Peace be with you, F-Droid Community. 🌹
As many probably know, Google will block Android starting 2027.
Here is my hope: Google has shot itself in the foot with this Darth Vader move, because many People who loves privacy will now switch to de-googled systems, because ( Since to my knowledge), the blockade won’t affect those systems.
So this is just my Openion and my HOPE.
What’s your take on this?
And I kindly say to all developers: Please don’t register in Google.
There are so many people using de-googled systems now, including myself. Please keep going for us, and four you too. Please
Best wishes from Germany 🌹
How is this going to work for the companies that have internal only apps like time clocks or schedulers. Can they pay the fee and have their apps hidden from the PlayStore or are they all fucked?
This isn’t stopping apps from outside the Play Store, internal apps can still be distributed internally (downloading an APK from a website for example). But these apps now have to be signed by a developer verified by Google. This happens by registering on Google Play, uploading the app, giving Google all the info, and then just not publishing the app on Google Play.
Adb will continue to work
Well, since I never took time to master phone magic, now they are going to give me a push. Thanks, I guess
I started the journey about a year ago. Huge boon to my life even if I don’t work anywhere near tech.
I was doing Android development recently and apparently the official SDK builds needed to build the app aren’t FOSS, and actually FOSS versions are difficult to get. I still can’t wait until Linux phones are a thing, Android is such a shitshow nowadays and even GrapheneOS is still at the mercy of Google’s ecosystem. (also still no aarch64-linux support for the build tools either)
because many People who loves privacy
almost 12 of us … i jest but seriously, everyone using Apple and >90% of Android users don’t care. Google knows this and they just bang on about this being best for Android users to ameliorate any concerns around governance issues.
Even many supposed staunch, so called privacy advocates, will complain they can’t change because banking or some such, so they stick with the status quo as every minor inconvenience is seen as an insurmountable wall.
So i expect some bloviating initially and then acceptance. In 5 years, no shits given (headphone jack, expandable storage saw the same sort of thing)
tl;dr press x for doubt (x)
You would be surprised. Google privacy practices have a bad press. I’m hearing random people saying they got a "de-googled’ phone at my local hairdresser. Also, the cheapest chinese model are not “Android-certified”, so potentially also de-googled.
Don’t forget about the new automatic Google play services check that app developers can enable with a single click on build. That automatically blocks the app from working on any degoogled ROM
Motorola will release a phone with GrapheneOS in 2027, it would be a good pick.
Ironically they’re the top government surveillance camera manufacturer where I live on deflock
Is there an alternative to Android and iOS in the US? I’m trying to degoogle but what other phones are there?
Graphene
Doesn’t that only support phones made specifically by Google?
Yes but you buy a second hand phone so you don’t give money to these rats.
Buying a second hand phone with non replaceable battery is not a good idea. You’ll have to charge it 10 times a day.
Not really. My grapheme pixel 10a second hand last 2-3 days
@brown567 @SaintNectar
List of phones that support e/os
https://doc.e.foundation/devicesOthers are coming from what I’ve heard, but yeah, currently only Pixels have the required hardware. It’s still an awesome OS if you can find a decent second hand pixel.
@ITGuyLevi @brown567
e/os supported by any google pixel
Whether in the US or elsewhere, no, unless you’re willing to make major concessions (like not having banking apps)
The best you can do is a de-googled android, but even that is getting tricky with some apps
Can you advertise f-droid in an app on play store? Or offer free features on a link that teaches how to f-droid yourself?
Fdroid is exactly what they’re about to block
Not necessarily and there are ways to install it waiting a day, then it won’t be enforced on a per app basis like they plan.
This is the first step. They want to wall the garden off. When this fails to eliminate newpipe and greyjay, they will claim that sideloading is no longer needed because it’s barely used.
Can it be side loaded?
That’s actually the problem, you will be able to side-load for now, but you have to enable a setting and wait 24 hours. They’re laying the groundwork to remove side-loading.
That said, it’s unclear if fdroid will still work. They’re gating installs; nothing says they’ll let other apps do installs ungated.
So, did I understood correctly that just getting pixel with GrapheneOS is way out?
Yes. Bonus if you get it used just make sure it’s completely unlocked. A carrier phone is not unlocked and is a pain in be butt to get unlocked. I can’t remember what instance it’s on but there’s a graphene community.
Edit it’s !grapheneos@lemmy.ml I know some instances don’t interact with .ML though
What about Morena phones? I am at the moment considering what to do, I am ready and want to get for myself and my family, just don’t know what.
@Newhere @greatwhitebuffalo41 I’ve been a #Murena #eos happy user since 2020. If you don’t need Google, Microsoft or other evil ecosystem apps, you’ll be fine.
The community forum helps a lot:
https://community.e.foundation/latestI personally don’t know anything about them so I’m not really helpful for that I’m sorry.
Sooooo the way out, is to pay Google a thousand dollars for their phone…
If that’s a bother you could get it secondhand
Still props up Google’s phone business.
So, did I understood correctly that just getting pixel with GrapheneOS is way out?
