Your phone is about to stop being yours.
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@SmartmanApps @lproven the facts are right in front of you, you’re just too dense to acknowledge it or maybe your pride won’t allow you to admit you’re wrong.
You knew I was talking about the OS, yet you thought mentioning that you develop your own apps, changes anything about what I said, it does not. It doesn’t really matter how you twist it, you own the phone, not the OS, period.
@dademurphy @lproven
"your pride won’t allow you to admit you’re wrong" - says person who won't admit they were wrong about "you can’t own the land that it’s on"
#EveryAccusationIsAConfession -
Your phone is about to stop being yours.
Keep Android Open
Your phone is about to stop being yours. In September 2026, Google will block every Android app whose developer hasn't registered with them.
(keepandroidopen.org)
125 days until lockdown
Starting September 2026, a silent update, nonconsensually pushed by Google, will block every Android app whose developer hasn't registered with Google, signed their contract, paid up, and handed over government ID.
Every app and every device, worldwide, with no opt-out.
@lproven how about forking AOSP? Not sure if that is even viable or doable, just curious to see what the thoughts are about that.
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@aburka @AAKL @janvlug @zetabeta @ferricoxide @geomaster337 @MattMerk @johnhenrythe3rd @lopta @InkySchwartz @gbsills @lopta
There *are* some alternatives, and I've written about several.
New Jolla, Sailfish 5, offer break from iOS-Android monopoly
hands on: Powered by the original mobile Linux OS with crowdsourced specs
theregister (www.theregister.com)
Mobian brings Debian 13 'Trixie' to phones and tablets
: Another phone Linux? The Reg attempts to disentangle the options
theregister (www.theregister.com)
FuriPhone FLX1: A Debian-powered smartphone
: Fun with a FOSS-focused Phosh fondleslab
theregister (www.theregister.com)
/e/ OS 3.0: Slightly less clunky, slightly more private
: Probably the easiest way to a Google-free smartphone or tablet
theregister (www.theregister.com)
Punkt MC02: As private, and pricey, as a Swiss bank account
A de-Googled Android phone with extra security – and a subscription
theregister (www.theregister.com)
First 'Focal' based Ubuntu Touch – its mobile OS – is out
First version built on 20.04 hits smartphones and tablets of UBPorts fans
theregister (www.theregister.com)
@lproven @aburka @AAKL @janvlug @zetabeta @ferricoxide @geomaster337 @MattMerk @johnhenrythe3rd @lopta @InkySchwartz @gbsills Not one non-google OS is compatible with my $250USD Bold-N4. And the closest match to it in non-googled phones is about $1000USD. There is another for a bit less, but it's not available in the US.
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@GrapheneOS @Captain_Jack_Sparrow @Radio_Azureus @joshg @AAKL @aburka @lproven
How about picking a mid-level phone as well as a flagship to port to? Not all of us privacy and security wonks can afford a four-figure phone...
@stonebear2
the _a models are mid-level. (eg pixel 7a that I'm using right now)
@GrapheneOS @Captain_Jack_Sparrow @Radio_Azureus @AAKL @aburka @lproven -
@ferricoxide @janvlug @lopta @aburka @MattMerk @lproven @InkySchwartz @AAKL @geomaster337 @zetabeta @johnhenrythe3rd I would take the lazy approach.
1. Pick something like a low-end Samsung. The hardware is fine and it is cheap.
2. Change the launcher to something other than Samsung or stock Android. (I use Nova and it works fine but there are several others. It's UI is fine)
3. Replace the search with Duck Duck Go or something similar. The Duck Duck Go search engine buys data from Google and Bing, so you get the same search results you would have gotten from one of those search engines before the AI kicked in.This isn't great, but I suspect it is better than using Linux for now. Don't get me wrong, I used Linux as may everyday ride on my computer, but I haven't heard good things about Linux phones.
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@stonebear2
the _a models are mid-level. (eg pixel 7a that I'm using right now)
@GrapheneOS @Captain_Jack_Sparrow @Radio_Azureus @AAKL @aburka @lprovenThe point is, NOT GOOGLE.
@GrapheneOS @Captain_Jack_Sparrow @Radio_Azureus @AAKL @aburka @lproven
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@ferricoxide @janvlug @lopta @aburka @MattMerk @lproven @InkySchwartz @AAKL @geomaster337 @zetabeta @johnhenrythe3rd I would take the lazy approach.
