We really need a compelling alternative to the Play Store, both as users and developers.
I would prefer to see a wider embrace of PWAs.
This is what really, really pissed me off about the iPhone. When it launched and they gave it a desktop-class web browser engine and told people they were going all-in in PWAs (though I don't think the term existed at the time). Then v2 came out and they went sike! native apps, must be developed on our PCs, must be distributed by us, you must pay us to be allowed to develop, we take a cut of your income, and we're going to cripple the PWA engine to make universal, open apps all but unusable.
Dicks.
Can PWAs perform just like native apps when it comes to smoothness and optimization?
Yes, if the underlying engine is designed to support it. There are standard web APIs for accelerated graphics, compute, offline storage, Bluetooth, push notification, environmental sensors, phone book access, camera, local storage access, and so on... A decent PWA is indistinguishable from a native app.
Is there any way of "installing" PWAs to the app drawer rather than been limited to a shortcut on the home screen?
Depends on the PWA, if they have the manifest setup properly it should give the option by itself and even the add to desktop button should change to install the app, but very few sites support it (among the ones I use)
I'd probably agree if I didn't work as an Android developer. :-)
You can build webapps in kotlin :)
I do love Kotlin, but I work extensively with audio playback on a low level (Oboe, native) so a web app just won't work for me.
Also, I can't really justify rewriting my company's entire app because I don't like Google's monopoly.
In what ways do the existing alternatives fall short of compelling?
Can I get my banking app on F-Droid? How about my home security system app? How about a dozen other apps that I want or need, and can't be replaced by loading a website in Firefox?
This is entirely on the companies. There's no technical reason or requirement for this happening.
Fdroid works great and is the most likely thing to be adopted, in my opinion. It's easy enough for anyone to spin up their own fdroid server and distribute their own app.
If you're wanting to use a new store, you're going to have to wade through the growing pains of adoption. It's just a fact of life.
I'm still waiting for Linux on desktop to be a big thing like I thought back in 2004. I suspect the third party app stores will be just as quick.
Wait, I assume if you install a banking app through Aurora it still works? Totally fair if that doesn't work for your needs (you kinda need a google account, even if a blank one, to have it work right now) but I assume installing apps through it doesn't limit them or make them less functional for having been installed through Aurora?
Works on Calyx! My banks didn't work on Lineage through aurora. I think it only checks for a locked bootloader?
Probably not the first degoogled android, but maybe one of the first 'just works' degoogled phones
Edit: yep I misread but still true
Lineage OS by default comes DeGoogled and works just fine. Both phones I ran it on had absolutely no issues. It must be more niche than I thought though because no one here is talking about it.
At no point does the article claim it is "the first degoogled android".
I see the confusion by op. It says privacy-first, as in privacy is its core function not a first in its class. I think they just misread the title.
I have some deeply tech unsavvy people in my life who will fuck up their phone trying to "uninstall Google" - and thus disable all their keyboards - that would probably benefit from a "just works" degoogled phone. I love GrapheneOS, but it assumes the end user is the sort of dork that is capable of installing it in the first place - people who struggle with tech deserve privacy too.
First up, instead of the usual Google gubbins, replete with the adtech giant’s commercial trackers, /e/OS users will find a set of native open source apps and services Murena has developed to replace all that.
Murena also bakes a set of “advanced” private browsing features into the OS, including a tracker blocker; a location faking option; and the ability to hide your IP address.
On the flip side, when all the switches are set to off each one displays a one-word warning — either “Vulnerable” or “Exposed” — giving users a visible nudge to think about how their online activity might be compromising their privacy.
And this tension between locking everything down (to achieve perfect privacy) and opening select hatches (to boost utility) remains the core confounder for such an ambitious against-the-mainstream-grain tech endeavour.
The wider question is how much highly motivated demand there is to put in the small amount of extra effort required (and possibly also shell out some additional cost) to tread an alternative, less feature-rich path — if, at the end of the day, all you get for your effect is a product that won’t look or feel especially thrilling.
So its conviction of where the mobile puck is headed must be that there’s a growing pool of mainstream Android users with an appetite for iOS-style ‘low friction’ privacy delivered outside Apple’s walled ecosystem.
The original article contains 2,593 words, the summary contains 228 words. Saved 91%. I'm a bot and I'm open source!
Good bot!
