FOSSDLE PieFedWhat will you do after Android starts restricting FOSS apps?
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I mostly use apps installed from F-Droid, so I’m not sure how I’ll use the phone, except that it’s sometimes required as a contact method.
I've started donating to PostmarketOS this month, so hopefully I'll be able to buy a device with decent support once my current phone needs replacing.
I already run LineageOS on my phone with microG instead of Gapps, so not much is going to change for me. There'll also be an update to Android 16 for me soon, LineageOS just announced that last weekend.
I don't like android 16. I already regret so much updating to Android 15 a few weeks ago: it's onky feature was making notifications huge and replace the monochrome logos with rhe app icon (which is not the one I have on my themed launcher) so it takes more space and is uglier. Same for the new control center: I had to disable it. Horrible locked screen experience too with less icons on top left and ios inspired dynamic island gimmicks.
Android 16, will be some design choices which are even less customizable I feel (but at least way better than ios broken transparency)
I only use app from f-droid on lineage and I don't have a google account anymore, if that stops being an option I guess I'll use an old dumb phone and fuck all.
I will switch to Android roms that don't have that defect, and continue to buy and tinker with Linux phones when I can afford it, until they become daily-drivable.
I hope there will be a good Linux phone in a few years that I can switch to. Would be great with it was compatible with the latest Fairphone by then, for a true FOSS and ethical phone.
From what I've been researching, Fairphones pretty much work after a year or two on at least Ubuntu Touch. It uses Halium though for that. It seems like the older ones mostly work after a couple years on postmarketOS, but crucial stuff like audio from the speakers is still broken or whatever. Security is pretty obviously gonna be worse than an Android phone no matter what you use though.
I'll root and/or use ADB to install APKs. Fuck Google.
Same here. I already use ADB for each new phone setup because it is so much faster, anyway.
install them with adb. its a crucial feature for developers, so they won't easiky get rid of it.
How do you get updates when installing via adb?
Install them via adb, probably
Is this manageable for the non-dev by chance? I can get by on a tutorial or too but if enough things break I'm feeling a dumbphone alt may be the only viable path
Depends on your comfort with CLI tools. Here's the process (assumes Windows):
Add that location to your PATH
set PATH=%PATH%;C:\your\path\here\<- Temporary, just for the current sessionsetx /M path "%path%;C:\your\path\here\"<- PermanentOn your device, go to
Settings -> Aboutand look forBuild Numberit can sometimes be buried inSoftware InformationBuild Numberrepeatedly until a message appearsYou are now a developerDeveloper optionsmenu item somewhere in your settings. Sometimes it's top level, sometimes it's buried underAdditional SettingsorAdvanced Settingsor the likeUSB Debuggingis turned onConnect the device over USB
Back on WIndows type:
adb devicesadb devicesagain. You should see your device listedDownload the APK of the app you want to install (AAB files are a PITA, but can be installed too. Try to get APK files though)
adb install C:/path/to/app.apk<- ifadb devicesonly returns one deviceadb -s <device_id> install C:/path/to/app.apk<- specific deviceYou can install updates the same way, just download the updated APK and add the
-rflagadb install -r C:/path/to/app.apkMore useful adb commands
So no
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Most of that stuff is automatable - except the bit about activating Developer mode and USB Debugging on the device (steps 3 to 6) which only needs to be done once per device - so I expect we will soon see several nice GUI tools that automate the rest and eventually we might even just see stuff that talks directly to the phone over USB via libusb and using the same protocol as ADB, so installing the Android Platform Tools won't at all be needed.
But yeah, at this point it requires people to at the very least be familiar with using the command line.
Someone suggested elsewhere (I can't remember where) that Shizuku could be messed around with to allow installation without any computer's involvement at all, to emulate
adbon the phone itself. Would you know anything about this workaround?A quick look through its documentations shows that it instructs the user how to got through a subset of the instructions the original user provided (or an alternative set of instructions if using Android 11+ as there it can use a different mechanism) plus a few more, in order to run a Shizuku service as user "adb".
From then on, that Shizuku service can then be used by other apps to do everything the "adb" user can, including installing and updating applications.
So I guess it could be used by something like F-Droid to go around Google's new mechanism to close down app installs.
