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I'm switching my phone from Android to Linux

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Re: I'm switching my phone from Android to Linux

#161

Post by dude741 »

aucisson_masque wrote: post #24
charcircuit wrote: post #15

>I've become more and more dissatisfied with the path Google has taken with the Android Open Source Project (AOSP). Be it the dependency and insane tracking of Google Play Services AOSP does not include nor depend on Play Services. >locking down of device trees to hinder custom ROM development Most manufacturers do not distribute these either. The user doesn't even have a pixel so it is not relevant. >all the AI stuf…

Aosp without Google play services is dead. You need it more and more to run apps.

I have run graphene OS on my phone for 3+ years and I don't use Google Play or Google Play Services. You use F-Droid to install Aurora Store and anonymously download real apps. I can use my bank apps and it's quite functional. My wife even doesn't complain about it. Camera is decent, not as good due to the software being non-proprietary, but decent.

Re: I'm switching my phone from Android to Linux

#162

Post by seba_dos1 »

smalltorch wrote: post #102
tester457 wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's a powerlessness to using Android. It's difficult to just do things. Even windows feels more "free." Phone OSes are built like prisons. Ideally Android would let you drop into a real shell, without having to deal with android sandboxing. Regardless, I use termux and tasker to get my automations done.

What are the main things you can do in a real shell versus termux for instance? It's a pretty big sandbox in my experience.

If something bothers me with my phone's UI or if I want to change the behavior of some system service, I can do e.g. "apt source phosh", patch it and then "apt build-dep .", "dpkg-buildpackage -b" and "apt install" it right on the phone. I can even send the patch for upstreaming from there.

How easy it is to do an equivalent thing on Android?

Re: I'm switching my phone from Android to Linux

#165

Post by wishfish »

Animats wrote: post #120

What's a good phone for use without Google's Play Store? F-Droid only. No Google account.

Pixels with GrapheneOS are your best and safest bet.

In my specific case, I couldn't use Pixels because the terrible PWM on the screen was painful to me. Bought a cheap Motorola G Power 2024 with an IPS screen. Never logged into Google. Used Obtanium and FDroid for most things. Used Aurora for the one Play-only app that I needed. Running Netguard (a non-root firewall) with a whitelist so almost nothing phones home. Deleted or disabled almost all the non-essential built-in apps.

I like the Moto but wouldn't recommend it due to the lack of OS updates. But this setup could be easily duplicated on almost any Android without needing root or roms.

Re: I'm switching my phone from Android to Linux

#166

Post by summermusic »

jolmg wrote: post #92
summermusic wrote: post #41

Is there such thing as a palm-sized mobile PC that can just run a desktop Linux distribution (or Windows for that matter) that supports mobile features (calling, SMS, and data)? Even if it has rough edges or compromises?

PinePhone (Pro) or Librem 5 > run a desktop Linux distribution (or Windows for that matter) that supports mobile features (calling, SMS, and data)? The above use ARM SoCs. Palm-sized x86 with cell modem? Doubt it.

Thank you for the recommendation, but I have a Pinephone Pro and I find it to be so utterly useless because of how slow it is and how buggy the software is. Maybe what I want is just something that doesn’t exist.

Re: I'm switching my phone from Android to Linux

#167

Post by zb3 »

droserasprout wrote: post #114
realusername wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd say the OnePlus 6 is fully supported so it's one device at least (the stuff that isn't on it is minor). Mainlining is very hard though so the results are expected

I can confirm this holding OP6 (enchilada) in my hands — it's a flagship postmarketOS device. It also has other nerd options available — Sailfish and Windows (Renegade Project) — but obviously with poor hardware support. I highly recommend keeping an eye on postmarketOS blog. [1] It's a fun reading, and development's been really rapid lately. What stopped me from full migration to pmOS the last time I tried it about…

You misunderstood my comment.. this level of "support" is based on hacks = volunteer work, where the community working together (for free) is able to support one device "almost" completely after only 8 years, relying on hacks/reverse engineering etc..

But it's not like OnePlus or Qualcomm officially supports that, right? They didn't have any deal with any OEM where there would be someone employed to support the OS.. (even though they receive donations)

Like, all this is.. not serious.. the closest alternative to Android/iOS is GrapheneOS, because there are full-time employees AND they have a partnership with Motorola, so they won't have to rely on any hacks.. well obviously that's unaffordable but it's a different story.

Re: I'm switching my phone from Android to Linux

#169

Post by snazz »

tombert wrote: post #61

I have thought about buying one of the Pinephone things, because I want to actually own the computer in my pocket, but I have always hesitated because the hardware is always kind of ancient for these things. The Pinephone doesn’t even have 5G, so I am not even sure that my phone service will let me activate it now. What I would like is to take my existing iPhone 13 Pro and install a real Linux on it so I could guaran…

5G is probably not a requirement for your phone service (although I can’t say for sure). The critical bit on networks in the U.S. and many other countries without 2G or 3G is VoLTE for phone calls and texts, which it does support. Some carriers have device whitelists that are only loosely related to technical features, though.
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