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Preorders are open in the US with a refundable $99 deposit, and shipments are expected to take place in early 2026, according to the company.
- Does de-Googling work in practice for everyday use?
- Hardware kill switches and why you want them today
- Specs and the early value proposition for the HIROH phone
- App ecosystem and trade-offs when you de-Google your phone
- How it compares with other privacy-focused smartphones
- Caveats to watch before you buy this privacy-focused phone
- Bottom line on HIROH’s privacy pitch and its preorders
Does de-Googling work in practice for everyday use?
HIROH runs /e/OS, the e Foundation’s Android fork that removes most Google services and system-level trackers and replaces closed-source with open-source elements. You still get to do everything you are used to doing with this experience—Android apps, customization, notifications—while, in its core services, it utilizes microG to enable compatibility with apps that make calls out to Google Play Services.
What that means in day-to-day use is less of the background buzzing from big cloud endpoints, and better visibility into what apps are getting up to. /e/OS also has an app repository that labels tracker presence (it relies on data from Exodus Privacy) so you can easily see what collects analytics before installing.
The appeal is timely. Pew Research Center surveys suggest that many Americans feel they are unable to control their personal information collected by companies, and privacy advocates like the Electronic Frontier Foundation have long called for stronger defaults on mobile platforms.
Hardware kill switches and why you want them today
HIROH’s signature feature is a physical switch to kill power to the cameras and microphones, and another for connectivity radios (GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth). Since the switch affects hardware at a circuit level, software is unable to silently re-enable sensors—defending against insecure-by-design advice from standards like NIST frameworks.
There are only a couple of phones that do this. Purism’s Librem 5 and the PinePhone played a part in changing attitudes to kill switches’ place in open-source communities, but they’re aimed at enthusiasts willing to trade performance and polish for a bit more privacy. HIROH hopes to deliver the same peace of mind in a mainstream-type device.
Specs and the early value proposition for the HIROH phone
Inside, it has a MediaTek Dimensity 8300 SoC with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, including microSD card expansion for up to an additional 2TB with on-card encryption support. Its 6.7-inch AMOLED display operates at 120Hz, and a 5,000mAh battery does the heavy lifting. The cameras include a 108MP main sensor, a 13MP secondary, a 2MP auxiliary, and a 32MP selfie camera. The lock button holds a fingerprint reader for secure biometric unlock.
HIROH self-represents zero on-device data collection—unlike the popular analytics pipelines found in much of Android. That promise will rely on transparent audits and update discipline, but it puts down a clean line in the sand for buyers who crave a smaller data footprint.
App ecosystem and trade-offs when you de-Google your phone
Going de-Googled introduces real trade-offs. Many banking and messaging applications rely on Google Play Services for authentication, notifications, or device attestation. So, “microG is surprisingly good; it catches a lot of attack surface in play, there’s push messaging,” though one still has to make sure those edge cases are accounted for. Groups like the Electronic Frontier Foundation and Citizen Lab point out that when privacy and security are your primary concern, an app’s compatibility with the OS you’ve installed (or will install) is genuinely crucial.
On the plus side, /e/OS presents permission controls prominently and aids in the evaluation of tracker behavior before installing software. If you care most about a slim data trail, some of that added friction in setup can be worth it.
How it compares with other privacy-focused smartphones
HIROH is one of a handful of privacy-focused devices. Pixels running GrapheneOS are still the gold standard for hardening features such as memory tagging and strict sandboxing, but they maintain Google’s firmware stack and do not have hardware kill switches. Murena-branded phones come preloaded with /e/OS and pack midrange specs at attractive prices. Purism’s Librem 5 prioritizes open stacks and physical toggles at the expense of battery life and camera quality.
HIROH’s pitch is a contemporary Android experience and the ergonomics of physical sensors—that should appeal—and supports that with ample memory headroom and mainstream-level performance, but at flagship pricing.
Caveats to watch before you buy this privacy-focused phone
The window for the target ship is early 2026, so there is a long lead time. Prospective buyers should seek clear assurances about update longevity, monthly security patches, and supply-chain transparency.
- Update longevity and stated support timelines
- Monthly security patches and timely firmware delivery
- Supply-chain transparency and documentation
On a MediaTek device, the availability of kernel source and the rate at which firmware updates are delivered are more important, especially if a company is promising to support this for years to counteract the seven-year commitments some top-tier Android vendors are making.
Independent security audits, documented hardware switch schematics, and public penetration test results would be additional ways to verify HIROH’s zero-collection claim and at least allow privacy pros to sink their teeth into something real.
Bottom line on HIROH’s privacy pitch and its preorders
HIROH is a courageous project that combines /e/OS with no-nonsense hardware controls, providing an uncommon degree of independence to a smartphone model. And if the company can maintain that and follow through on its privacy promises, this could be the most accessible de-Googled flagship yet. The $99 preorder is a sign of interest—consumers should look for transparency, third-party audits, and initial stability on that roadmap to launch.