For Android < 11 it's is no more non-expert friendly than the instructions already provided by the original user, though it's better in Android 11+ as there it's all interacting with menus on the Android side (see here under Start Shizuku)
That's why I posted it. So people can decide for themselves. Doesn't seem that bad to me, but then I'm a dev, so it's really hard to judge what a non dev would be comfortable with
No it's not. Not because of that it's too difficult but it's too much work on a weekly basis just to update your stuff.
I have no rooted phone because I have grapheneos but it should be possible to do it directly on your rooted phone with shizuku et al which wouldn't be that bad.
How's graphene been serving you? I've wanted to take the plunge for a while now and this no side loading bs has me looking into it again
Gos is good. It is a solid os. I like it a lot.
I have a lot of freedom that I don't have on other phones. But it is also just android. other brands like samsung added a lot of goodies to their os.
It is a phone, it works, it's alright. It took me a while to understand that graphene's exploit protection slows down apps. I disable that for all important apps like osmand where speed is crucial. Osmand is still slower than on an iphone 6.
Do I have to use it security wise? No, but I like supporting it. Will my next phone have gos as well? Yes. It has no annoyance on it. There is no unwanted app or anything. That's amazing.
Can just confirm the other comment
GrapheneOS is serving me very well
No problems (currently) with banking apps either
I'm very happy with it - although a real Linux phone would be really cool
There is also Shizuku that might be utilized in der Future to install apps (Im just speculating here)
Yes it is.
It will probably be something similar to ios altstore.
You would have an app which has a list of your non-playstore apps and repo for their releases and would notify you for upgrades that you would manually have to install (for example I suppose obtainium will implement adb), the setup will be annoying but far far less cumbersome than apple where you have to reboot your device multiple times self sign ipas and refresh once a week otherwise the apps don't load at all. This iOS experience is awful but still doable and non-dev. Android will have a better experience for sure.
Not really.
I've not been following things super closely, but the idea would be that each user would get their own developer key and then locally compile and deploy whatever apps they want as though it were a project they themselves were working on. The first bit is not too dissimilar from how a lot of people with XBOXes made dev accounts to install emulators. But the latter is going to get real messy and REAL compromised REAL fast as people just use third party tools and binaries that will inevitably be compromised.
It really depends on what your use case is. If you actually just talk to people on phones? Uhm... I am not even sure where you would find a dumb phone at this point, but that will probably work for voice calls and SMS using just your carrier and MAYBE wifi. But anything that involves apps, which is a shockingly large part of the world, will be a mess. Some you can (and should) do workarounds (banking apps, for example) but others you are kind of up a creek since your options are to use a modern phone or not be able to (for example) see your kid's daycare schedule.
where do you get that stuff with a dev key?
sideloading is completely fine, only requirements are the tools on the pc and a cable.
I've seen differing reports on that one. One Q&A with a google rep that made it sound like android studio (? The IDE/toolkit) could still do whatever without a key but with a lot of vague reference to other modes and programs.
Which, to me, reeks of "Sooner than later, all devs will need a key". Because if it were really that clean cut, they would be screaming it from the mountain top.
I think that goes similarily with the plan that app publishers need to be authorized to publish on play store?
same as with a key. KYC everywhere
so you mean unauthorized apps wont be running on android?
that would be anyway the enshittification of android.
That is indeed the plan and what is meant by "starts restricting FOSS apps" (which is an incorrect statement but whatever)
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/08/google-will-block-sideloading-of-unverified-android-apps-starting-next-year/
What was argued was that people can basically just compile/download and deploy their own apps via development tools. Which is unfeasible for the vast majority of users for skill reasons but also, as I said, likely to be blocked by google themselves in the not too distant future.
LADB can have a phone connect to itself over ADB and install apks which are stored on the phone. Maybe F-Droid can utilize this as an installation medium.
I moved to GrapheneOS about a month ago, not too long after the announcement. Bought a used Pixel and jumped. TBH moving to Graphene was something I'd considered for a while for privacy reasons but Google gave me that last push.
There are some different ways of doing things but I've really enjoyed the transition overall.
LineageOS user here, so nothing will change for me. Perhaps in the long-term Google might kill off AOSP for good, in which case I'll seriously consider a so-called real Linux device. Cautiously optimistic about the FSF's Librephone project, which right now is attempting to reverse engineer blobs in Android devices.
I already have a Pinephone sitting around so maybe I'll re-flash Mobian on it and play around with it. In the long term my ideal distro would be Guix or some Guix derivative.
