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Google Keeps Making Smartphones Worse (jacobin.com)
submitted 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) by JairajDevadiga@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world
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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.

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[-] usernameunnecessary@lemmy.zip 45 points 1 week ago

Unfortunately the Android experience is getting more and more bloated and users' freedom to tinker with their phones or sideload apps is getting more and more difficult. The Play Store is riddled with more ads than useful content. Just try searching for something, and oftentimes more than half of your screen is ads.

I've been with Android since the start and I hate what Google is reducing it to. It pains me that the only viable alternative is Apple and I feel trapped.

[-] semperverus@lemmy.world 9 points 1 week ago

Support devices like the Liberux Nexx or the pinephone, especially if you are a developer!

[-] unexposedhazard@discuss.tchncs.de 5 points 1 week ago

Long term you should look out for Waydroid compatible devices. Basically linux devices (smartphones, tablets, pcs) that run android containers very close to hardware so you can run your important android apps while not having to rely on the mess that android is for everything. There is a GApps version too if you need google shitware for some reason. Ubuntu Touch (smartphone os) is one of the most prominent to implement it. Personally i hope to eventually just get rid of my phone and only have a laptop with a sim-card and waydroid.

[-] Rivalarrival@lemmy.today 2 points 1 week ago

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

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[-] Lucidlethargy@sh.itjust.works 29 points 1 week ago

Google keeps making everything worse.

[-] ohwhatfollyisman@lemmy.world 26 points 1 week ago

android peaked with the pixel 2. then everyone went overboard on bezel-less displays and fast refresh rates and smart assistant services and brought the whole damn thing crashing down.

[-] LedgeDrop@lemmy.zip 17 points 1 week ago

... and I want my headphone jack, back.

[-] TheGrandNagus@lemmy.world 6 points 1 week ago

I don't think the issue with phones is the smaller bezels or better displays.

That's not what's ruining them.

[-] jjjalljs@ttrpg.network 21 points 1 week ago

Google should be broken up and its leadership fined into oblivion for anti competitive behavior

[-] AbidanYre@lemmy.world 19 points 1 week ago

Up until about two weeks ago I could use wallet on my rooted pixel with lineage and play integrity fix.

Some recent change on their end and it doesn't work at all anymore. I guess they don't want to know what I'm buying.

[-] CCMan1701A@startrek.website 2 points 1 week ago

i hard people use a answer watch to get nfc payments working

[-] jjagaimo@sh.itjust.works 22 points 1 week ago

Stroke posting

[-] edgemaster72@lemmy.world 6 points 1 week ago

I think what they were trying to say is "I heard people use an Apple watch to get NFC payments working". I'm not confident that answer=Apple (also I have no idea if that would actually help), but it's the best I can come up with.

[-] GuillaumeGus@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 1 week ago

Android watch maybe.

[-] pineapple_pizza@lemmy.dexlit.xyz 3 points 1 week ago

Garmin would work and isn't iOS or Android based

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[-] VicksVaporBBQrub@sh.itjust.works 19 points 1 week ago

Can I get a rundown of the few non-flagship phonemakers that are currently out there? I have heard of The Nothing Phone. Are there more companies that put together Androids to operate within the US?

[-] apfelwoiSchoppen@lemmy.world 32 points 1 week ago

Fairphone just released the Fairphone 6.

[-] Interstellar_1@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 1 week ago

Unfortunately for the EU only.

[-] Ulrich@feddit.org 19 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

The big problem with anything not Google or Samsung is, as it's always been, software support. You get 2 or maybe 3 years of updates and then the device is trash. So you can save a buck on the short term but it will cost you more in the long run and you'll have shitty devices all the way along anyway.

You can buy a 2 year old Pixel for $2-300 and it will last you another 4-5 years (unless Google remotely nukes your battery).

[-] Gibibit@lemmy.world 6 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Just because it doesn't have latest Android doesn't mean it's trash. And Fairphone also aims for 7 years support just like your Pixel example.

[-] hikaru755@lemmy.world 6 points 1 week ago

It doesn't need to be the latest android version per se, but I wouldn't want to use a phone that's not getting security patches anymore

[-] Ulrich@feddit.org 4 points 1 week ago

Not having security updates makes it effectively trash, as far as I'm concerned.

[-] paequ2@lemmy.today 3 points 1 week ago

You get 2 or maybe 3 years of updates and then the device is trash.

Yeah, I've noticed this as well...

... which is why I was surprised when I read that Nothing Phone 3 will get 5 years of updates + 2 years of security updates.

https://www.androidauthority.com/nothing-phone-3-software-updates-3568533/

Nothing’s Co-Founder and Head of Marketing, Akis Evangelidis, has confirmed that the upcoming Nothing Phone 3 will ship with a “5+7” software update promise. ...likely means the phone will get five years of Android version updates and seven years of security patches...

Although, you can't install GrapheneOS on Nothing phones... so, 🤷

[-] anamethatisnt@sopuli.xyz 6 points 1 week ago

With the new sustainability laws in EU they have to offer 5 years of updates from the sale of their last unit.

