/e/OS 4.0 is here: Murena's Android fork makes it even easier to escape Google's clutches

Switching to a Google-free smartphone can be quite the challenge if you’re deeply embedded in Google’s services to begin with. However, Murena has announced the latest version of /e/OS, and this Google-free Android fork makes the transition a little easier.

Murena says /e/OS 4.0 now offers “one-click migration” from Google’s services via an updated Gmail Migration Assistant:

Users can import their Gmail messages alongside contacts, calendars, and Google Drive files, set up automatic forwarding to their new Murena address, and notify their contacts of the change. The assistant can even scan an inbox history to identify the subscriptions, banks, and online services tied to an old account, helping users update each one, step by step.

This new version of /e/OS also brings Murena Backup. As the name implies, this is a cloud-based service that lets you back up your installed apps, app/system settings, accounts, emails, media, and calendars to your Murena account. This is another handy solution on paper if cloud backup was one of the reasons you were still using a Google-powered Android device.

/e/OS 4.0 also offers Murena Meet and Murena Sign tools for its Workspace suite. The former is a full-fledged Google Meet alternative running on the company’s own infrastructure, complete with meeting scheduling, screen sharing, and other additions. Meanwhile, the latter allows you to sign documents (e.g., PDFs, Word documents, ODT). Murena says both features will be launching in the next month via /e/OS 4.0 and /e/OS 4.1. Finally, /e/OS 4.0 brings new wallpapers.

Murena adds that it’s also worked with German brand Gigaset to launch the GS6 and GS6 Pro smartphones running /e/OS. These phones pack a Dimensity 7300 chip, a 6.67-inch 120Hz OLED screen, 8GB of RAM, a removable 5,300mAh battery, 15W wireless charging, eSIM support, an IP68 rating, and a 64MP+8MP+2MP camera system. These new phones join existing devices running /e/OS, such as the FairPhone Gen 6.

The /e/OS 4.0 launch also comes a while after the GrapheneOS team criticized Murena over security issues. But at least there are two viable Google-free Android forks on the market if you’re looking for a deGoogled experience.