I built that ROM back in june and honestly, i don't recommend it, the interface and apps are just terrible and they take almost a year to release a new android version.
Do they at least provide regular security updates?
Yeah, as long as Lineage does which is better than other ROMs.
No problem then!
So basically this is ANOTHER company trying to resell Linage-s work? This is getting laughable now.
It's just a Lineage based ROM like crDroid.
Yes, they do
Ah, well that's the important thing. Actual new major versions are mainly just bells and whistles these days!
yes, the apps are mediocre, but there are alternatives. (Also, its the only ROM with official support for my device)
Can I install/update my bank apps, and pay with my phone? That's the bare minimum I need to switch to a deGoogled OS.
Solely depends on your banking app. If it requires Safety Net, you need to flash gapps on any ROM, or have a microg preflashed version.
Btw, i only need to hold my MasterCard on the card read and enter a pin if over 70 CHF. This isn't common?
[This comment has been deleted by an automated system]
The OS includes microG which has a SafetyNet implementation
So i guess, yes?
A safetynet impl. that will fail your device on even the most basic integrity check. You don't need safetynet """Implementation""" you need a safetynet pass
Just because contactless exists doesn't mean that you wouldn't want the ability to pay with your phone.
I hope more newer phones get supported by them.
I have a samsung galaxy s23 and I need to scratch my de-google / custom rom itch.
I'm pretty sure graphene os has been doing this for a while now, check them out
GrapheneOS only supports modern pixels though. LineageOS is the one with the largest compatibility with both modern and older devices.
Have been using it for a while on my Fairphone 3, just works nicely :)
Been using it on my Oneplus 6t and been liking it so far
Wish I could try it out but couldn't successfully install it on my device.
So I'm sticking with LOS.
LOS is already good enough (if not great) as it's stable and gets update more often.
a modified lineageOS, craaaazy innovation
Man they really want to try and sell iPhones here.
We really need a compelling alternative to the Play Store, both as users and developers.
I would prefer to see a wider embrace of PWAs.
This is what really, really pissed me off about the iPhone. When it launched and they gave it a desktop-class web browser engine and told people they were going all-in in PWAs (though I don't think the term existed at the time). Then v2 came out and they went sike! native apps, must be developed on our PCs, must be distributed by us, you must pay us to be allowed to develop, we take a cut of your income, and we're going to cripple the PWA engine to make universal, open apps all but unusable.
Dicks.
Can PWAs perform just like native apps when it comes to smoothness and optimization?
Yes, if the underlying engine is designed to support it. There are standard web APIs for accelerated graphics, compute, offline storage, Bluetooth, push notification, environmental sensors, phone book access, camera, local storage access, and so on... A decent PWA is indistinguishable from a native app.
Is there any way of "installing" PWAs to the app drawer rather than been limited to a shortcut on the home screen?
Depends on the PWA, if they have the manifest setup properly it should give the option by itself and even the add to desktop button should change to install the app, but very few sites support it (among the ones I use)
I'd probably agree if I didn't work as an Android developer. :-)
You can build webapps in kotlin :)
I do love Kotlin, but I work extensively with audio playback on a low level (Oboe, native) so a web app just won't work for me.
Also, I can't really justify rewriting my company's entire app because I don't like Google's monopoly.
In what ways do the existing alternatives fall short of compelling?
Can I get my banking app on F-Droid? How about my home security system app? How about a dozen other apps that I want or need, and can't be replaced by loading a website in Firefox?
This is entirely on the companies. There's no technical reason or requirement for this happening.
Fdroid works great and is the most likely thing to be adopted, in my opinion. It's easy enough for anyone to spin up their own fdroid server and distribute their own app.
If you're wanting to use a new store, you're going to have to wade through the growing pains of adoption. It's just a fact of life.
I'm still waiting for Linux on desktop to be a big thing like I thought back in 2004. I suspect the third party app stores will be just as quick.
Wait, I assume if you install a banking app through Aurora it still works? Totally fair if that doesn't work for your needs (you kinda need a google account, even if a blank one, to have it work right now) but I assume installing apps through it doesn't limit them or make them less functional for having been installed through Aurora?
Works on Calyx! My banks didn't work on Lineage through aurora. I think it only checks for a locked bootloader?
There are in fact banking apps and home security apps on F-Droid.
Here's the ones I looked for:
Not one of them was available on F-Droid. Care to share the ones that you know of?
