this post was submitted on 02 May 2025
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[–] [email protected] 390 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (13 children)

Before anyone gets too excited, the headline is clickbait. The bigger Chinese phone brands are looking into de-googled Android. They are still going to use Android.

several prominent Chinese smartphone manufacturers, including Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo, and OnePlus, are exploring the possibility of developing versions of the Android operating system that do not rely on Google Mobile Services.

Chinese laptop makers are also in search of an OS that isn't Windows. Queue a race to prop Linux with Android support on that side of things.

[–] [email protected] 150 points 3 weeks ago (9 children)

de-Googled android sounds even better. The story is cooler than the title!

[–] [email protected] 106 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I like your spirit, but I don't think a Chinese equivalent to Google Play Services would be more desirable

[–] timbuck2themoon 12 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

All I want is unified push really. Then you just choose your server or host your own.

Or just Linux. Like furios or phosh, etc.

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[–] [email protected] 35 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

I mean they just replace Google with their own Chinese data-mining services so, no, not cool.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 3 weeks ago

Exactly what happened with Indonesian release of Huawei.

Also, more ads everywhere. Even your lock screen.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 3 weeks ago

No no no, it's not Chinese data mining.

it's just socialised data with Chinese characteristics! Much better.

[–] [email protected] 33 points 3 weeks ago

de-Googled android sounds even better.

They are already degoogled for the Chinese market. What the Chinese Android variants to not have is a shared replacement for Play Services and a shared app store because everyone is doing their own thing for maps API, payment, ...

[–] [email protected] 13 points 3 weeks ago

When the people are being beaten with a stick, they are not much happier if it is called “the People’s Stick.”

—Mikhail Bakunin

[–] [email protected] 8 points 3 weeks ago

I run that already with CalyxOS. I dig it.

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[–] agitated_judge 35 points 3 weeks ago

It also says:

It is currently unknown whether these companies would aim for compatibility with existing Android apps or follow the path of Huawei's latest HarmonyOS NEXT, which removes Android app support entirely

So, it's not clear yet.

[–] [email protected] 22 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

The US/China decoupling is happening everywhere.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

The front line is everywhere, there be no shelter here.

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[–] [email protected] 10 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Waydroid is pretty nice, integrating the Android apps as regular apps in the Linux UI.

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[–] [email protected] 9 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I thought android in China was already de-googled

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[–] [email protected] 8 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

de-googled Android you say?

ISeeThisAsAnAbsoluteWin.jpg

[–] [email protected] 9 points 3 weeks ago

Too bad that what you want in a Google-free Android distro isn't what the manufacturers want.

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[–] [email protected] 148 points 3 weeks ago (7 children)

So that title is just a straight up lie. They want to use a de-googled Android.

To be honest I was hoping for an alternative OS, competition is always good. But a de-googled Android could possibly be good, but being Chinese I assume instead of Google telemetry you'll just be replacing it with CCP telemetry.

[–] [email protected] 23 points 3 weeks ago (5 children)

Honestly, I think a person in either nation should consider using the opposing nation's stuff. Harder for the US to backdoor Chinese encryption, or for Chinese to backdoor into an American phone. Play the bastards off each other.

Odds are, that the Trump Regime will use American apps and phones to identify and track targets for ICE traffickers. China probably does the same to Uighurs. The less attack surfaces they have, the better for their respective peoples.

[–] dogs0n 20 points 3 weeks ago

That sounds funny, but In that reality, the government with all its power will find a way in (they probably already have programs (as in departments) for finding their way into other countries tech).

Better to just install a proper de-googled android build (grapheneos, etc) and only use wifi (if data/phone num not needed) for the best odds.

In a couple of years (with more r&d, development and investment) I bet this will change to being use a linux phone.

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[–] [email protected] 11 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

US telemetry == CCP telemetry, I can't see how CCP will be more damaging to regular person.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 3 weeks ago

I think it’s just that they were saying his won’t end up benefitting us. It’s just changing who is holding the binoculars.

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[–] [email protected] 11 points 3 weeks ago

Indded but as an Australian, if I have to have an anal probe i'd rather it from the CCP as they wont share it with my Government.

