS installation instructions if ADB and Fastboot are operational on your PC and you are familiar with how they operate.

Is Purchasing a Phone for LineageOS Necessary?

Unfortunately, many older devices are unable to upgrade due to the significant changes made to later versions of Android. Additionally, some manufacturers have chosen to utilise hardware that is more difficult for volunteers to support or to further lock down their devices.

There is hence a lower likelihood that your current phone supports LineageOS. You also can't assume that your upcoming phone will support LineageOS in the future. If you enjoy custom ROMs, your best chance is to look at what is currently supported and move forward from there.