Cool! I'll just call my bank and tell them that.
Accrescent is in early alpha, but it looks like it's on its way to be a great, modern app store.
checked it out and it needs a lot of time to become a proper competitor
Aurora store worked well but google got their way recently
It still works, you just need to search for things in the browser then open the links with Aurora
I wish someone would make a companion app that handles this automatically
I'd love to do it but I have no knowledge about kotlin. However, I'm still down if someone has a solid plan
[This comment has been deleted by an automated system]
Probably not the first degoogled android, but maybe one of the first 'just works' degoogled phones Edit: yep I misread but still true
Lineage OS by default comes DeGoogled and works just fine. Both phones I ran it on had absolutely no issues. It must be more niche than I thought though because no one here is talking about it.
At no point does the article claim it is "the first degoogled android".
I see the confusion by op. It says privacy-first, as in privacy is its core function not a first in its class. I think they just misread the title.
I have some deeply tech unsavvy people in my life who will fuck up their phone trying to "uninstall Google" - and thus disable all their keyboards - that would probably benefit from a "just works" degoogled phone. I love GrapheneOS, but it assumes the end user is the sort of dork that is capable of installing it in the first place - people who struggle with tech deserve privacy too.
This is the best summary I could come up with:
First up, instead of the usual Google gubbins, replete with the adtech giant’s commercial trackers, /e/OS users will find a set of native open source apps and services Murena has developed to replace all that.
Murena also bakes a set of “advanced” private browsing features into the OS, including a tracker blocker; a location faking option; and the ability to hide your IP address.
On the flip side, when all the switches are set to off each one displays a one-word warning — either “Vulnerable” or “Exposed” — giving users a visible nudge to think about how their online activity might be compromising their privacy.
And this tension between locking everything down (to achieve perfect privacy) and opening select hatches (to boost utility) remains the core confounder for such an ambitious against-the-mainstream-grain tech endeavour.
The wider question is how much highly motivated demand there is to put in the small amount of extra effort required (and possibly also shell out some additional cost) to tread an alternative, less feature-rich path — if, at the end of the day, all you get for your effect is a product that won’t look or feel especially thrilling.
So its conviction of where the mobile puck is headed must be that there’s a growing pool of mainstream Android users with an appetite for iOS-style ‘low friction’ privacy delivered outside Apple’s walled ecosystem.
The original article contains 2,593 words, the summary contains 228 words. Saved 91%. I'm a bot and I'm open source!
Good bot!
I built that ROM back in june and honestly, i don't recommend it, the interface and apps are just terrible and they take almost a year to release a new android version.
Do they at least provide regular security updates?
Yeah, as long as Lineage does which is better than other ROMs.
No problem then!
So basically this is ANOTHER company trying to resell Linage-s work? This is getting laughable now.
It's just a Lineage based ROM like crDroid.
Yes, they do
Ah, well that's the important thing. Actual new major versions are mainly just bells and whistles these days!
yes, the apps are mediocre, but there are alternatives. (Also, its the only ROM with official support for my device)
Can I install/update my bank apps, and pay with my phone? That's the bare minimum I need to switch to a deGoogled OS.
Solely depends on your banking app. If it requires Safety Net, you need to flash gapps on any ROM, or have a microg preflashed version.
Btw, i only need to hold my MasterCard on the card read and enter a pin if over 70 CHF. This isn't common?
[This comment has been deleted by an automated system]
The OS includes microG which has a SafetyNet implementation
So i guess, yes?
A safetynet impl. that will fail your device on even the most basic integrity check. You don't need safetynet """Implementation""" you need a safetynet pass
Just because contactless exists doesn't mean that you wouldn't want the ability to pay with your phone.
I hope more newer phones get supported by them.
I have a samsung galaxy s23 and I need to scratch my de-google / custom rom itch.
I'm pretty sure graphene os has been doing this for a while now, check them out
GrapheneOS only supports modern pixels though. LineageOS is the one with the largest compatibility with both modern and older devices.
Have been using it for a while on my Fairphone 3, just works nicely :)
Been using it on my Oneplus 6t and been liking it so far
Wish I could try it out but couldn't successfully install it on my device. So I'm sticking with LOS. LOS is already good enough (if not great) as it's stable and gets update more often.
a modified lineageOS, craaaazy innovation
Man they really want to try and sell iPhones here.