/e/ Android operating system is a privacy oriented, Google-free mobile operating system, fork of Lineage OS and was founded in mid-2018 by Gaël Duval, creator of Mandrake Linux (now Mandriva Linux).
Despite making Android an open source project in 2007, Google replaced some OS elements with proprietary software when Android gained popularity. /e/ Foundation has replaced the proprietary apps and services with MicroG, an open source alternative framework which minimizes tracking and device activity.
But something to note, that I experienced with my rooted Android phone, is especially with banking apps there is a trend to move away from SMS OTP authentications and many are starting to require the banking app to be used. A few have also only made their apps available on the official stores, and even don’t have all their functionality available on desktop web browsers. For example my banks virtual cards is only available via the mobile app. I’m just seeing this as a looming issue…
See Experiencing the /e/ OS: The Open Source De-Googled Android Version – It’s FOSS
A privacy first mobile OS /e/ and an ethical smartphone device Fairphone. Here’s the experience of using the combination of these two.