GrapheneOS
Giving more money to Google after they fucked u in the arse. Brain dead move
Linux or bust. We need to humble these companies at any costs. Open software open hardware
Okay, I'll just install debian on my phone then, thanks for the advice.
Jesus!
This is a good idea, except that it requires money. I already have an old Pixel right here that I can put Graphene on.
I guess my point is, it's not necessary to harass people about their choice of phone OS before you know their situation. 🤷
Which phone do you suggest then?
Like I ALSO have a Librem 5, it's just a lot of quirk. Its also not an answer to someone with an Android phone already unless they just have extra money for it. Hopefully we see better Android emulation on Librem type phones though and that gap closes.
I'll just keep using grapheneOS.
Well, I know that I probably wont be buying anymore android devices and I know for sure that I'll never buy an iOS device. But outside of that I'm not sure, I'll have to wait and see how things play out. If possible, I'd like to be able to use Linux or at least custom versions of android but, as of now, most of my devices don't have custom roms available and the two that do haven't been supported in years. I have looked into Linux phones, tablets and other portable devices like the Steam deck and the Legion Go S but they are very expensive and there isn't even a way for me to purchase some them.
I am also aware of ADB commands but I've never used them before. If they are easy enough to use without potentially bricking my devices, I am not opposed to using them.
Well, I did do app development for Android for a couple of years, so I'll be using ADB it install APKs in any device affected if needed.
I'll also never do development work for Android ever again, beyond making utilities for myself if need something like that.
Beyond that, I'll never buy an Android device that cannot be unlocked. Last one I got was a Xiaomi phone, which at the time could be unlocked (which I did and installed an alternative ROM on it before I started using it), but they stopped that so Xiaomi isn't going to be getting any more money from me.
Mid to long-term, I expect Linux devices are the solution. I'm especially interested in getting a Linux tablet (7" or 8") to replace the tablet I currently use mostly for book reading and internet browsing when I'm out and about (hence the size needs to be small enough to fit a back or jacket pocket).
When I started looking into it, my expectation was that Linux tablets would make even more sense as devices than phones since they're closer to notebooks in terms of how they're used, but I haven't really found all that many out there - there are more Linux phones than tablets - and all of them were 10" or more (so, too large for my use case).
(PS: suggestions welcome, even just stuff I can root and install something like Ubuntu Touch on it)
Am I so unusal in wanting an portable computing device with a big enough screen to read stuff, for the purpose of consuming media rather than working on (so no keyboard need), which is not so big that I need to haul it in a backpack, not a full-blown smartphone with all the bells as whistles (I already have a smarphone on my pocket with mobile data, camera and GPS, so why would I need that shit AGAIN on a tablet???) and not a locked-down system like iOS or Android?
If it really interferes, same thing as when YouTube started enshittifying: use it less and likely be better off.
I'm currently using GrapheneOS on my Pixel phone I brought secondhand so think I should (for now) be okay?
Otherwise, Linux phone looks interesting but it just relearning both another OS (like iPhone users trying to learn Android and vice versa) and also just I have low income so buying new tech is just expensive.
I don't want to throw myself a deepend to an OS that I not as familiar with beside on my desktop and Raspberry Pi. Personally, I prefer to know what's there before I just go blind so at least I can manage my expectation than expected it to do 1:1 stuff that I do on my phone right now.
I'm likely going to use ladb to sideload "directly" on the device. I'm really hoping there are some legal challenges and/or bad pr to make them back down. I'm also considering picking up a Fairphone 4 or 5 and running CalyxOS as a plan B.
Fairphone looks really bad after reading some of the GrapheneOS forum threads covering them. Calyx is still on hiatus over the security patch thing
That's a shame on both counts. I'll have to follow more closely for a Plan C.
Last time I checked on fairphone they weren't doing the due diligence for basic security, and that's why grapheneos won't touch them
Did they get worse?
I had never read their forum threads on Fairphone and eOS until the other day. Makes me glad I ruled them out for other reasons.
I've been using GrapheneOS for a while, which should minimise disruptions, but I'm also hoping the Linux phone ecosystem improves before Google locks down Android completely.
Same. I have to imagine there are some devs out there who will start working on Linux ports of their apps.
Leaving android
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Use an alternative ROM. That is what I do now.
Custom ROM
Will they be able to circumvent Google's restriction?
