141
Oh my fucking god please just fucking stop
I know that German is bad, but it’s not that intolerable (/s)
Android is not your friend. If your camera needs to spy on you, then it's not your camera.
I use iPhone myself — though I was an Android user longer, and I enjoy both mobile platforms for their various strengths — but we really do need a third option. So Android is kind of like Windows now, it leans heavy into AI (especially on the Pixel side), and it's on everything (except the iPhone), and iPhone has always just been a pocket Mac, but with the walled app garden. Apple says you can trust them with your personal data, but you don't know that and Apple is big enough that they can basically do whatever they want — and they've been cosying up to fascists in the US. So that's unsettling. Mobiles need a Linux option. A totally open source option that serves the user exclusively, or can be made to do so. GrapheneOS is a fine choice, but it's limited to Pixels. If you have anything else, you're out of luck, and if you have a Pixel, you or someone else has paid Google iPhone money for a device that's at least a few generations behind performance-wise. So not ideal.
Of course, most Android users and certainly most Android fans won't care about this — I'm coming from the privacy perspective. And Google's always been pretty clear that they are not there for your privacy.
Android is actually your friend, Google is not. You can take Google out of Android but not Android out of Google.
There's a decade of custom ROMs to prove it, unlike an iPhone where someone else dictates every aspect for you. There's way ahead in performance, but that's all gone to waste for power users. Even their browser is like the the ones you used to have on flip phones.
I was hoping the recent monopoly suit to be anything other than a wrist slap for google, but that's too much to expect from US.
You can take Google out of Android but not Android out of Google.
They sure are trying https://fuchsia.dev/
I've been through the best years of custom firmware. Back in the Jellybean/Kitkat days. My favourite was a fork of AOKP called LiquidSmooth.
Custom firmware comes at your own risk though. If something goes wrong, maybe you can find some help... but maybe you can't.
Then you have guys who say "I'll make custom firmware for your phone if the community buys me one." The community buys them one from donations, and dude flips it on eBay the next day. I've seen that happen too.
There needs to be a commercial interest in private and available custom firmware for Android. Because otherwise it's just a hobby.
I’ve been through the best years of custom firmware. Back in the Jellybean/Kitkat days.
...that was over a decade ago.
And iPhone is any better? Get a grip. The iPhone is just more closed and obscured.
For customisation? No. For privacy? Yes.
One's made by a computer company and the other is made by an advertising company. These are not the same things at all.
I use to think so. There have been things more recently that makes me unsure if the distinction is as large as we would like to think. Apple is clearly less transprent too so it makes it realy hard to judge.
Less transparent my ass. The first time you use any apple app it gives you a summary of the privacy implications, what data is collected, etc. that’s the exact opposite of your statement.
Google instead links you to their monolithic TOS / privacy policy which covers all their products and is super opaque.
I used to think that until this https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2025/01/03/apple-siri-class-action-lawsuit/77426858007/ . Claims are one thing. Actions are another. The sad fact is Apple is so locked so there is very little way to verify anything. There is also very little choice to opt out. At least Android is FOSS and you do not have to use Google apps or services.
Lineage temporarily, until Linux works good enough
Android ain't my friend, Cyanogenmod was and LineageOS is.
CM was okay. It's the one custom firmware I got my wife to install... on something called a Samsung Acclaim back in 2010. Absolute dogshit phone, made tolerable by CM. I actually kinda miss that phone sometimes. Later, it was a little square... nice for an AOSP-like, but then we had AOKP and Paranoid Android doing way cooler shit. I did respect CM for keeping it simple though.
Lineage OS is CM's direct successor, after Kondik fucked up CM.
Cyanogenmod was and LineageOS is.
....both of which are Android. That's akin to saying "It's not Linux, it's Debian".
Use Open Camera, or the GrapheneOS Camera app or another FOSS alternative.
Yes but the the pixel camera app has much better quality that the GOS camera or open camera. They cannot compete.
It's terribly frustrating I am so tired of google messing up Android (and their pixels). I use the google camera app on GOS and it needs the play store, Play services and the google photo...
Specify how it has much better quality, then post that spec in some github of your favourite camera app.
Your data is the price for the google app, it isn't free. They can do what they want with it. And you buy it.
My advice for you is to shake off the google camera addiction and notice how good the alternatives are. Good enough for sure, and getting better. I have not missed google camera at all.
Maybe try this freedcam as well.
Your data is the price for the google app, it isn’t free.
No, I paid $1200 for the phone. That was the price for google's camera app. Google is double-dipping now.
Graining is the worst offender on GOS Camera app. The lower the light the more graining.
This is on GOS camera app
This is the official gcam
Pictures are taken on a Pixel 9
Hopefully the image compression doesn't mess everything up
Very interesting, would be cool to see some comparison to the others as well.
I mean that's just physics. Less light entering the sensor = more grain as it boosts the brightness to compensate. They both take the same picture, but extra processing hides the flaws.
Got to be honest, I prefer grain over a bunch of AI swirls.
I mean the extra processing is worthy here is another example:
GOS:
Gcam:
I understand where you are coming from. Myself in my line of work google is actually my enemy however credits due where credit is due. I think it's at minimum somewhat disingenuous to consider the GOS camera as an equal of gcam. In low light the camera is not usable if I'm going out taking picture at cafés and what not with my GF in the evening or night it's just not possible.
Maybe an issue should be made in https://github.com/GrapheneOS/Camera/issues
I believe it's simply the lack of processing. The camera app is fine on it's own but in quite frankly 80% of situations it is really outmatched by gcam
FreeDCam is also very good, better than OpenCamera in some aspects
Another option: use another app that doesn't require it.
The enshittification encroaches.
Ah crap. I hope some simple dummy app like Gcam Services Provider can work around this..
this post was submitted on 23 Oct 2025
141 points (98.6% liked)
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