Ask HN: Stock Android phone free of bloatware?

Post by somewhat_drunk » Fri, Jun 30, 2023, 3:24 PM UTC

blablablerg wrote: post #181

veave wrote: post #87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The reason you don't see long term support on Android is the same reason Linux failed in the desktop: the Linux kernel developers want everything mainlined and are not interested in keeping a stable kernel API for drivers, but in the real world, drivers are closed source.

That is not why Linux "failed"(1). It is because essential software for the average PC user like MS Office and the Adobe suite is not available. For games the situation has quite improved thanks to Valve. (1) Linux didn't fail, the desktop is already a joy to use imho. It is just waiting till it reaches critical mass, then the Year of the Linux Desktop will be nigh.

Post by yjftsjthsd-h » Fri, Jun 30, 2023, 3:32 PM UTC

fensgrim wrote: post #152

yjftsjthsd-h wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you don't want root, then don't root it; that's separate from replacing the ROM. > there's no way to take full backups on Android phone, rooted or not Er, no? On the contrary, root is exactly how you get full backups on Android - with, I grant, the exception of whatever Android calls their secure element / TPM, which I've only ever seen affect 2FA apps.

yeah, good luck restoring full userdata and metadata partitions on a rooted pixel 4 and newer: you definitely can do that (and bypass TPM), but since there's no working twrp, there's no exactly easy way to dump/restore partition image with dd anymore.

Post by kdklol » Fri, Jun 30, 2023, 3:34 PM UTC

scarface_74 wrote: post #141

ChuckNorris89 wrote: post #95

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>Samsung can do it because they're smart, but Apple does it because they're evil? Nobody said Apple are doing it because they're are evil, calm down. Your parent said Apple can afford to give you longer support because they not only make money when they sell you the phone HW, they also keep making money from your iCloud, iTunes and every other third party subscription or SW you buy on Apple App store. Basically, they…

No, Google just sucks at maintaining an ecosystem. Microsoft figured out how to license an OS to third party OEMs and still allow end users to update their hardware without depending on the vendor for literally decades. Heck I was able to just throw a Windows 7 CD in my old first gen Mac Mini x86 1.66Ghz Core Duo and run it for years after Apple dropped support.

Post by kdklol » Fri, Jun 30, 2023, 3:40 PM UTC

tourmalinetaco wrote: post #120

throw0101a wrote: post #77

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> What service do they provide you? Security updates for 5-7 years.

GrapheneOS and CalyxOS both provide that same benefit while being FOSS.

Post by scarface_74 » Fri, Jun 30, 2023, 3:45 PM UTC

kdklol wrote: post #195

scarface_74 wrote: post #141

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, Google just sucks at maintaining an ecosystem. Microsoft figured out how to license an OS to third party OEMs and still allow end users to update their hardware without depending on the vendor for literally decades. Heck I was able to just throw a Windows 7 CD in my old first gen Mac Mini x86 1.66Ghz Core Duo and run it for years after Apple dropped support.

They arguably never did. Android updates are all-encompassing, unlike Windows. You still depend on manufacturers of your hardware (motherboard, CPU) to provide firmware updates (BIOS, Microcode). How old is your Motherboard's firmware? You probably don't even know, because most people don't consider these things important, which is a mistake. On Android, generally, firmware updates are included.