Google's restrictions would act through its Play Store. Custom ROMs don't need to use GPS. So they could circumvent it.
I don't know yet, I'm going to keep track of developments around this and see what the community comes up with. I refuse to be bent over by tech giants.
Find a phone to use plasma mobile on most likely.
ADB in the meantime.
Man this is depressing. I'm hoping the EU will put a stop to this.
They are kinda the cause. They allowed apple to do this crap and know that it's settled android profits
Every country on the planet has allowed Apple to do this for 20 years. EU is the only one that is fighting back (poorly).
But they set a precedent
I feel embarassed to say this as someone who is fairly techy, but I'm a little confused by the whole brouhaha.
Is Google making changes to *Android*, or to *AOSP*?
If Google is making changes to the Android fork they put on their own phones, then fuck 'em. Use Graphene. Use e/OS/, use Lineage...use something that forks their own branch of AOSP and Google can pound sand because those forks are in no way obligated to make the same changes as Google. AOSP is open source for that very reason.
If Google is making those changes to AOSP itself, which means that anyone who uses AOSP as a base have those changes by default, then isn't Google obligated to keep those changes as Open Source, in which case anyone else who uses AOSP can just remove them from their own fork?
Someone explain like I'm a particularly dim five-year-old, please.
I've also been confused about this, but this is my take on it.
You're correct that they are making these changes to Android and not AOSP. This means that an OS like Graphene or e/OS/ will still be able to use sideloaded apps and other appstores like F-Droid.
I think the reason everyone is freaking out about this, is that it hurts appstores like F-Droid. It has a chilling effect on apps that are released to alternative app stores and may cause those stores to fail over time, thus killing FOSS apps at the point of distribution.
That said, this is also over my head technically, so I would love if someone more knowledgable could weigh in.
Yes, this is an important point overlooked by the 'But I have root' crowd.
Also: https://f-droid.org/en/2025/09/29/google-developer-registration-decree.html
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If you want to keep using google playstore and services, you no longer will be able to use f-droid, whether google or any aosp rom. grapheneOS claims it won't be affected given their sandboxed google play and services. Though I'm not sure if eventually google would come up with a counter measure or it won't ever care. They want to enforce that if anyone uses their proprietary stuff the apps interacting with it must be from register developers, which automatically exclude any libre/free app storage on which developers don't want to register to google. GrepheneOS being the exception.
If you use microG with any custom rom, I guess that might work through fake registrations, but can't be sure. But any custom rom without google play and services is supposed to be ok with f-droid. The thing is that google knows most if not all users need one app that depends on their stuff, perhaps bank apps, payment apps, and so on...
I'm fed up enough to try Ubuntu on my phone. But probably will use a custom ROM. And I will never ever buy a phone that is not confirmed unlocked. I hope others do the same. And I wish the locked phone companies many hours of doom scrolling on their unsalable phones.
Use my phone less.
I can't think of a single app I use that doesn't have a desktop/web version.
Camera
You don't need any apps for that, you can just use a normal camera.
We use phone for the convenience. Taking a pic and sending it to your friends directly. If a camera can do that, I'm on your side
Staying on Graphene for the time being. AFAIK should be able to still install apps whatever way I see fit.
Graphene's team has stated that they are looking into OEM's to potentially work out a solution to make a suitable device to run GOS, since Google is locking things down.
If it really comes to it, (long term), I'll make the jump to a Linux mobile device, whether that's a phone or a custom solution.
Just because corpo's are making things difficult, doesn't mean I'm going to cave. I started this privacy journey 6 years ago and I'm not about to undo it because of greed and inconvenience.
I have read you will still be able to install using ADB and I figure I will do that since I have done that a lot in the past anyway.
Are you going to constantly plug in your phone to update via ADB too?
You can connect ADB via wifi and push updates via command line. Honestly trivial to automate when you're at home.
With shizuku you can even run adb and access it via your own phone.
Start giving easy to follow de-googling instructions when and where you know them, people.
The bigger and more thorough the head start, the better.
Keep waiting for a Linux phone that actually works as a daily driver.
At that point I'd rather use a half functioning Linux phone than a locked down one. Hopefully stuff like Framework and Fairphone will follow through on making parts available for real old devices.
