What you need to know
- Murena announced its /e/OS 4.0 and 4.1 software upgrades, which plan to make it easier than ever to switch from Big Tech.
- This update brings “one-click” migrations from Google, which will transfer your important files, dates, emails, contacts, and more to its systems.
- Murena is also preparing a cloud backup for users, updates for Workspace accounts, and more as /e/OS 4.0 rolls out.
If you’ve become increasingly aware of who’s handling your data (and when it’s getting taken), Murena has an update that’s about getting away from Big Tech.
Murena shared details about its /e/OS 4.0 update with us this week, highlighting the major upgrades its software provides. You might remember Murena’s name alongside the Fairphone (Gen 6) last year. The post states this update will roll out over the next month, labeled as /e/OS 4.0 and 4.1. What users can expect are easier ways to separate themselves from Big Tech like Google, as /e/OS is all about privacy, ensuring your data stays yours.
Gaël Duval, the founder and CEO of Murena, says, “With /e/OS 4.0, we are making privacy-first technology that anyone can use — no technical expertise required — so people keep control over their data and how it is used.”
To help, Murena is introducing “one-click migration from Google.” The company states it has updated its Gmail Migration Assistant, giving users an even easier experience moving their data (emails, contacts, calendar dates, Drive files). Users will have automatic forwarding set up for their email, which will route through a Murena address.
Murena Backup joins the update. Users will have access to this cloud-based backup system for their Murena Workspace accounts. Virtual e-signatures are headed to Workspace accounts for PDF, Word, and ODT files. Workers looking to collaborate on projects can open Murena Meet for video calling. Elsewhere, /e/OS 4.0 redefines the software’s design with fresher curves, vibrancy, and clarity.
A partnership with Gigaset
If Murena wants to make private-forward software available to “everyone,” then it needs to expand its devices. The company states it’s doing just that with Gigaset for the new Murena GS6 and GS6 Pro. This phone runs /e/OS with a 6.6-inch 120 Hz OLED display, 8GB RAM, a 5,300mAh battery, and three rear cameras. This phone joins Murena’s pre-existing partnerships with Fairphone, SHIFT, Teracube, and Volla.
User repairability and the private /e/OS were among the big highlights for the Fairphone (Gen 6) last year. The phone features 12 replaceable parts, capable of easy at-home repairs with a simple screwdriver. A Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 powers the device’s everyday tasks, and there’s a 50MP primary camera on its back panel. The Fairphone (Gen 6) feels familiar, like a flagship phone or modern phone you’d see nowadays. It offers rounded corners and some slightly thick display bezels.
U.S. consumers can finally get their hands on it, too.
Android Central’s Take
Murena takes a bold stand against Big Tech and its persistence in sniffing out user data. I’ve got to respect that. This remains the case so long as users aren’t using Google-made apps. If that ends up being the case, then you’re right back to the reason you left. The phones it offers aren’t bad, and when you factor in this software that fights to protect your data, you’ve got an interesting device.