The Ecodesign Regulation lays out minimum requirements for mobile phones, cordless phones and tablets to be sold on the EU market to ensure

>- greater resistance to drops, scratches, dust and water  
>- use of more durable batteries, capable of at least 800 charge cycles while retaining at least 80% of their initial capacity  
>- clear rules on disassembly and repair, requiring manufacturers to supply key spare parts within 5-10 working days, and for at least 7 years after the product model is no longer sold in the EU  
>- longer availability of operating system updates, at least 5 years from the date the last unit model is sold  
>- fair access for professional repairers to the software or firmware needed for repairs

https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/news/new-eu-rules-durable-energy-efficient-and-repairable-smartphones-and-tablets-start-applying-2025-06-20_en

[-] utopiah@lemmy.world 1 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

clear rules on disassembly and repair, requiring manufacturers to supply key spare parts within 5-10 working days, and for at least 7 years after the product model is no longer sold in the EU

Wonder how if there is an equivalent that applies to eBike. Been waiting for my CowBoy belt since February now. Do not recommend. No more "designer" eBike now, I'll only buy bikes with the most standard parts.

[-] Ulrich@feddit.org 2 points 1 week ago

Yeah that's great news. Esp. considering it's an $800+ phone.

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[-] MysteriousSophon21@lemmy.world 10 points 1 week ago

Besides Nothing Phone, you've got Fairphone (sustainable/repairable), Sony (great cameras), Asus (gaming focused), Nokia (budget-friendly), OnePlus (speed/value), and Xiaomi (if you can import) all working to varying degreees in the US market - tho carrier compatibility can be trickly so always check bands before buying.

[-] Prox@lemmy.world 7 points 1 week ago

Would Moto count? I've been rocking their basic-ass phones for years now. Way, way less bloatware than Samsung, etc. and only like $200 unlocked.

[-] xep@fedia.io 13 points 1 week ago

I think Moto is actually Lenovo now?

[-] comador@lemmy.world 6 points 1 week ago

Yup. Motorola is Chinese Lenovo now sadly. Lenovo is absolute trash devices and support.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorola_Mobility

[-] imetators@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 1 week ago

Been using Moto since Z1 and would say that their phones are fine. $200 for a phone that lasts 4 years is a decent deal.

[-] dcooksta26@lemmy.world 3 points 1 week ago

I think Moto's are a pretty good budget friendly phone. Sure their update policy is lacking, but the Moto G Power or Moto G Stylus phones come decently equipped. Plus you can still get expandable storage and headphone jacks.

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[-] utopiah@lemmy.world 1 points 1 week ago

Daily driving the cmf with /e/OS from Murena for few months now, warmly recommended.

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[-] SeeFerns@programming.dev 12 points 1 week ago

I really want to try a pinephone or something with Ubuntu touch. It’s likely not daily driver ready but I’m still curious at how far along it is.

[-] utopiah@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago

Can't speak for Ubuntu Touch but tried PostMarketOS on PinePhone and PinePhone Pro.

The PP works well, good support for most things included SIM, camera, BT, etc but it's big and bulky, also IMHO not powerful enough for Waydroid so no Android apps, "just" Linux. Relying on the browser to avoid using app is rarely practical as it's too slow.

The PPPro being more powerful should cover the gap... but some lack of support, specifically the camera, makes it tricky as daily driver.

Both PP and PPPro don't have great battery and/or power management so you can go through a day of usage, barely, and you might get stuck in a cycling loop if you depleted it entirely. That means also as daily driver, if you are not very cautious, it's tricky.

So... we are nearly there but unless you have a very VERY minimum usage of your phone, basically a dumb phone with a bit of CLI to remote connect to your own server from time to time, it's probably not practical for now.

Maybe the Liberux NEXX thanks to its power would have closed the gap but the failed crowd funding campaign shows that price point does not have a market fit right now.

[-] Flukas88@feddit.it 11 points 1 week ago

Sadly iOS is not much better

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[-] LovableSidekick@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Tried to restart my fairly new Pixel phone a couple days ago by holding down the power button, but instead of showing the Power menu it prompted me to ask the Digital Assistant something. Excuse me? I don't remember enabling that. Every other phone I've ever had, holding down the power button has always been the way to power down or restart. I had to search Settings to find how to configure the power button to control the power. Or course maybe I could have asked the Digital Assistant - but fuck that.

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[-] ExLisper@lemmy.curiana.net 2 points 1 week ago

Two most important open source projects right now are PostmarketOS and Servo.

[-] jjlinux@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 week ago

2 days ago I moved from GrapheneOS back to Stock Pixel in my 8 Pro, just to see what all the hype about the new android 16 in Pixel is about. Jesus, this is way worse than I remember. i tried it for 2 whole days, and that shit just won't allow me to have ANY control over my phone. It's fucking ridiculous. On Android 15 I was able to uninstall Google Drive, Meet, Youtube, and many other Google apps, this time around all it would allow was "disable". What's next, removing the ability to disable (which I don't trust anyway)?

Fast forward to today, I'm back on GOS, and my anxiety levels are down again. This shit is insane, and I honestly can't understand why anyone would put up with this crap.

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[-] No1@aussie.zone 1 points 1 week ago

The stupid attempt to have everyone leave bluetooth always on pisses me off. They've made the BT quick tile 2 more presses to toggle on or off is ridiculous. It's not a quick tile.

I've just put a BT on/off widget on my home screen.

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this post was submitted on 16 Jul 2025
201 points (97.2% liked)

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