Keep android open
from afporritt1001@lemmy.today to degoogle@lemmy.ml on 11 Nov 20:00
https://lemmy.today/post/41560182

In August 2025, Google announced that starting next year, it will no longer be possible to develop apps for the Android platform without first registering centrally with Google. This registration will involve:

#degoogle

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FreeBooteR69@lemmy.ca on 11 Nov 20:49 next collapse

I want a gnu/linux phone, fuck android.

vikingtons@lemmy.world on 11 Nov 20:58 next collapse

Waydroid will likely be a big part of that in the near term, though I’d image its use will largely circumvent Google’s recent impositions anyway.

I’m curious about how projects like calyx and graphene are affected by this, if at all.

[deleted] on 11 Nov 21:23 next collapse

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FreeBooteR69@lemmy.ca on 11 Nov 21:36 next collapse

Yeah i’m running Ubuntu Touch with Waydroid on pixel 3a xl. Would love better options.

vikingtons@lemmy.world on 11 Nov 21:44 collapse

I’m glad you’ve been able to move off, that’s a pretty big feat. How is waydroid these days?

FreeBooteR69@lemmy.ca on 12 Nov 04:21 collapse

Seems to work great, but i’m not a big android app user. I use Aurora Store from FDroid, but besides a couple government apps, FF and Thunderbird, i don’t really use my phone much. Now if my Steam Deck could make calls i’d never own another “phone”.

greenacres3233@lemmy.dbzer0.com on 11 Nov 21:58 collapse

Calyx is on pause due to other reasons, but hope they’ll be back soon!

Source for the curious: calyxos.org/news/…/a-letter-to-our-community/

vikingtons@lemmy.world on 11 Nov 22:08 collapse

yeah, sad to see both nick and chirayu step away at the same time.

afporritt1001@lemmy.today on 11 Nov 21:23 next collapse

Me too

umbrella@lemmy.ml on 11 Nov 21:47 next collapse

i want to keep android open in the meantime while we don’t have gnu/linux phones as a usable option.

MasterBlaster@lemmy.world on 12 Nov 03:49 collapse

Somebody explain to me how this affects something like lineage OS? It’s based on aosp, it has nothing to do with Google.

Then if you add something like microG on it, how is that impacted by this decision?

I suppose they could detect and reject anything from microg. In which case, Google has just eliminated a customer base. Of course, we the enlightened who even care about security and privacy are few and far between and maybe they’ve made that calculation.

Personally, I’m in a tough spot since I’ve been using Google Voice for literally a decade and a half.

Now, I can use lineage OS for microG successfully with Google Voice. However if they decide to block that I will be left with basically two options. 1. Give in and just do whatever Google wants, or 2. ditch Google entirely and use lineage and only side loaded applications like those on F-Droid.

However, I saw an announcement that this move by Google effectively kills F-Droid. If their change does end up killing AOSP, then it really isn’t open source and uncontrolled by Google, is it?

zmrl@lemmy.zip on 12 Nov 12:54 collapse

Because if google kills side loading on all non custom os devices, that removes the incentive for open source developers to make software if there is no way to distribute it. So even custom OS’s will feel this unfortunately. We might still have viable options, but nothing like we see today.

cyberfae@piefed.social on 11 Nov 21:02 next collapse

I hope custom rom devs will be able to disable this

afporritt1001@lemmy.today on 11 Nov 21:23 next collapse

Same I use grapheneos onto to my pixel 9a

pineapple@lemmy.ml on 11 Nov 22:42 collapse

I mean surely, they have direct access to the AOSP code, I’m sure they can just remove the anti freedom parts.

afporritt1001@lemmy.today on 11 Nov 22:49 next collapse

I hope so

zeca@lemmy.ml on 12 Nov 03:58 collapse

… If the source keeps being published.

pineapple@lemmy.ml on 12 Nov 11:21 collapse

They literally have to by law, it’s GPL software that’s how the license works.

zeca@lemmy.ml on 12 Nov 15:26 collapse

Arent they already sitting on the sources of Android 16 QPR1? Im not familiar with the legal implications of these licenses, but i wouldnt be surprised of they decided to fight in the courts to keep the android sources for themselves somehow.

Battle_Masker@lemmy.blahaj.zone on 12 Nov 05:17 collapse

I agree with the cause, but why tf is my antivirus detecting multiple threats from that link at the end?