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[–] [email protected] 82 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

Title is misleading, they are moving away from google services.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (4 children)

Yeah I was going to say there is very little alternative from iOS and Android or its derivatives. There used to be Windows Phones very breifly, but they're gone now.

Anthing else has to emulate the other OS to run mobile apps.

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[–] [email protected] 39 points 3 weeks ago (6 children)
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[–] [email protected] 29 points 3 weeks ago

We are going to move away from Google, by basing our new future on AOSP, which is also primary maintained by Google.......I smell another FireOS level product on the horizon. Still Android, but worse.

[–] [email protected] 27 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (3 children)

USA is being horrible at the moment, but China has a LOT of convincing to do before I'll let them deliberately have my data.

Best way remains to raise as high a digital moat against everyone. If you need a smartphone, get a Pixel, install Graphene on it and as few apps as possible.

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[–] [email protected] 27 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (17 children)

You probably should've led with the fact that this is Chinese phones, not like Samsung and shit.

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[–] [email protected] 26 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

A rumor of plans??! Tell me everything!!!

[–] [email protected] 12 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Gurl let me spill the tea, there's word floating round in China that some bde powa playas be considering maybe kinda putting something together.

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[–] [email protected] 23 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

It makes sense for Chinese smartphone OEMs to move away from the Google version of Android. In the medium to long term you are setting up yourself for failure if you are reliant on an American company.

Unfortunately, the United States cannot be trusted.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 3 weeks ago (5 children)

It’s not like China can be trusted either. This is a matter of not relying on your adversary.

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[–] [email protected] 22 points 3 weeks ago

Please, do not post clickbait

[–] [email protected] 20 points 3 weeks ago

arent there mods on the sub to delete clickbait crap like this?

[–] [email protected] 20 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

If it's not proper linux I don't care

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[–] [email protected] 17 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

PostmarketOS for everyone!

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[–] [email protected] 14 points 3 weeks ago

Google meet Zune!

[–] [email protected] 8 points 3 weeks ago (13 children)

How easy is it to degoogle Android? Don't currently use Android or iOS but dumb phone options are getting pretty limited these days.

If I got an Android phone I would probably be looking at something second hand because fuck paying 3 figures on a phone. I know I wouldn't use data at all, call/SMS SIM only. I guess another option is not needing to degoogle it as it will never talk to google once I have finished downloading maps of the country for OSMand and a few other apps. Then it can be on Wi-Fi to allow communication with my PC over LAN but don't allow it access to the internet.

If it never touches the internet after setup I guess outdated OS doesn't matter too much.

[–] dogs0n 15 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

If you're looking at getting a new (used) phone, I would suggest GrapheneOS (the most secure/private de-googled rom afaik).

You need a Pixel phone, the newer you get the longer you will keep getting software updates for the future (if you keep the phone past these many years of support, then I believe switching to a other rom will be required for security patches etc. Each phone is supported until Google stops supporting them I believe). You said you don't care about updates because you can keep it from connecting to the internet, but it's a plus anyways.

If you plan on never touching a google service, GrapheneOS allows for that (nothing google by default), but on the other hand, if you need google play, etc for banking apps or whatnot, they have that covered with Sandboxed Google Services (which you can run solely in another user profile on your phone for added privacy).

Anyways, I think GrapheneOS in a great option & their website has much more info if you'd like to continue hearing about it:

https://grapheneos.org/

p.s. you can check their website for how long different pixels will have continued support before (if) you get one (incase anyone else is reading this).

[–] [email protected] 10 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (2 children)

You have to be careful to get a phone and model supported by one of the projects. Check all compatibility and install instructions before buying a phone. And if you need a manufacturer supplied unlock code, make sure the manufacturer still gives them out . Some will discontinue that service after a few years.

For graphene os you need one of the gogle devices - i've never tried it but i think its the one most people like.

lineageos supports more devices usually older.

I recently got lineageos working on sony experia xa2 - very happy with it. But to get there i had to go try like 6 computers before one of them sucessfully sent the bootloader unlock code over the ADB. For some reason usb is temperamental when doing stuff like that

It is a lot easier on really old stuff like samsung galaxy s3 or s4 if you can tolerate something that old. Maybe you'll lso end upon an old version of lineage.

Once you get the bootloader unlocked it is generally straightforward. but modern phones make that fist part awkward.

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