Why does Google bother unlocking boot loaders, or doing anything that helps AOSP? Why have they not gone the way of Apple?
Probably because there’s a bubble of nerds inside it that managed to survive from the “don’t be evil” days, before profit incentive inevitably won. Reddit still has their old frontend available, and I suspect it’s the same story.
I’m on Graphene OS and I have some problems with my banking apps and I think it will get worse over time. My device before my pixel was on micro-G but I had so many problems that I embraced Graphene os and its sandbox Google.
I would love to take the step and cut more Google out of my life. But now I have a new car with Android Auto. And I love the concept. But now Google needs all these rights to my apps.
And to my knowledge, there isn’t any open source alternative or reverse engineered Android Auto.
Hopefully someday there is
Why does Google bother unlocking boot loaders
Funmy you asked, because Google just stopped releasing Pixel Device-Specific Code that allows Custom ROMs to be more easily built, requiring Custom ROM developers to reverse-engineer the source code, which takes a lot of time.
or doing anything that helps AOSP?
Free code from people. Also, AOSP doesn’t matter if you need Google Play Services in order for apps to work. Some apps don’t work on Graphene OS, for example, I imagine in 5 years, at least 50% of apps wouldn’t work because the app developers would be encouraged by Google to use Play Integrity APIs.
Why have they not gone the way of Apple?
Its like a FPTP Election system, it’s a Duoply. You need a mainstream device for apps to work, either iOS or Android, as long as Google is just slightly more free than Apple, you still would want Android.
I don’t think I’d ever quit Android unless they pull a move like, idk, banning sideloading completely.
Funny you asked, because Google just stopped releasing Pixel Device-Specific Code that allows Custom ROMs to be more easily built, requiring Custom ROM developers to reverse-engineer the source code, which takes a lot of time.
Crap. It was inevitable, I guess.
Its like a FPTP Election system, it’s a Duoply. You need a mainstream device for apps to work, either iOS or Android, as long as Google is just slightly more free than Apple, you still would want Android.
It’s a good description description, it’s why I’d definitely choose Android if I had to. The nice thing is that AOSP needs far less support than any third party to function, and isn’t going away overnight.
I don’t think I’d ever quit Android unless they pull a move like, idk, banning sideloading completely.
Be careful what you wish for or say, it might actually happen sooner than not. We are getting closer and closer to an Orwellian society and that technology is already hopping on the bandwagon. If control of the market is what they want but cannot have it they will still use every tactic to improve that agenda. It’s hard to notice but it is gradually happening.
(No I don’t watch too much Black Mirror, it’s not an addiction, it’s just inevitable)
Regulators and geopolitics are rising against them, though. I’m way more hopeful than I was several years ago on the FOSS front.
I’d just use an iPhone with tethering to a Linux Phone or a Pocket PC then… 🤷♂️
Use the main Phone to do stuff that requires it, everything else goes on the Linux device.
So much work it must be fun. One day I will be one of those people who has two phones in service at a time for myself but for now let’s hope they don’t take away sideloading.
Note: never messed with Linux but one day I might, let’s see where life takes me.
I hear that change by the way will be handled different and they will release Pixel source code specifically to those who request it. It has something to do with the lawsuit they are facing.
Sometimes people make things that are useful to Google or find bugs for them. It has no meaningful cost to them as long as non-Google Android isn’t appealing to mainstream users.
Huawei and their HarmonyOS would disagree with you on how many users there are on an AOSP variant. It’s a meaningful cost to Google, which is probably what is motivating them to lock down their phones now.
https://medium.com/huawei-developers/what-is-harmonyos-how-it-differs-from-android-e5ea3fc50acc
Huawei was forced to offer non-Google Android due to USA sanctions. I don’t know whether that has created difficulties for them in the Chinese market, but a quick search shows a significant decline in market share in Europe.
I do think Amazon launching an Android phone in 2014 without Google’s ecosystem is the main reason Google launched SafetyNet. Of course the Fire Phone failed because it wasn’t very good and Amazon didn’t iterate, but I imagine Google didn’t want them or anyone else to try again.
Few enough people do it to have a serious impact on revenue.
A majority of new security features/issues in android are from the GrapheneOS devs. Hence every time android announces some new security feature or bug patch us GrapheneOS users have had it for a year or 2 already.
I have been using CalyxOS without MicroG. What made you go with Graphene. How long have you used it?
How’d you disable microG? I really like CalyxOS. Wish graphene supported microG.
You have the option when you set up your initial profile, to NOT use Micro G and it will not install it on your main profile. So you can rock a fully degoogled phone. Then you can either use Android 15s Private Space or the Work profile and install Micro G in THOSE and then close them when done and go back to a fully degoogled phone.
Neat, thanks! I hope they can figure out what to do for pixel phones for future releases.
Agreed!
The bootloader locking is one of the main reasons. As well as graphenes isolation is the best in the field. I’ve been using it for 2years now had zero issues except with Amazon prime video but I solved that issue with a self hosted jellyfin instance. I got the sandboxes gplay services on a second profile for 2 or 3 apps that need it.
Might be due to monopoly laws. They also make huge donation to Mozilla every year.
Why does Apple get to lock Evey thing down?
Because we let them
Pre-built walled gardens are appealing from a security standpoint. Or at least they were before MDM systems were more mature.
Phones have basically always been this way.
Like did you ever install a custom OS on your flip phone? Maybe a modded OS, but not one rebuilt almost from scratch.
