I'm glad that we're finally realizing that we need open source alternatives for the desktop and our apps, but can we also focus on mobile devices now?
-
@Gina what do you mean by locked down platform please?
@climatemigrant as in, ios and android. Proprietary platforms and app stores managed by Apple and Google.
-
It's ridiculous that we basically have two mobile 'options', both with restrictive, proprietary app stores (see also https://keepandroidopen.org/).
If Europe values digital sovereignty, then it needs to invest more in open hardware, open source OS's, and alternative app stores.
@Fairphone
@LineageOS
@sailfishosnews
@ubports
@GrapheneOS
@postmarketOS
@e_mydata
@fdroidorg
@IzzyOnDroidConsider, though, that @jolla still relies on a proprietary GUI, and @e_mydata bundles a non-free map application by default (apparently because the alternatives are not mature enough to work as a replacement yet, lacking such things as transit data). Other alternatives such as UBTouch do seem to be more open, but with less technical support. -
@Gina There are thankfully mobile options already. With GrapheneOS - you can even run a "closed off" google services api - to get chromecast working.
If you can do without chromecast - e/OS (with locked bootloader)- means netflix, banking apps etc. works fine.
Of all the apps I have tried only McDonalds app won't work on any of them
Jolla afaik runs the same - even though its not even Android.McDonalds app worked for me on grapheneos. I don't know if there have been any updates that change it. I last used it sometime in the first few months of last year.
-
@climatemigrant as in, ios and android. Proprietary platforms and app stores managed by Apple and Google.
@Gina I pressed on the link and saw what you meant. Thank you. I am new on Mastodon so not familiar with it yet. I am using a Fairphone, I have stopped using Meta's platforms but I don't know how to get rid of my gmail account which is linked to so many things and first and foremost to the smartphone and google maps. I initially use hotmail though, but still, a gmail account is needed sadly. Are you not using Google and gmail?
-
@Gina I pressed on the link and saw what you meant. Thank you. I am new on Mastodon so not familiar with it yet. I am using a Fairphone, I have stopped using Meta's platforms but I don't know how to get rid of my gmail account which is linked to so many things and first and foremost to the smartphone and google maps. I initially use hotmail though, but still, a gmail account is needed sadly. Are you not using Google and gmail?
@climatemigrant I've been slowly migrating to ProtonMail for years now. Would recommend, it's very user friendly.
-
@climatemigrant I've been slowly migrating to ProtonMail for years now. Would recommend, it's very user friendly.
@Gina Thank you. Ι have a proton email account but someone recently sent me some articles against Protonmail too. It becomes exhausting. They use riseup but I don't find it user friendly.
-
@climatemigrant I've been slowly migrating to ProtonMail for years now. Would recommend, it's very user friendly.
@Gina you may appreciate this post of mine
https://ethosandempathy.org/en/2025/11/29/goodbye-meta-big-tech-hello-fediverse/ -
@Gina I pressed on the link and saw what you meant. Thank you. I am new on Mastodon so not familiar with it yet. I am using a Fairphone, I have stopped using Meta's platforms but I don't know how to get rid of my gmail account which is linked to so many things and first and foremost to the smartphone and google maps. I initially use hotmail though, but still, a gmail account is needed sadly. Are you not using Google and gmail?
@climatemigrant @Gina It's a bit of a PITA to move all the accounts away from gmail(or any other email account) to a new one, but not impossible. I did the most important accounts first and then whenever I had to use some account I moved it at the same time. Kept the gmail account so nobody can take it over, but haven't used it for anything since switching.
Phone is also a Fairphone (5), but operating system is PostmarketOS (pure Linux, not for the faint of heart) so no big g account required for anything. You could flash e/OS and have android without the google ties.
-
@climatemigrant @Gina It's a bit of a PITA to move all the accounts away from gmail(or any other email account) to a new one, but not impossible. I did the most important accounts first and then whenever I had to use some account I moved it at the same time. Kept the gmail account so nobody can take it over, but haven't used it for anything since switching.
Phone is also a Fairphone (5), but operating system is PostmarketOS (pure Linux, not for the faint of heart) so no big g account required for anything. You could flash e/OS and have android without the google ties.
@jago thank you
. What does it mean to flash them? I am clueless with Linux. I would need private tutorials to switch... -
@bert_hubert I never thought of it that way, thanks
-
It's ridiculous that we basically have two mobile 'options', both with restrictive, proprietary app stores (see also https://keepandroidopen.org/).
If Europe values digital sovereignty, then it needs to invest more in open hardware, open source OS's, and alternative app stores.
@Fairphone
@LineageOS
@sailfishosnews
@ubports
@GrapheneOS
@postmarketOS
@e_mydata
@fdroidorg
@IzzyOnDroidRE: https://mastodon.social/@YourDataNetwork/115978684637343134
@Gina @Fairphone @LineageOS @sailfishosnews @ubports @GrapheneOS @postmarketOS @e_mydata @fdroidorg @IzzyOnDroid @jolla @murena
Or perhaps OwnPhone from @YourDataNetwork ? I do now know them yet, but their products look interesting. https://fosstodon.org/@YourDataNetwork@mastodon.social/115978684794197434
-
@simonjust @Gina Not really? It just tucks it under the carpet to be dealt with by Android.
-
@simonjust @Gina There are devices out there that are functional without relying on Android. I've been using them as my main phones for the last ~18 years (first Neo Freerunner, then Nokia N900, now Librem 5). Other people are currently using PinePhones, OnePlus 6/6T, Pocophone F1, Pixel 3a and a few others.
Truth be told, for quite a while even with laptops you had to put some effort before going shopping to ensure you'll have a good experience with GNU/Linux.
-
@simonjust @Gina There are devices out there that are functional without relying on Android. I've been using them as my main phones for the last ~18 years (first Neo Freerunner, then Nokia N900, now Librem 5). Other people are currently using PinePhones, OnePlus 6/6T, Pocophone F1, Pixel 3a and a few others.
Truth be told, for quite a while even with laptops you had to put some effort before going shopping to ensure you'll have a good experience with GNU/Linux.
@dos @simonjust true, but are they as easy to use as regular Android? Are all the apps available? Prob not.
-
@simonjust @Gina There are devices out there that are functional without relying on Android. I've been using them as my main phones for the last ~18 years (first Neo Freerunner, then Nokia N900, now Librem 5). Other people are currently using PinePhones, OnePlus 6/6T, Pocophone F1, Pixel 3a and a few others.
Truth be told, for quite a while even with laptops you had to put some effort before going shopping to ensure you'll have a good experience with GNU/Linux.
Yeah, my general rule of thumb regarding laptops is to wait 3-6 months for proper kernel support or maybe even settle with last-gen. My current 2015 MBP is pretty well supported by now, no need to replace it
I was quite happy with my OnePlus, but seems to be a dead end, sadly. I've seen posts on XDA and on news sites mentioning that newer OnePlus phones have e-fuses* that will prevent up and downgrades and in worst cases brick your device.
If I buy a device I own it, phone vendors do seem to comprehend that - if they put limitations on what I can do with it, it feels like I'm just lending it.
I've been wanting a Pinephone for a while to do some app development, somehow they're always sold out
*) https://consumerrights.wiki/w/Oneplus_phone_update_introduces_hardware_anti-rollback