Slowly switch to Linux devices, or dumb phone, and learning to adapt happily living without some features, but also without control and censorship :)
DeGoogled Custom ROMs
I'll happily continue using my GrapheneOS Pixel since nothing will change for 3d-party ROMs :)
Until it does. Google is already closing development, so the GrapheneOS devs will have a more difficult time rebasing their changes to AOSP each snapshot.
Yeah, it's a moving target for sure. For now, the devs seem to be very certain that AOSP will stay and that they will still be able to port GOS on new devices (although it will take more time and work).
Not exactly. GrapheneOS has an OEM partner and has early access to AOSP changes that aren't public. A huge downside to that is that security preview releases can't be open source until after Google makes the code public.
Well, that's not a huge downside. They still provide those security updates in their binary builds.
Fair enough. I said "huge" because I guess some people care a lot. I personally don't and have been on security preview releases since they started releasing them.
Is this verified, or does it still depend on how the mechanism is implemented?
If app installation is not managed by Google (i.e. if you're not using Google Mobile Services or GMS), Google cannot block the installation of any apps. Graphene's devs have confirmed themselves that this new measure will not affect their ROM
That's great to read
Perfect. I thought about some kernel level shenanigans which could be out of influence for third party vendors.
Can you tell me how the ad experience is with GrapheneOS? As in, do apps which try to insert ads in screen transitions (or anywhere) still do so? Or websites which put in AdSense popups?
GrapheneOS doesn't recommend AdAway or other adblocking solutions, so does it do so itself?
It does not block anything by itself. I use Adguard as my DNS provider and it does that system-wide. It you can also use a VPN provider such as ProtonVPN that does it
Hmm. OK, I've been using AdAway (not AdGuard) as DNS and/or VPN, experimenting with both) under Pixel 9 stock OS, and it mostly works... but some apps and websites still get ads through.
LineageOS w/Adaway root /etc/hosts blocklists was 100% perfect on my older phone... that's my main quibble with trying LineageOS vs. GrapheneOS.
I know some people recommend against rooting, but I've never had security issues doing it and it seemed to offer more bulletproof ad-blocking.
I won't do anything because I've not used a "certified device" in years...
Google can't control the device if you're not running Google. GrapheneOS will still work like before, allowing you to run the apps you want.
But the jury is still out on how long... I hope we can have a long term GrapheneOS solution regarding hardware.
Be fucked? I don't know I already hate most phones on the market and I'm going to need to buy a new one at some point, not looking forward to it...
keep using graphene os
would love it if the community could fund and get a way to create a desktop app (linux, etc) that would connect via adb and sync apks and other apps. just move f-droid and alt app stores to an old school "itunes" method.
It already exists for quest (vr head set) which is android base, so I guess we will see one for phone at some point.
Wait, can i jailbreak my quest? Id love to delete my oculus account and just use it with steam vr
I don't know about jailbreak, but you can sideload games/apps. Will send a link in mp
Continue using a custom ROM.
If more brands start locking down their devices I'll have a conundrum, and it'll start being about antique hunting. More apps requiring an "approved" OS would also do it, but geopolitics will stop that from going too far in the near future.
I'm gonna get a linux phone. I used a flip phone and windows phone for a long time. I don't actually need any of this bullshit.
I'll just
adb installthose same apps from f-droid. But my hope is that I will be using mobile linux more and more as a daily-driver, until it eventually replaces Android 100%I only run free/libre Android forks, so I don't care.
GrapheneOS for as long as it s available, then probably PostmarketOS for that Nokia N95 experience
Well because of this, I bought a new phone and am now using GrapheneOS. I'm hoping to last at least 5 years with this, and hopefully by the time I want a new phone, grapheneos will have made a deal to have more compatible phones.
Isn't Graphene still Android? What's stopping Google from turfing AOSP so you won't be able to sideload to them either?
We need something completely independent from Android. Would be great if phone manufactures would make their pocket computers easier to interface like tradition PCs.
AOSP is still open-source. If they do, it can be forked.
I think (thought i am not sure) that this thing will be made with google services so just removing them should do, if not, you can just fork and modify
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Don't cut yourself on that edge.
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lmao
This has got to be a satire account right?
probably bot?
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Oh yeah, the question was threefold: What are you doing to fight for rights other than acting like an edgelord on the internet so much so that you deserve to say others deserve their rights taken from them? Secondly, do you think that putting pictures of generic attractive gothy women as your profile avatar somehow gives you more street cred among the neckbeards online? Last week your avatar was a different woman entirely. Finally, with how stupid both of those things are, this has to be satire of teenage edgelords, right?
