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Android no longer open source
Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2026 11:50 pm
by molly
It won't be long now until ̶G̶o̶o̶g̶l̶e̶ Satan implements the new restrictions and tries to stop developers installing their own apps on there own devices. Although there may be ways around this, it will hurt small independent developers who want nothing to do with google.
Here is a link with additional info.
https://keepandroidopen.org/
What are your thoughts?
Re: Android no longer open source
Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2026 3:05 am
by molly
Sorry for the above name calling, I'm sure Satan, if he was real, would be a much better creature than the filth that is Google.
Google's predation
Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2026 6:58 pm
by TechLord
The initial openness was a bait-and-switch apparently. I have a suspicion this was the plan all along. Google made Android open and gave users freedom to build their userbase.
Now that they have a userbase, they can take advantage of their userbase for their profit purposes.
Re: Android no longer open source
Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2026 7:22 pm
by qualia
If this develops further (which I expect it will, the dev option steps around this will inevitably get removed) and I 1. still need a slavephone 2. grapheneos and other forks get killed by this I'll probably buy an ancient phone and install some kind of mobile linux distro on it (i suppose android is also technically mobile linux but you know what i mean)
DELETED BY USER.
Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2026 1:29 pm
by LoadingXML
DELETED BY USER.
Re: Android no longer open source
Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2026 1:20 pm
by moeloli
F-FSF xisters...? I thought the Gay Penis License would protect us from this??
Anyway, the redpill is to just ditch your soyphone (and get a "dumbphone", if you still need a mobile phone). There's no valid use case for watching TikToks or looking at Instagram whores when you're outside. And if you need "apps" for your job or for banking or whatever, it doesn't matter how locked down the device is if you keep it in a faraday cage and only take it out strictly for those tasks.
Re: Android no longer open source
Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2026 2:24 pm
by molly
moeloli wrote: Wed Jun 10, 2026 1:20 pm
F-FSF xisters...? I thought the Gay Penis License would protect us from this??
Anyway, the redpill is to just ditch your soyphone (and get a "dumbphone", if you still need a mobile phone). There's no valid use case for watching TikToks or looking at Instagram whores when you're outside. And if you need "apps" for your job or for banking or whatever, it doesn't matter how locked down the device is if you keep it in a faraday cage and only take it out strictly for those tasks.
The "smartphone" is very handy, I use it mostly for offline things. Fossify calendar is excellent for reminders, Fossify camera I use all the time when out and about, RPN caclulator, unit converter, guitar tuner.
These are just a few of the things I use often, all of which could be side loaded and used as an offline device. Google wants to kill these apps and make people only use these devices through them.
I do let one thing through the VPN and that is SimpleX messenger, this is the best way to communicate with friends and family who don't know any better and have google or apple devices. ie- 99% of the population.
The TSP radio I do not use at all, only wifi.
How Google gets through with these draconian measures.
Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2026 5:21 pm
by TechLord
Android used to be open, probably to lure in users. Now, Google is planning to require ID verification for APK developers. A textbook bait-and-switch.
So why do the smartphone manufacturers play along?
Google has something called the "
Android Compatibility Definition Document", a long list of rules Android smartphone manufacturers
must comply with, if they wish to implement Google services like the Play Store, Gemini, and Maps.
Google tells the smartphone vendors "you don't play by our rules? Then kiss Google services good-bye". (In different words, of course, but this is what it implies.)
Sadly, most non-Apple users are used to the convenience of Google services, so they could hardly abandon them.
Linus Sebastian (LinusTechTips) wrote:
I need Google Play Store support so that I'm not spending half of my time role-playing as the APK hunter.
(
source, 2:28)
I could not even get my mother to quit Google services. Now imagine getting millions to do the same. Borderline impossible. They are simply too convenient for the uninformed masses.
- Abandoning Android's founding principles by closing and gatekeeping it.
- If_Google_were_honest_-_Android_developer_verification.png (409.76 KiB) Viewed 817 times
(source)
Re: How Google gets through with these draconian measures.
Posted: Thu Jul 23, 2026 4:29 am
by molly
TechLord wrote: Wed Jul 22, 2026 5:21 pm
Android used to be open, probably to lure in users. Now, Google is planning to require ID verification for APK developers. A textbook bait-and-switch.
So why do the smartphone manufacturers play along?
Google has something called the "
Android Compatibility Definition Document", a long list of rules Android smartphone manufacturers
must comply with, if they wish to implement Google services like the Play Store, Gemini, and Maps.
Google tells the smartphone vendors "you don't play by our rules? Then kiss Google services good-bye". (In different words, of course, but this is what it implies.)
Sadly, most non-Apple users are used to the convenience of Google services, so they could hardly abandon them.
Linus Sebastian (LinusTechTips) wrote:
I need Google Play Store support so that I'm not spending half of my time role-playing as the APK hunter.
(
source, 2:28)
I could not even get my mother to quit Google services. Now imagine getting millions to do the same. Borderline impossible. They are simply too convenient for the uninformed masses.
If_Google_were_honest_-_Android_developer_verification.png
(source)
Why we need a Linux alternative that works, others have failed in the past for one reason or another. We need a Linux phone that is cheap, user friendly and has customizable features that users want. It probably won't happen but a nice dream to have. Linux on PC's strength is it can be used on existing devices, so you can run it on a used cheap PC, if only a custom version could be put on any phone it would grow.
Re: How Google gets through with these draconian measures.
Posted: Sun Jul 26, 2026 9:38 pm
by TechLord
molly wrote: Thu Jul 23, 2026 4:29 am
Why we need a Linux alternative that works, others have failed in the past for one reason or another. We need a Linux phone that is cheap, user friendly and has customizable features that users want. It probably won't happen but a nice dream to have. Linux on PC's strength is it can be used on existing devices, so you can run it on a used cheap PC, if only a custom version could be put on any phone it would grow.
Indeed we do. Sadly,
patent laws make it a legal mine field to compete with the established phone makers.
Re: Android no longer open source
Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2026 10:03 pm
by vulonkaaz
i switched to Lineage OS on my phone and now that phone can't connect to my bank accounts anymore
it is basically mandatory as part of EU regulation to use American spyware to authenticate with your bank (officially its like you have to have a physical device that can act as a physical key to your account but basically every bank interpreted that as untampered phone with Google Play Integrity)
Re: Android no longer open source
Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2026 8:58 am
by qualia
Is it necessary for you to use their mobile app?
