2 years ago, news of the Pixel 4a with ArcaneOS surfaced on web. One of these devices was in our hands. There were many videos and photos of it were all over the internet. Later, a YouTuber took a video of FBI Pixel 4a and made a detailed review. Today, 2 years later, the Google Pixel 6a with FBI Custom ROM has emerged on our hands. This device has 3 apps and cannot be bootloader unlocked, just like the Pixel 3a and Pixel 4a with the FBI Custom ROM.
Software Details of Pixel 6a with FBI Custom ROM
If you are familiar with other Pixel 4a and Pixel 3a devices with FBI custom ROM, this device is no different. The software includes Settings, Clock and Calculator apps. We know that these apps have an interface where the FBI account can be logged in. However, there are no more ways we have tried to access this secret interface. We could access this interface by entering the 1111 PIN code on Pixel 3a and Pixel 4a. However, we could not find this hidden way on the Pixel 6a unit.
Custom ROM base
Pixel 6a with FBI Custom ROM has build number TP1A.220624.021.A1.2022121400. This build number indicates that the FBI Custom ROM may a GrapheneOS-based Custom ROM. Because this build number is similar with the build number of the September update of GrapheneOS. We already knew that these FBI Custom ROMs are based on GrapheneOS, we have confirmed it again.
Pixel 6a with FBI Custom ROM has September security patch. It has baseband version 220720. The bootloader version is bluejay-1.2-8893284. So this device was made right after the Pixel 6a came out.
Setup Process
The installation steps are exactly the same as for an ordinary AOSP Custom ROM. On the installation screen, we first select the language. Then we enter date and time information. Then it checks the SIM card. After this step, it asks us to create a password for the device. Pattern, PIN or other security measures are turned off, it only wants a password. The Pixel 3a and 4a was forcing to create a PIN code. After creating the PIN, the phone turns on.
Clock App
The clock application is the AOSP clock application that comes with Android 5 and is standard in AOSP codes. There is no different settings menu or anything else. There are features such as stopwatch, timer and world time.
Calculator App
The Pixel 6a with FBI Custom ROM has the standard calculator app that also comes with Android 5. There are no differences. There is no function other than opening the app and doing your math.
Settings
The settings app is again similar to the standard basic Android settings app. However, in the Pixel 6a with FBI Custom ROM, there is no search box in the settings. The settings menu also lacks some settings pages.
Unlike a standard Android, there is an Emergency PIN feature in the settings menu. After you set this PIN, if you enter this PIN on the lock screen, your phone will be reset. This is a feature added to reset the information on the phone in case of an emergency.
Other Details of Pixel 6a FBI Device
Although the FBI is a US agency, this device has CE barcodes on the back and the model number G1AZG. According to Google Tensor source code, the G1AZG model number is an EU-specific model. The Pixel 4a and Pixel 3a devices did not have CE barcodes on the back and were American devices.
When the phone is turned on, it has a BLACK under a fingerprint icon on the screen as bootanimation. On Pixel 4a, ArcaneOS was there. This time, same software here with the same features but with a different name.
The bootloader can’t be unlocked. The reason for this is that the way we open the developer options does not work. When we press build number many times, the developer options do not open. So the OEM unlock is not unlocked and the bootloader is not unlocked. There is no way to go back to the original software. This is also why we cannot access the system files and other information in the Custom ROM.
The user who told us that he had such a phone in his hand said that he used the phone normally before resetting it. He informed us that the phone became like this after formatting the phone. Perhaps these phones were produced for the FBI and became unusable when the Pixel 7a was introduced. The owner of the phone may have sold it without resetting it, just deleting the information inside. If he wanted to sell it in an unusable software, it would not have been sold.
If we receive new information, we will definitely share it with you. If you get your hands on such a device, do not buy it. There is no way to fix of this. You may use the device only as a spare part.