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If we can, donate to the devs. Let's supercharge the evolution / revolution.
at the moment theres possible to sandbox the store in graphene, or use microg. i think there will be modded gapp packs for certain roms.
if not, the community will come up with a ui for adb install, maybe integrate fdroid and izzyondroid
brute force it with root
you literally cannot prevent root from doing anything.
What happens wen they prevent rꝏting tho ? Samsung already doing it
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I will NOT buy devices that i can't root, therefore i cannot own.
Fight it as long as I can with my current fairly new phone. I assume that update by google would require an OS update, not a google play update. I might just not update my OS until I get a new phone.
If I'm lucky I won't need to update for a few years and an awesome linux phone will be available. If not then some de-googled android phone.
Sony update fails anyway, because i froze a non-essential app too much. Oh noes, my phone could be hacked with physical access, in a few years! But by then the phone is in their Open Firnware program and it's back to a custom ROM again.
The apps are regularly updated of course.
I tried to root an old pixel of mine and soft bricked it somehow and my only other two phones are samsung, so ill have to figure it out as i can and would love a fully linux based device; but im definitely not planning on giving up
I mean, unless there's some alternative that banking apps and such will work on there really isn't much you can do right?
Can't you use a browser for banking? That's what I do.
Or really, I just do my banking on the laptop.
Maybe you can use credit cards for everything but here it would be expected to be able to, at worst, pay with a direct transfer, and you'd need a banking app for that.
Really? You can do that in a web browser here, and never been in a situation where I need to make a bank transfer immediately. Only something like paying an invoice which you usually have weeks to pay.
What is the problem with SEPA? It just works.
I'm not in Europe?
I use hardware TAN generators and browsers. The cards support NFC payments. My banking apps run fine on Lineage OS and GrapheneOS.
Jolla has a Linux OS that supports Android apps. Works for Swedish banking apps, at least.
Build a time machine and go back in time to stop WebOS from being sold to HP.
You mean convince more people to not buy android phones. Man we used to be able to run custom kernel code on the palm pre to try and get more performance out
Quite frankly im going to keep using GraphineOS, it doesn't really matter for me how much Google restricts AOSP code or sideloading. As much as I care about open source I need something secure and reliable.
I like Graphene, but I'm at the point where I would put up with less security for more freedom -- I just wouldn't put anything actually sensitive on my phone.
It's kind of silly that my phone should be an everything-device.
How much less security are you willing to accept? LineageOS is significantly worse in terms of security while PostmarketOS is even wose than LineageOS. Also its not just security but reliability.
Like desktop level. Password protected. Encryption would be nice. As for reliability, I'm willing to put up with slowdown, waiting up to a minute to open apps, and maybe 2 hard crashes a day, if it means I get a fully free phone, or at least as close to it as we get now.
Are you willing to accept being forced to use the terminal for everything? And I mean absolutely everything, even increasing or decreasing the audio during calls
Without a doubt. That's pretty minor, considering I don't think I've ever adjusted call volume in my life.
You have just perfectly described why mobile Linux is never going to take off, the mentality of "I dont personally need x feature therefore it's not important". This isnt some sort of complicated thing like nfc payment or bypassing play protect this is literally changing the audio. So many incredibly basic tasks like that require typing multiple terminal commands on mobile Linux. Even if only advanced features like system management required using the terminal it would still be too much for 99% of people (even I wouldn't use it).
Get a pocket pc, probably. And only use the phone for what strictly requires it.
It'll likely end up being more comfortable from a usability standpoint than it is now anyway.
What are good pocket PCs running linux?
I had a Nokia N900 and now own a Gemini PDA running Sailfish and it is quite nice to have a programmable device wit a physical keyboard (it runs Python, Guile, and cross-compiled Rust CLI programs). A small PC running waydroid would be fantastic.
Not many good options out there but will likely change as Google destroys android and creates a market space for these types of devices.
I was thinking of something like the Piccolo. But I admit I absolutely haven't researched that market. So I don't really know what's available.
i don't really use apps on my phone anymore other than for maps. i just my phone primarily as a phone.
I'm planning to go Graphene but realistically until a solid third option such as Linux phone is able to break the duopoly I dont think we can do much as I doubt devs will update or release many apps with little take up. Probably 90 - 95% of apps on my phone are FOSS derived from outside Play store.
