I find root essential if you use a custom rom. I usually buy cheap phones (like Poco/Xiaomi) and install a lineageOS build. Without magisk/kernelsu there are a lot of apps that are not going to work (like netflix, Google pay, bank apps, et…).
Nowadays most developers consider that you are a terrorist for having a non-oficial ROM and for me using the super bloated MIUI rom is not an option. If you have a good base os like pixelos, samsung’s os or similar maybe you don’t need it.
Also being able to fully block advertisement is a great plus of having root. I now that there are methods that does not require root but adaway, in my opinion, is the best.
I thought the Pixel 8 had been shipping with 14 for a while, and I presume the other manufacturers get beta releases of the software so they can release soon after the official release. Is there anything special about 14 anyway? I finally got a new phone and it has 13 which I figured was fine. My old phone with Android 7 is physically near falling apart.
I use a SHIFT6mq with GApps-less LineageOS and only apps from F-Droid.
And I do lots of things with it. Media consumption, email, web browsing, music, social media, RSS, messaging, note keeping, shopping list, navigation tool (map & public transport), ticket wallet, 2FA etc…
I don’t care to use proprietary services, so not having access to the respective apps is not a problem for me.
Really, I’d want it to be even more open. Android has some real limitations to it, like no way to just quickly script something, and just generally, it disallows apps from doing lots of useful things, because it assumes apps to be malware.
PlayStore if you want to have it. Not everyone wants to have Google sniffing on your background just like Graphene with their “playservices”… Which is indeed Google with just a few options off. But people will never be able to get it pass their heads. Op is asking about open source… Not Google source
Pixel 7 with Calyx OS. This is probably my all time favorite setup for a phone. Most of my apps are foss except a few (banking apps, discord, lyft, and Instagram)
Why is this a big deal? It’s their call whether to support bootloader unlocked devices on official software. If they’re not preventing unlocking this article isn’t saying anything newsworthy.
Point is, there are now strict restrictions that weren’t there before, like the fact that you need to request permission to unlock bootloader on their forum. That process would require you to reach ‘level five’ on their forum, among other things. Some articles report having to verify your real name and a mandatory 15-minute survey. And it’s not even guaranteed either, they can reject your request for bootloader unlock. Even when granted, the permission will expire after one year. That’s what’s happening on the Chinese versions. Global users will have to stand by for upcoming changes. IMO, it is a big deal because this is an anti-consumer move, a move that would alienate their core user base, tech enthusiasts looking for cheap devices that they can easily modify.
Sounds like you got to perform an occult ritual to get the bootloader unlocked. Which is a load of bullshit and crosses off any and all Xiaomi devices off my purchase list.
That’s pretty fucking wild, it’s like the illusion of choice. Like staying in jail, or going out free, but to do so, you have to reach Mount Everest without a Sherpa.
It’s really making me consider sticking with Google for my next phone.
I get what you mean, and I agree with you. But locked bootloaders can be good for security, but as long as they’re unlockable they are good for freedom. You mean to say un-unlockable bootloaders should be banned.
I’m really just looking for a link to a game I can send my partner and not have to deal with getting an adblocking web browser or any other adblocking infrastructure.
I’d be curious if you can still sideload the Playstore and Play Services. I have a Huawei Mate 9 Pro and Honor V8, both on their chinese firmware and its a matter of downloading the Play Framework, Play Services, Google Account Service and the Playstore itsself as an APK to get a working playstore.
It’s the cluttered, overly monetized apps that are the problem, not the ads. Adblock won’t stop the pop-ups or banner ads, they’ll just make them blank. Plus free adblock DNS are sketchy, and I’m not about to pay for one.
I installed Firefox the other day but small at it might be the lack of immersive mode (aka hide the status bar on scroll) was a deal breaker for me. After a couple of years using Samsung Internet I got too used to it. Hopefully there will be an extension for this.
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