1. Pick something like a low-end Samsung. The hardware is fine and it is cheap.
2. Change the launcher to something other than Samsung or stock Android. (I use Nova and it works fine but there are several others. It's UI is fine)
3. Replace the search with Duck Duck Go or something similar. The Duck Duck Go search engine buys data from Google and Bing, so you get the same search results you would have gotten from one of those search engines before the AI kicked in.This isn't great, but I suspect it is better than using Linux for now. Don't get me wrong, I used Linux as may everyday ride on my computer, but I haven't heard good things about Linux phones.
@gbsills @ferricoxide @janvlug @lopta @aburka @MattMerk @lproven @InkySchwartz @AAKL @geomaster337 @zetabeta I have a Jolla on order, so I hope all will be well.
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@AAKL @ferricoxide @janvlug @lopta @aburka @MattMerk @lproven @InkySchwartz @geomaster337 @zetabeta @johnhenrythe3rd You can get away from Google's search engine on Android by replacing the launcher and then making another search engine your default and adding a widget to you screen. It's pretty easy.
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@dademurphy @lproven
"your pride won’t allow you to admit you’re wrong" - says person who won't admit they were wrong about "you can’t own the land that it’s on" #EveryAccusationIsAConfession@SmartmanApps @dademurphy Please untag me from your argument. And then have fun.
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2 hours 24 mins 37 secs
Result
No support for any of my Androids.
This is the most critical hurdle for the billions of device owners out there.
There are way too many variations on phones and tablets to give official support to by a limited set of dedicated programmers.
What also limits us quite severely apart from the budget, is the fact that we only get certain devices in the regions that we live, otherwise we have to import these Androids ourselves which can be hurdles for most generic customers.
I know for a fact that an order of a dozen Androids can get you a significant reduction of 15 to 20% in purchasing price.
Buying a second hand device is something I do not wish to do. My Androids have always been new out of the box.
This creates a programmable loop that I do not like, because I am quite interested, very interested in running Graphene OS
Fix: generate the cash for a new supported Pixel Android
@rl_dane @AAKL @Radio_Azureus @joshg @aburka @lproven
@GrapheneOS -
@gbsills @ferricoxide @janvlug @lopta @aburka @MattMerk @lproven @InkySchwartz @AAKL @geomaster337 @zetabeta I have a Jolla on order, so I hope all will be well.
@johnhenrythe3rd @ferricoxide @janvlug @lopta @aburka @MattMerk @lproven @InkySchwartz @AAKL @geomaster337 @zetabeta Please, as a public service, post your experiences.
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2 hours 24 mins 37 secs
Result
No support for any of my Androids.
This is the most critical hurdle for the billions of device owners out there.
There are way too many variations on phones and tablets to give official support to by a limited set of dedicated programmers.
What also limits us quite severely apart from the budget, is the fact that we only get certain devices in the regions that we live, otherwise we have to import these Androids ourselves which can be hurdles for most generic customers.
I know for a fact that an order of a dozen Androids can get you a significant reduction of 15 to 20% in purchasing price.
Buying a second hand device is something I do not wish to do. My Androids have always been new out of the box.
This creates a programmable loop that I do not like, because I am quite interested, very interested in running Graphene OS
Fix: generate the cash for a new supported Pixel Android
@rl_dane @AAKL @Radio_Azureus @joshg @aburka @lproven
@GrapheneOS> 2 hours 24 mins 37 secs
> Result
> No support for any of my Androids.No idea what this is meant to tell us.
> Buying a second hand device is something I do not wish to do.
You do you. Personally I buy 2nd hand when I can, so someone else loses value not me.
Multiple companies will sell you a brand new phone with a de-Googled Android or a non-Android OS.
De-Googled Android phones:
Murena… https://murena.com/
Fairphone… https://www.fairphone.com/
FXtech… https://store.fxtec.com/
Punkt… https://www.punkt.ch/products/mc03-premium-secure-smartphone
Volla… https://volla.online/en/index.php
Not to be confused with…
Jolla… https://jolla.com/
Furilabs… https://furilabs.com/
Purism… https://puri.sm/products/librem-5/
The last 3 are pure Linux phones which do not run OSes derived from Android, but they can all run an Android VM or container and so allow you to install and use Android apps.
If you spent 2½ hours searching without finding these, then you really need to improve your search engine skills!
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@covert_czar @scottytrees @lproven
basically yes.my opinion:
ios was already lost cause by apple's control. google is creating something similar to apple.for near term, maybe three years. android without google components is an alternate option.
but i think alphabet inc eventually completes android takeover.