This is only the start I'm afraid. "Big tech" has far, far too much leverage. Google are effectively censoring apps, they will no doubt cave in to any government asking who has (or hasnt) installed a particular app that at some future date is deemed unwelcome. Between this & ill conceived online ID schemes about to be forced upon populations, various minorities are about to be marginalised even further.
Very concerning times.
4/5g card in mPCIE slot until I source a more portable device to do phone things. Yes, there are m.2 options as well. If the supply chain eventually dries up, for expansion cards and/or FOSS phones, then I'll only communicate via my ISP or local mesh nets, until my computers break.
I have on my old phone still a custom Android /e/OS. It's a “deGoogled” variant of Android 12 on my S7 Edge. And if I ever buy a new phone again, it will be a direct Linux operating system (I know that Android technically uses Linux as its Kernel) or again an ungoogled custom Android. But as someone who doesn't do much with the phone anymore, I probably won't.
It was the push I needed to start building my dream device. They say Linux phones aren't ready, and they aren't. But the Linux desktop on aarch64 has come a long way thanks to things like the Raspberry Pi so I'm currently working on a Mobian pocket laptop that can replace my phone entirely. You can find a Pixel 3a XL for around $100 with an unlockable bootloader, just don't expect a usable camera. Currently the tradeoff is either freedom of software with some missing drivers (USB host mode in particular) or using a distro like Droidian or UBports which is custom built to run on Halium and the android kernel and can't be easily modified/tinkered with.
We'll have to start a movement then.
BTW can anyone recommend me a good lightweight & offline capable RSS-feed reader from Fdroid ?
Read You is amazing
I would avoid F-Droid though and directly download it from GitHub using Obtainium instead
It's excellent, thank you very much for the recommendation
I use Feeder, no issues.
Is SailfishOS good?
It... works. barely. I tried it and kinda liked it but if you're looking for comfort custom ROMs are way better. (this was almost a decade ago so I don't know what it's like now)
How likely is that this will happen, unchallenged?
I've honestly just been hoping it never happens, because I don't actually have a plan to deal with it if it does...
I read this from Fdroid (https://f-droid.org/en/2025/09/29/google-developer-registration-decree.html) and I also looked at the Google announcement here (https://android-developers.googleblog.com/2025/08/elevating-android-security.html?m=1)
Things are still murky to me. Google said the following:
Is the problem then that developers have to register? I see the downsides to this, but does it actually block side loading and using F-droid?
Seems very likely.
Yes, the problem is that the developer has to register with Google, and Google has to approve them. It only "blocks" sideloading if the developer has not registered with Google, which all of them I have seen, have already stated they won't be doing this. It also gives Google the authority to block any apps they don't like, such as the ones seen recently being taken down from Apple/Google stores. As well as any ad-blocking apps or syncing apps like they've done in the past. In short, it gives them complete control of the entire platform, and the associate revenue from it.
I don't have to do anything. I use GrapheneOS btw.
The problem for all these things is proprietary firmware.
What problem? Firmware for my phone works fine.
The firmware is made by the phone makers, and partly needs to go into the ROM. And if they don't make it available, you can't run Linux on them.
For example, on some phones in order to install Sailfish, you need to update Android first. Plus, that firmware is usually proprietary and not available as source code.
It is easily conceivable that smart phones become so locked down that it is not possible to install something else.
Use Droidify with Shizuku
Droidify is just a wrapper for f-droid and various repos.. it's affected in the same way
I know, but it also supports installing apps on Shizuku, and adb shouldn't be affected
Already can't find a phone with the hardware I want. Might as well get an iphone since I won't be able to do half the shit I want to either way.
My old Nokia is still in a drawer, I think with somewhat charge in it. Enough for what I use a phone.
I'll go back to Ubuntu Touch. I used it a year ago and it wasn't completely compatible with Fairphone. Now it is.
Fuck i don't think i can unlock the bootloader of my xiaomi anymore...
I guess just don't by one of these "certified Android devices". Might become a selling point.
Other option would be to run SailfishOS (buy a Jolla phone) or install Ubuntu Touch / Mobian and use Anbox.
I will probably move to HarmonyOS while keeping an eye on how OpenHarmony develops
How is harmony better? Aren't you just trading one vendor lock in for another?
