Google’s Android, the world’s most widely used mobile operating system, started life as open-source software. In its quest for ever-greater profits, the tech giant has been gradually eroding Android’s open-source capacity over the last decade.

Google’s Android, the world’s most widely used mobile operating system, started life as open-source software. In its quest for ever-greater profits, the tech giant has been gradually eroding Android’s open-source nature over the last decade.

Originally published on The Lever, but that one asks you to sign up.

  • Rivalarrival@lemmy.todayEnglish
    422·
    1 day ago

    F-Droid is a decent replacement for the play store. Lots of FOSS and less-enshittified apps available.

    • Ulrich@feddit.orgEnglish
      6·
      14 hours ago

      Unfortunately many of the apps needed just to exist as a member of society are only available in the Play Store.

        • Ulrich@feddit.orgEnglish
          2·
          2 hours ago

          Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn’t. And even when it does, it still requires Google’s spyware to be installed on your device.

          • OhVenus_Baby@lemmy.mlEnglish
            1·
            1 hour ago

            Only certain apps require play services, aurora store itself requires no play services. Just the potential for the apps you are trying to use. I’ve used F-Droid and aurora for years.

            • Ulrich@feddit.orgEnglish
              2·
              47 minutes ago

              I’ve used them both for years also (along with Accrescent and Obtainium). You’re not wrong, Aurora Store itself does not require Play Services, but most of the apps do. Like I said, sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn’t. The biggest problem is that you can’t receive notifications without Play Services. Despite the Android system itself being mostly open, the vast majority of developers do not make their apps available outside of the Play Store without Google services. And many of them are now being encouraged to use proprietary attestation from Google as well. Since the vast majority of people simply do not care, the developers don’t either. The best solution I’ve found is to create a work profile and keep all the apps that require Play Services in there.

              The point is, it’s not nearly as simple or easy as it’s made out to be in the above comments, and FDroid is most certainly not a “replacement” for Google Play Store.

    • chaosCruiser@futurology.todayEnglish
      121·
      1 day ago

      Tried to rely fully on F-droid several years ago. That experiment went just fine until I needed up update the apps. Turns out, there wasn’t a simple one button solution to that. I had to manually update each and every app one by one. Is it any better these days?