@zetabeta 3 years? pulled that number out of somewhere didn't ya? Tech ain't what it used to be and Android is not worth it anymore. Time to pray and hope a new entry comes around, but that's an even bigger hail mary. Enjoy the lockdowned ecosystem.
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@zetabeta 3 years? pulled that number out of somewhere didn't ya? Tech ain't what it used to be and Android is not worth it anymore. Time to pray and hope a new entry comes around, but that's an even bigger hail mary. Enjoy the lockdowned ecosystem.
@scottytrees
yes, three years is guesswork. three years is some kind transition period for alternate system, that assumes un-googled android, not stock android.i have basically ditched android already and never used ios. i use linux laptops.
my point is, that after three years, even un-googled androids are impractical.
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Your phone is about to stop being yours.
Keep Android Open
Your phone is about to stop being yours. In September 2026, Google will block every Android app whose developer hasn't registered with them.
(keepandroidopen.org)
125 days until lockdown
Starting September 2026, a silent update, nonconsensually pushed by Google, will block every Android app whose developer hasn't registered with Google, signed their contract, paid up, and handed over government ID.
Every app and every device, worldwide, with no opt-out.
Alternatives!
Multiple companies will sell you a brand new phone with a de-Googled Android or a non-Android OS.
De-Googled Android phones:
Murena… https://murena.com/
Fairphone… https://www.fairphone.com/
FXtec… https://store.fxtec.com/
Punkt… https://www.punkt.ch/products/mc03-premium-secure-smartphone
Volla… https://volla.online/en/index.php
Not to be confused with…
Jolla… https://jolla.com/
Furilabs… https://furilabs.com/
Purism… https://puri.sm/products/librem-5/
The last 3 are pure Linux phones which do not run OSes derived from Android, but they can all run an Android VM or container and so allow you to install and use Android apps.
This is *not* an exhaustive list. They are just ones I know of or have tried.
If I missed anyone out, please, let me know.
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Alternatives!
Multiple companies will sell you a brand new phone with a de-Googled Android or a non-Android OS.
De-Googled Android phones:
Murena… https://murena.com/
Fairphone… https://www.fairphone.com/
FXtec… https://store.fxtec.com/
Punkt… https://www.punkt.ch/products/mc03-premium-secure-smartphone
Volla… https://volla.online/en/index.php
Not to be confused with…
Jolla… https://jolla.com/
Furilabs… https://furilabs.com/
Purism… https://puri.sm/products/librem-5/
The last 3 are pure Linux phones which do not run OSes derived from Android, but they can all run an Android VM or container and so allow you to install and use Android apps.
This is *not* an exhaustive list. They are just ones I know of or have tried.
If I missed anyone out, please, let me know.
I can't find any vendors selling phones with PostmarketOS installed. Time for someone to enter that niche?
postmarketOS // real Linux distribution for phones
Aiming for a 10 year life-cycle for smartphones
postmarketOS (postmarketos.org)
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Alternatives!
Multiple companies will sell you a brand new phone with a de-Googled Android or a non-Android OS.
De-Googled Android phones:
Murena… https://murena.com/
Fairphone… https://www.fairphone.com/
FXtec… https://store.fxtec.com/
Punkt… https://www.punkt.ch/products/mc03-premium-secure-smartphone
Volla… https://volla.online/en/index.php
Not to be confused with…
Jolla… https://jolla.com/
Furilabs… https://furilabs.com/
Purism… https://puri.sm/products/librem-5/
The last 3 are pure Linux phones which do not run OSes derived from Android, but they can all run an Android VM or container and so allow you to install and use Android apps.
This is *not* an exhaustive list. They are just ones I know of or have tried.
If I missed anyone out, please, let me know.
@lproven I've had my eye on FXtec for years now.
The physical keyboard is so sexy but I can't convince myself to pay the price (because what would I really use it for?)
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I can't find any vendors selling phones with PostmarketOS installed. Time for someone to enter that niche?
postmarketOS // real Linux distribution for phones
Aiming for a 10 year life-cycle for smartphones
postmarketOS (postmarketos.org)
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@lproven I've had my eye on FXtec for years now.
The physical keyboard is so sexy but I can't convince myself to pay the price (because what would I really use it for?)
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As far as I can tell, they don't sell phones with PostmarketOS installed. They sell the Pro Explorer with SailfishOS installed, and they *don't* sell (
because it's out of stock) the Beta with Manjaro installed.I don't doubt people can install Postmarket themselves, I was just wondering if anyone sells phones with it *already* installed.