I agree, it is only a short term solution. For at least the next few years I don't see Huawei doing so being a relatively small player. Long term unfortunately OpenHarmony is licensed under the Apache License so Huawei could end up locking up parts of it like Google ended up doing with Android.
Use a dumbphone and hold onto a smartphone to use only when necessary. I have a Sunbeam F1 Pro for daily use. And I have a Moto G Power, purchased used, that I use maybe once every other week for bike maps, public transit, and restaurant QR codes. I'm hoping with how amazing the battery is that will last until 5G inevitably gets phased out. I was using FOSS apps with that, but I'll just go back to the App Store. Post-DOGE, my threat model doesn't require degoogling anymore.
Maybe eventually I'll move to GrapheneOS, provided it finds a way to exist without using Google products and services. I have high hopes for Ubuntu Touch in the 2030s.
For me it's less about finding a new daily driver and more about limiting the time spent on an Android phone.
I would love to go all in on one of the newer Linux distros made for phones. Haven't tried any yet.
You can install with ADB, with droid-ify you can install apps with shizuku
CUSTOMS ROMS BABY
Cry, -as it would seem my carrier only supports Android & Apple phones and I am stuck with my carrier.
I'm going full dumbphone with a flip phone and using single purpose devices like mp3 players for music and handhelds for gaming and emulation.
Will this effect distros like eos?
TL&DR PinePhone. Longer explanation below
I'll prepare for sacrifices. I should not blame the Open-Source alternatives that they're not on par with Android yet. It was Android's decision to become more closed, and I'll keep remembering it.
I'll start using my PinePhone that I already own anyway. I've used it for a while, but there was less push for me to use back then. Without F-Droid, I'll press myself hard to adapt to PinePhone and will just stay there until it improves. I have 1-2 decades of experience of using non-mainstream software and see it improve with time. I'll learn. I'll adapt.
I'm still rocking Android 8/10/11, will continue to do so until I can't run a proper web browser.
OniroOS hopefully will be out by then. If not then PostMarketOS. Harmony OS is rumoured to be launching globally in 2026 but I doubt.
Same thing I do now, don't use android.
iOS is on track to push ID-based age verification.
We need flip phones like we had back in the 00s. Smartphones are about to get hella dumb.
I don't use iOS either
I am envious of your lifestyle, I think lol
Block or revert updates or install via adb/shizuko if that still works. Otherwise I will have to start saving for an expensive phone that supports custom ROMs.
Continue not using a phone as always
Install them over ADB like I already sometimes do now
get a flip phone
Nothing.
My daily driver is an iPhone. We've always had the problem of limiting sideloading (to be nonexistent for most people) and it's never been a problem for me.
I also have a Galaxy S10, but all my apps on that come from the Play Store.
This won't affect 99% of users, just like it doesn't on iPhone.
I just hope now that they're taking sideloading, and they've already taken memory card slots, headphone jacks... and they're still taking a cut off the back end by selling your personal information... maybe the cost will come down. But I doubt it. Android makes sense when it's cheaper than iPhone. I mean, iPhone makes sense to be expensive. It's a pocket Mac, it's made by a computer company. Sure, they have telemetry but it's not an ad company like Google. So for a phone that's less powerful and still has the same restrictions, and I'm paying with my personal data? I expect the phones to be cheaper. They really should be cheaper.
But I'm gonna let you in on a secret. Smartphone performance plateaued a long time ago. All these new phones are kind of a scam. Okay, so the Pixel 10 has the benchmark performance of an iPhone 11. The Galaxy S25 is like 40% faster than the iPhone 16 Pro until it hits load (like the top 1% of games, maybe) then the iPhone is like 10% faster... Who Cares? My 2019 Galaxy S10 is still a viable daily driver in 2025. So, I think I'm done chasing the latest model for a while. If Apple Health comes to iPad (I'm not sure if it's there or not), I'd even consider replacing my Android phone with a newer phone next, like a gently used Galaxy S24 or S25 (I mean in a few years). These new phones talk about performance numbers, but for most people, they don't really mean shit. Phones don't slow down like they used to. They got a lot better and it wasn't even that recently.
The thing is an iphone wont let me do anything. It's useless. No custom connection to my server, no seperate maps, no music, no ssh, no RDP. No adblock, no firefox.
Iphones are kind of nice but you can't do anything worthwhile with them.
Rename sideloading with installing and play store with baby mode