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Will Linux phones stay around this time?

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Re: Will Linux phones stay around this time?

#121

Post by matkoniecz »

sto_hristo wrote: post #107

Linux desktop is nowhere due to the thousands of distributions and disparity in development effort. A linux phone is simply unthinkable. Biggest strength in android/ios is the centralized leadership and vision. This enables consumers to make an easy choice, which attracts developers, who all seek predictability and maximum exposure. But even if the linux community centralizes around a singularity, it will still be no…

> Linux desktop is nowhere

this is as untrue as "Year $YEAR will be year of Linux on desktop" was so far (posting from laptop running Linux)

> A linux phone is simply unthinkable

Linux phones exist already

> You can't race

It is not always necessary to win completely and crush competition to reach goal

Re: Will Linux phones stay around this time?

#123

Post by gorgoiler »

I hope they do. I crave a high speed pocket web browser that truly belongs to me.

I hate Apple so much for the abusive relationship they have trapped me in. Their phones are amazing but it’s morally corrupt not having access to the source code. We consumers, collectively, have a right to know what these things are doing.

I’m addicted to my phone and it contains my whole life. I believe that in the future we will look back in these times with horror at the thought that the vendor didn’t give us access to the whole stack.

(My current solution is to ween off Apple. I’ve just sold my 2016 MBP — the one with both the keyboard defect and the stagelight display defect. I’m 100% Google free though, so what do I do for a phone?)

Re: Will Linux phones stay around this time?

#124

Post by matkoniecz »

benatkin wrote: post #36
perardi wrote: post #35

So how would a Linux phone possibly gain momentum? I have no idea how it solves any job to be done for almost anyone. Does it have the apps I want, including for my bank? Does it have a great camera? Does it have fantastic battery life? Right now, the answer to all of that is definitely not , and it becomes a chicken and an egg problem, where you don’t have the investment to build all that. And don’t give me the obvi…

You may have a point, but Android and Apple phones are also, quite frankly, garbage. I open the maps app on my Android phone, and I get a bunch of ads littered around, for places like 7/11, even for locations that are closed! I have a 64gb phone and the map for the city I'm in could be quite easily downloaded, but nope, it must contain Google's malware.

I recommend Osmand and Mapy.cz as OpenStreetMap-based alternatives.

No competition for car navigation (live traffic data), likely worse for shop data, but clearly superior for basically anything else. Especially cycling/hiking.

There is also plenty of other OSM-powered navigation apps.

Re: Will Linux phones stay around this time?

#125

Post by matkoniecz »

perardi wrote: post #35

So how would a Linux phone possibly gain momentum? I have no idea how it solves any job to be done for almost anyone. Does it have the apps I want, including for my bank? Does it have a great camera? Does it have fantastic battery life? Right now, the answer to all of that is definitely not , and it becomes a chicken and an egg problem, where you don’t have the investment to build all that. And don’t give me the obvi…

> And don’t give me the obvious and trite answer of “privacy”.

Note that small pool of people actually caring may be enough. See whoever buys Pinephone and Purism-Librem.

Re: Will Linux phones stay around this time?

#126

Post by matkoniecz »

mattl wrote: post #13

Of course not. Nobody wants to run that on their phone except a tiny few. Android isn’t the same, but even then nobody knowingly wants to run Android.

I knowingly want to run Android - or something else Android compatible, because programs that I use on my phone are requiring it.

Re: Will Linux phones stay around this time?

#128

Post by ajot »

apatheticonion wrote: post #116

I want a phone that's Android in the hand but when I plug it into a usb-c hub, it projects full a fat linux distro on my external monitor(s). Though I love Linux, it's not because it's Linux - I just want to live the one device life. If IPhones could run MacOS on external monitors, I'd buy an iPhone. Alternatively, a web-based OS (with desktop linux on a hub) would be awesome if all my apps were available as web apps…

There is (was?) MaruOS, an Android ROM with a Debian LXC container.

https://maruos.com/

https://github.com/maruos/maruos

Re: Will Linux phones stay around this time?

#129

Post by sliken »

lostmsu wrote: post #38
kgwxd wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can't think of an Android app I'd prefer over a Linux alternative. Edit: Maybe Google Maps, but that's it.

What would you like for Email on your phone from the Linux world? A web browser? Contacts app? These are essentials for the phone. What about an RSS client?

I greatly prefer firefox to chrome on android. Especially reader mode.

Re: Will Linux phones stay around this time?

#130

Post by vincnetas »

perardi wrote: post #35

So how would a Linux phone possibly gain momentum? I have no idea how it solves any job to be done for almost anyone. Does it have the apps I want, including for my bank? Does it have a great camera? Does it have fantastic battery life? Right now, the answer to all of that is definitely not , and it becomes a chicken and an egg problem, where you don’t have the investment to build all that. And don’t give me the obvi…

Interesting situation here. Whats the name for oposite chicken-egg problem. You mention that linux phones do not support banking apps and google even being antonym for privacy, has still increasing user base. But we are in situation where you must use google to be able to use banking apps. Vicious cycle?

For banking aps to work you must install them from play store. To be able to use play store you must agree with google TOS. If google dicides your evil, you will not be able to use banking app anymore :(

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