I can’t really say anything about that, sorry. I’m not familiar with GrapheneOS or Google Pixel. As far as I know, Play Services can apparently be installed in a sandbox?.. but I didn’t quite get it either. So I can’t say whether the system will be affected by Google’s rules. Sorry I can’t help further.
As a game dev i don’t see any problem in releasing the app for both google registered and alternatives. A login for a game could just use email pw right?
it’s a 1984 move
Step 1: Personally identify all deveopers
Step 2: Make impossible to run software from non-identified developers
Step 3: Maintain full control over all software, What? You want to make a Youtube substitute? Blocked.
Problem is you don’t get a choice
I’d love to degoogle but all of the state programs that I am in use Google and my emails that they have are in gmail. You don’t get to have privacy when you are part of US programs.
I’m thinking of taking a government job and why is that you have to do that as part of a US job? What if I just show them I got a flip phone, what will they do?
Idk I’m on the other side as one receiving the support not giving it.
So they’ll be like iPhones?
When this was initially announced, and they said they wouldn’t backtrack (which they have somewhat, for now), I actually did switch to an iPhone. I figured if Android was to be as closed as iOS I might as well try out iOS & see how it goes.
Hardware-wise, holy shit it’s so nice, the device was bliss to use by comparison to my android phone.
But having ads on youtube, having a shit browser (since literally every browser on iOS is a different skin of Safari), it’s so bad. I switched back to android in something like a month (my main use for my phone is watching youtube with Revanced).
Mind you, I’m in the EU, Apple has set up the 3rd party thingy in such an inconvenient way & with so little incentives for developers that there is nothing outside of the Epic Games Store.
If Android ever becomes like this, I think I might as well just switch back to a dumb phone.
Orion browser and DuckDuckGo browser are really good on iPhone. Orion can use extensions and DuckDuckGo blocks Youtube ads.
I’m thinking about GrapheneOS, but I’ve heard it can be a pain. I use a VoIP number so I could just switch to a tablet, iPad is cheaper than iPhone anyway.
@CommanderCloon @grayclouds @fdroid
Just use e/os…I would use an alternative OS if any were compatible with my device
I know, I’ve checked around various alternative OSes but none have my device, and it’s fairly new so I’m not pressed to switch :/
But thanks for the recommendation!
Sadly yes
I think my current phone will be my last normal Android phone. My next one will be either Linux, Graphene or iOS. In that order of preference.
What type of Linux phone? I am thinking of switching too, but I’ve heard Graphene OS is a pain to set up and it makes you seem like a drug dealer.
why would it make you seem like a drug dealer?? no one will even know what’s running on your phone lol, no one cares
Whats the point of those videos? It makes me not want to use the OS.
i assume you replied to the wrong comment?
No, I mean the videos about how the cops will think I’m a drug dealer if I use the phone.
graphene is super easy to install and set up and literally no one thinks im a drug dealer
So all those “the police will arrest you if you have this phone!111” youtube videos are just paid hype…
It’s about using the duress pin feature to wipe the device when law enforcement asks to hand over your phone.
I’m not quite sure yet but I’m hoping there’s something nice by the time I quit Android. Maybe something like Ubuntu Touch on a decent phone?
Yeah, Ubuntu Touch. Less likely to get compromised if you’ve got an uncommon phone, right? I know Ubuntu OS already.
Maybe it’s time to consider SailfishOS as a real alternative to Android (which remains very closely linked to Google)?
I’d rather see non-proprietary mobile Linux like postmarketOS, Mobian, or Ubuntu Touch.
Are any of these really getting traction? postmarketOS seems interesting?
User counts are still pretty low from my understanding. Device support is spotty at best, and even devices with support might not have every piece of hardware working properly, so just how usable it is depends on your device and your technical skills. If manufacturers made it any easier at all to make drivers, that’d probably change quickly, but that hasn’t happened yet.
Things are coming along, though. More and more apps work well with the mobile form factor, though definitely not all. There are Android emulators so you can run Android apps when you need to. I think we’re currently at the point where if you have the right device, some technical skill, and some stubborn will to make it work, you could actually daily drive it. Most probably won’t want to yet, though.
Maybe I’m out of the loop, but shortly after Google announced this didn’t they backtrack and say they will let you install unapproved apps after changing a setting and waiting 24 hours?
An afaik undocumented workaround isn’t exactly evoking trust, particularly coming from Google. Also wtf 24h cooldown to install shit on my own device?!
They said that, but similarly with how they said they delayed switching their extension API after backlash (they’d break adblockers), they ended up doing it later on. That’s what they’re counting on here as well, unless there’s a lot of loud backlash and this hits their bottom line they will eventually eliminate that option down the line imo. They have every incentive to do so.
^This.
Even if there is immense push-back for this right now, they have told everyone what they want to (and eventually will) do. The wake up call we need to focus on is an alternative. A fully functional mobile FOSS OS (I personally hope for Linux, but honestly don’t want to restrict the options if there are others that would be better).
Someone probably going to break the lock like a week into it. You can just refuse the update until it does
Having to jailbreak an android phone… Fuck.
i mean you’ve had to do that from the start if you want to do anything fancy with it
Update system,right? Sorry , things what are common for this commun,I am just learning.
