cross-posted from: https://discuss.tchncs.de/post/45277582
Opening my weather app this morning I was greeted by this warning:
Google has announced that, starting in 2026/2027, all apps on certified Android devices will require the developer to submit personal identity details directly to Google. Since the developers of this app do not agree to this requirement, this app will no longer work on certified Android devices after that time.
It’s the first time I hear about this, seems to be about:
Cirrus app: Github
Was this a big thing I somehow missed? I hope more devs will follow suit.
Unfortunately, I think the vast majority who care are already using one. However, with Google device tree and other shenanigans on Pixel devices, it probably makes substantial room within the niche market for the likes of Fairphone and Shiftphone to get into new regions.
On the other hand, mandates for major operating systems to report illegal activity that are in the pipeline could have a larger effect.
I dunno, I’m talking out my ass.
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But you don’t need to buy a Fairphone to use /e/OS. You can install it for free on any supported phone, so it’s worth checking the website to see if your phone is supported. Switching to /e/OS has breathed new life into my Moto g 7 without having to spend a penny on hardware.
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Agreed, though if it weren’t for tariffs it wouldn’t be too expensive to ship from the likes of Clove Technologies. If the extra cost were going to Calyx instead of Murena I might pull the trigger.
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Maybe they could make some similar arrangement with Shiftphone.
Going for a used FP4 should address both those concerns!
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Reasonable, I suppose, although age really shouldn’t matter that much if the hardware features are sufficient and you’re running your own OS.
The low-end models around here have become cheap enough that I’m considering a second one as a testing environment/travel phone/untrusted device 😅
That’s pretty much what I’m afraid of, full 1984
And massive propaganda campaigns are turning people’s civic energy back on themselves, and their own communities. Ain’t life grand?
It’s not impossible to make a custom ROM with that caveat, it’s just more work. I would love to contribute, but I can’t code for shit, so I toss devs some cash whenever I can.
I know, but this stuff is adding up where Pixels might stop being the golden child of the custom OS market.
That’s fine. As long as a device has an unlockable bootloader, it’ll be a candidate.