After the news cycle recently exploded with the announcement that Google would require every single Android app to be from a registered and verified developer, while killing third-party app stores …
Well, I’m likely going to iOS. I need to bank on my phone and those apps only work on iOS and android. If I’m going to be in a walled garden, I’m going to choose the nicer one. Hopefully google gets the message, but I have my doubts.
Edit: y’all can go ahead and keep downvoting every time I mention this, I still haven’t seen a good solution for doing anything else that actually works for me. At least I’ll get a better camera out of it, though I will miss my back button. I just dont see the point of staying on certified android if fdroid and many community apps are going away. It was the primary reason I chose to leave ios for android in the first place.
I see “I need banking on my phone” repeated often. Is this because you prefer banking on a phone, because yoy find it convenient to be able to bank on the phone, or because you actually are unable to do any banking through a browser? If the latter, are there no other banks than the one you are currently using that offer browser-based banking?
If so, that sounds nightmarish and I really hope my country will not follow suit here anytime soon… Could you tell us which country you reside in (totally cool if you won’t)?
Here in Brazil, banks require you to install a literal spyware and go physically to the bank to allow it, if you want to do banking on your pc, while some banks don’t even support it. Meanwhile, the same banks will allow you to just download the mobile app and use it with minimal requirements and no need to go physically anywhere. Then they say that people just don’t want to do banking on pcs anymore.
USA, and there are quite a few banks that only allow digital check deposits through their official app and not the website. Not having access to those is a dealbreaker for me, and I simply dont have the time or patience to switch banks and lose out on the advantages I chose my existing banks for, just to be able to switch phones. It would be a lot of work to keep the feature set I already have. Additionally, these banking apps tend to check if a phone has been rooted or jailbroken and will disable themselves if they see evidence of such.
I get that and agree, but that’s what they’re banking on to continue taking away your rights bit-by-bit. Where’s the line you’re not willing to let them cross? You’d better start defending it well before they get to that point, or their momentum will just run you over by the time they finally get there.
I’m strongly considering the switch to something like PostmarketOS. Also, I’m trying to donate small amounts to a few Linux phone projects, and am asking others to do the same. Even $5 here and there could be the difference needed to accelerate mobile Linux to a better state.
Have graphene devs announced where they stand about this situation? They’re security minded, not necessarily for freedom of choice, so they may go either way
They’re working with a different manufacturer, they don’t seem too worried about Google screwing around with everyone. They can always replace any Android components if need be.
Boycott the hell out of android!
As long as you don’t go to iOS, sure. Hopefully Linux phones will get a much needed development boom.
Well, I’m likely going to iOS. I need to bank on my phone and those apps only work on iOS and android. If I’m going to be in a walled garden, I’m going to choose the nicer one. Hopefully google gets the message, but I have my doubts.
Edit: y’all can go ahead and keep downvoting every time I mention this, I still haven’t seen a good solution for doing anything else that actually works for me. At least I’ll get a better camera out of it, though I will miss my back button. I just dont see the point of staying on certified android if fdroid and many community apps are going away. It was the primary reason I chose to leave ios for android in the first place.
Nicer looking (maybe), but even more aggressively locked down.
iOS has been this locked-down since 2007.
I see “I need banking on my phone” repeated often. Is this because you prefer banking on a phone, because yoy find it convenient to be able to bank on the phone, or because you actually are unable to do any banking through a browser? If the latter, are there no other banks than the one you are currently using that offer browser-based banking?
If so, that sounds nightmarish and I really hope my country will not follow suit here anytime soon… Could you tell us which country you reside in (totally cool if you won’t)?
Here in Brazil, banks require you to install a literal spyware and go physically to the bank to allow it, if you want to do banking on your pc, while some banks don’t even support it. Meanwhile, the same banks will allow you to just download the mobile app and use it with minimal requirements and no need to go physically anywhere. Then they say that people just don’t want to do banking on pcs anymore.
It is
USA, and there are quite a few banks that only allow digital check deposits through their official app and not the website. Not having access to those is a dealbreaker for me, and I simply dont have the time or patience to switch banks and lose out on the advantages I chose my existing banks for, just to be able to switch phones. It would be a lot of work to keep the feature set I already have. Additionally, these banking apps tend to check if a phone has been rooted or jailbroken and will disable themselves if they see evidence of such.
If you’re not willing to fight this crap then you have no right to complain down the road when they back you into a corner you don’t want to be in.
If you’re not part of the solution, then you’re likely part of the problem.
I can only fight so many battles, amigo
I get that and agree, but that’s what they’re banking on to continue taking away your rights bit-by-bit. Where’s the line you’re not willing to let them cross? You’d better start defending it well before they get to that point, or their momentum will just run you over by the time they finally get there.
So, what is your alternative suggestion?
I’m strongly considering the switch to something like PostmarketOS. Also, I’m trying to donate small amounts to a few Linux phone projects, and am asking others to do the same. Even $5 here and there could be the difference needed to accelerate mobile Linux to a better state.
Every little bit helps. Thank you for thinking ahead!
Buy an used pixel and install graphene.
Have graphene devs announced where they stand about this situation? They’re security minded, not necessarily for freedom of choice, so they may go either way
They’re working with a different manufacturer, they don’t seem too worried about Google screwing around with everyone. They can always replace any Android components if need be.