this post was submitted on 12 Mar 2024
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Imagine phones coming with a clean Android with the ability to install Google Play Services like a normal app ๐.
And documention to port other operating systems or new Android versions.
You just described GrapheneOS, by far the best mobile operating system IMO
Shame it, by sensible design, only works on Pixels.
Because Pixels are the only Android phones with reasonable hardware design (in regards to security)
Yes they mentioned that in the comment you just replied to.
Where is this coming from? Do you have any sources?
Pixels have many hardware security features that can't be found on any other Android phone. Examples are the Titan M2 chip, which uses the Android StrongBox and Weaver API, Insider Attack Resistance and hardware attestation. It enables a strong implementation of Android Verified Boot. On many other Android devices, Verified boot is insecure or entirely broken. Pixels are also the only phones on the market with hardware memory tagging.
I highly recommend this section of the GrapheneOS FAQ and this video.
Here is an alternative Piped link(s):
this video
Piped is a privacy-respecting open-source alternative frontend to YouTube.
I'm open-source; check me out at GitHub.
That comes from the GOS devs.
Just read my other comment https://lemmy.world/comment/8376049
The closest thing is Fairphone. Also, unfortunately, only available in Europe.
My Fairphone had a far from clean android install.
Really? The Fairphone has bloatware on it? Can it at least be removed easily?
Why can't we just have nice things like basic phones and printers without a bunch of fucking trickery?
Bloatware consisting of default apps and google play store. Not what I'd call bloatware.
Ahh. That all sounds fine to me.
Same, but after unlocking the bootloader, it had a very clean LineageOS install.
It's actually sold in the USA /e/OS through Murena https://murena.com/america/shop/smartphones/brand-new/murena-fairphone-4/
Fairphone has made it pretty clear that they have no plans of selling future versions in the U.S. though. They allowed Murena to sell their older Fairphone 4, but the 5 and later versions seem likely to be EU only.
(The EU radio hardware makes EU versions incompatible with U.S. networks, in case anyone was thinking of trying to import one anyway)
Where has this been made clear? Also, I'm using the fp4, it's perfectly up to date with current needs and probably will still be in 5 years.
While they haven't made an official statement on their website, they have indicated in interviews that they don't have any plans to have an official presence in the U.S. This is why a third party company (like Murena) would need to import the phones and handle customer service here.
They also have no plans for the 5 to be altered to function on U.S. networks, making it clear their latest model is not intended for use in the U.S. There is no indication Fairphone has plans to move into the U.S. market. They seem pretty content where they are currently.
Fairphone comes with standard Android? Unlocking the Fairphone to get a de-googled Android is easy for someone somewhat technically inclined.
My understanding was that the entire point of Fairphone was not to be under the thumb of a corporation and that would allow us to use our device how we want for as long as we want. If it was designed to be married to a corporation, that would make me distrust Fairphone as well.
In a way it does, but by default it comes with a fairly standard android. It's more about the hardware modules and repairability than about the software.
Standard Android sounds fine to me. That's to be expected. Bloatware would be unexpected.
No bloatware that I can recall!
Now imagine your boomer aunt trying to sideload an app store on her new phone
This could be a common knowledge everyone has. Like inserting a SIM card and entering a PIN, this also had to be learned.
And not sideload. Install.
Maybe your family is smarter than mine, but none of my 60ish aged aunts or uncles have learned to install a sim. They have the store do it, or their kids, or struggle through the instructions the carrier sent then complain about it for 3 weeks and forget it by the next time it comes up.
Sideloading is a form of installing and it applies in this case. Its also a lot to ask of the sort of people who will turn on their new device and say things like "it's says to enter my email address, what should I put?"
A modern consumer OS should come bundled with everything a typical user needs pre-installed. That includes an app store and a browser. The "knows enough to be dangerous" types should be free to remove it. That seems like a good compromise to me.
If they ask for help to setup their phones someone more technical, so I do not see a problem.
How do you define sideloading then? Also preinstalled Play Store and Google services is the exact reason why they are asked for an email address, something I wish should not be by default.
But okey, just preinstalled store would not be a problem for me as long as everything is available to remove, even with a warn sigh. I don't want to evangelise here, but on Linux installs it's awesome how not only browser and store is preinstalled, but also useful stuff like file sharing client, FTP client, office suite, email client... depends on the distro, but it makes it easy to ask "hey, can you share it to me?" or do something without asking to install anything new, while all can be removed with no marks left.