Google says it’s no different than checking IDs at the airport.
  • tomenzgg@midwest.socialEnglish
    1·
    1 month ago

    I’m probably going to spam this around a bit, since most people don’t seem to know about it, but a reminder that FuriLabs has a (GNU+)Linux phone with decent spec.s and the ability to run Android app.s (from what I’ve heard) pretty decently: https://furilabs.com/

    Biggest drawback is it’s based on Halium. Usual growing pains of a new product/company apply but apparently the company is pretty responsive and their dev.s have worked with customers to get things like calling working with the carrier and bands of their country where it hasn’t worked before so improvements move pretty quickly.

    Collection of different experiences I’ve variously seen online over the last year or so:

    I don’t own one, myself, so I can’t give any personal experience but I’ve seen it around for a few years now but most people don’t seem to even know about it. Maybe there’s a reason for that? But none I’ve ever seen anyone say.

      • tomenzgg@midwest.socialEnglish
        0·
        1 month ago

        Yeah; that’s totally fair. Mostly, I just want to get it more known; whenever Mobile Linux come up, people namedrop Purism, the Pinephone, maybe UBPorts and the general conclusion is that the spec.s, alone, of what’s available are pretty much a non-starter.

        There’s definitely aspects of this phone that some people wouldn’t go for but I’d rather sales be limited by not-the-right-choice than just no one knew it existed; especially when any progress can get sent upstream and improve future projects, as well.

        • Spaniard@lemmy.worldEnglish
          0·
          1 month ago

          I didnt care so much about bulky before but now I have wrist issues and I can’t handle heavy phones (and I am in a LDR for a few months more so the phone is used heavily!)

  • TommySoda@lemmy.worldEnglish
    0·
    1 month ago

    Google getting rid of all the things that made people want an android phone over an iPhone.

      • NuXCOM_90Percent@lemmy.zipEnglish
        1·
        1 month ago

        I mean, there is still UI/UX, app store policies, and general cost/options.

        This definitely makes Android a lot less appealing. But it is also questionable to act like the biggest reason to use android was sideloading apps since the vast majority of users don’t even know that is an option (and probably shouldn’t since they have no understanding of how to vet them). Especially since Apple isn’t any better (?).

          • NuXCOM_90Percent@lemmy.zipEnglish
            1·
            1 month ago

            So… “the ignorance of the masses” should be combatted by willful ignorance and nonsense that falls apart the moment anyone looks at it?

            Get angry. I sure am. Look for alternatives. Graphene sure ain’t it but I hope it will be in the next four or five years. But this is something google are willing to futz with for a reason: The vast majority of users don’t care about it and even with the changes it isn’t significantly worse than the competition.

            Yet everywhere I see “Well, I guess I have to buy Apple now” which is just… buy it if you want to but don’t pretend this shit is why.

    • generator@lemmy.zipEnglish
      0·
      1 month ago

      Right, only install “verified” from Google Play, but that is where malware is, other 3rd party app stores like F-Droid, that really verify apps are at risk of getting killed by Google

      • Voroxpete@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
        1·
        1 month ago

        This is very obviously step one in a plan to kill apps like alternative YouTube clients that block ads, just like the Manifest V3 rollout was intended to kill ad blockers in Chrome. Once they have everyone using this verification system, then they can just arbitrarily deverify anything that contravenes whatever new acceptable usage policy they just made up.

  • DupaCycki@lemmy.worldEnglish
    0·
    1 month ago

    Two things especially worth noting from the article.

    If you have a non-Google build of Android on your phone, none of this applies.

    This means that at least GrapheneOS will be unaffected for now. Other ROMs without gapps will be unaffected only as long as you don’t install gapps. Since Graphene has a sandbox for them, I’m assuming it’ll be fine. That is, unless Google decides to lock the bootloader entirely.

    In September 2026, Google plans to launch this feature in Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand. The next step is still hazy, but Google is targeting 2027 to expand the verification requirements globally.

    So most users worldwide still have at least 1.5 years until it’s implemented. Plenty of time to get a Pixel and install Graphene on it. Or to figure out some other plan.

    Don’t get me wrong - this is insane, unreasonable and horrible news for everyone. We should push back as hard as physically possible against it. However, at the very least we still have some time to figure things out before the policy rolls out.