Google’s Android, the world’s most widely used mobile operating system, started life as open-source software. In its quest for ever-greater profits, the tech giant has been gradually eroding Android’s open-source capacity over the last decade.

Google’s Android, the world’s most widely used mobile operating system, started life as open-source software. In its quest for ever-greater profits, the tech giant has been gradually eroding Android’s open-source nature over the last decade.

Originally published on The Lever, but that one asks you to sign up.

  • youmaynotknow@lemmy.mlEnglish
    0·
    5 hours ago

    2 days ago I moved from GrapheneOS back to Stock Pixel in my 8 Pro, just to see what all the hype about the new android 16 in Pixel is about. Jesus, this is way worse than I remember. i tried it for 2 whole days, and that shit just won’t allow me to have ANY control over my phone. It’s fucking ridiculous. On Android 15 I was able to uninstall Google Drive, Meet, Youtube, and many other Google apps, this time around all it would allow was “disable”. What’s next, removing the ability to disable (which I don’t trust anyway)?

    Fast forward to today, I’m back on GOS, and my anxiety levels are down again. This shit is insane, and I honestly can’t understand why anyone would put up with this crap.

  • No1@aussie.zoneEnglish
    0·
    6 hours ago

    The stupid attempt to have everyone leave bluetooth always on pisses me off. They’ve made the BT quick tile 2 more presses to toggle on or off is ridiculous. It’s not a quick tile.

    I’ve just put a BT on/off widget on my home screen.

  • Canuck@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    0·
    12 hours ago

    Mobile GNU/Linux is getting better, but I think it is 5-10 years out from what’s needed. I suppose people need to adopt Desktop first. The nice thing is you can install Android apps including Google Play on it natively, and they appear in your app drawer like a regular app

    • TeddE@lemmy.worldEnglish
      0·
      7 hours ago

      I just saw KDE Bigscreen got reboot. While it’s not exactly the same (its for TVs, like Android TV and Steam Big Picture mode), it’s nice to see major desktop environments(DE) adopt new UI features for small and large devices. This compliments work done by groups like PinePhone, who laid the groundwork for Linux phones.

    • douglasg14b@lemmy.worldEnglish
      0·
      11 hours ago

      It’s a bit of a catch honestly.

      OSS/community Linux graphical environments have kind of always been ~5 years out from what’s needed. 15 years ago they were behind ~5 years, 5 years ago they where behind ~5 years.

      The only difference is today. I think they’re only behind by ~3-4 years thanks to the backwards movement of things like Windows and OSx staleness.

      Mobile operating systems are in a worse place.

  • Zink@programming.devEnglish
    0·
    12 hours ago

    I find myself using desktop Linux more than my mobile device, even on the couch with the family. Monitors on arms that can swing out of the way ftw. No cute advice for keyboards though. We have wireless ones around but I still use my wired Deck Legend on my lap. It’s an old mechanical keyboard that’s built like a tank, with the PCB literally mounted to a sheet of metal that is mounted inside the housing, lol.

    It’s almost a shame, because smart phones are still absolutely amazing to me as far as the amount of scientific and technical advancement that can fit in the palm of your hand. But I look forward to the open options various parties are working on.

  • BilboBargains@lemmy.worldEnglish
    0·
    14 hours ago

    The obfuscated nature of compiled code does an incredible amount of heavy lifting on behalf of shareholders. Imagine a world where x-ray specs suddenly revealed source code. The flight to open solutions would be irresistible. Windows is hot garbage but it clings to its market share like a limpet, through the magic of closed source, occupying space like a flabby tumour. It doesn’t care if it kills the host because the top priority is growth and an unassailable market share. That’s the magic of capitalism.

  • majster@lemmy.zipEnglish
    0·
    20 hours ago

    MS keeps making Windows worse but that is not a problem because Linux is great on PCs. The reason is that PC is made out of standardized plug&play components that you can make generic OS image for.

    There is no such thing in smartphone world. Each chipset is it’s own Linux fork that gets only most crucial bug fixes while in warranty. Same is true for ARM SBCs where I believe the only board that supports generic image are new RPis.

  • Erik L. Midtsveen 🏴🌈@lemmy.wtfEnglish
    0·
    20 hours ago

    Android has always taken the approach of it being developed in private and then having the full sources and commit history published for each stable release.

    We’re going to be moving forward under the expectation that future Pixel devices may not meet the requirements to run GrapheneOS.

    Many companies and individuals are trying to mislead people about the future of GrapheneOS to promote their insecure products and services.

    European authoritarians and their enablers in the media are misrepresenting GrapheneOS and even Pixel phones as if they’re something for criminals.

    • rozodru@lemmy.worldEnglish
      0·
      18 hours ago

      one of the best products Microsoft ever produced. I absolutely LOVED my old Lumia. great phone, the OS was perfect, just an awesome all around phone. wish I still had it.

    • Domi@lemmy.secnd.meEnglish
      0·
      20 hours ago

      I loved my Lumia 1520, but it just doesn’t hold a candle to a modern Android phone with LineageOS installed. Both in functionality and in privacy.

  • Valmond@lemmy.worldEnglish
    0·
    22 hours ago

    I’m on hyperos and every time I have to touch anything pure Google I feel like I’m on a windows PC.

    Don’t get me wrong, hyperos isn’t a pinnacle of freedom, but all I do with my phone is basically using Firefox and take photos (+ signal, & SMS) and use the lichess app.

    It’s so infuriating, they steal our data, but just needs more. I’ll try a Linux FOSS system next phone.

    • Bongles@lemmy.zipEnglish
      0·
      5 hours ago

      It’s telling how incompetent they’ve become when their LLM AI is the absolute worst one, including mechahitler before that update.