Do Pixel + GrapheneOs prevent Google's vendor lock-in?

I was a happy Pixel user until some time ago (w/ regular Android). When I started being more careful about security and privacy, some things didn't work. I'm unsure if there was some error, or if Google was preventing any configuration, software, or practice that would threaten their business model. I suspect it was the latter. There were several things not working for no good reason (or error message).

After installing GrapheneOS, do you observe any issues related to security and privacy best practices? E.g., configuration, ad blocking, or using an app store other than Play.