Yes, absolutely there is hope.

Phones that don't support Google play services (AKA any hardcore privacy phone) will not be directly effected by Google restricting sideloading. The restriction is only for phones that use the Google suite. (source: https://9to5google.com/2025/08/25/android-apps-developer-verification/ "This requirement applies to 'certified Android devices' that have Play Protect and are preloaded with Google apps.") Graphene OS isn't going anywhere, AOSP is open source, even if Google tried to make that change in the OS, the community would hard-fork AOSP instantly and continue like nothing ever happened.

Realistically this is going to squeeze people "in the middle" towards fully-google controlled Android (one exteme) and towards fully-de-googled Android (the other extreme). Its just elminating the middle. Which is bad for people trying to gradually de-google their life, but not as dire as it might seem.

On the bright side, this is an opportunity for play-services spoofing to become commonplace and easy, and could cause more apps to avoid google play services. The EU also has a shot at forcing google to allow sideloading, since they've recently been forcing Apple to move in that direction.

So, while not a bright future, its far from hopeless for privacy respecting Android phones.

Fuck it, I'm going back to Landline

Said this in another thread

So how long until celluar providers also say you have to have a trusted device to activate your SIM? Apple, Google, Samsung, automotive and Windows would be fine and they’d probably allow their branded or limited hotspots.

This would basically eliminate any Linux option (pc or phone), and DIY devices. I could see other OOB vendors getting on board to be certified to have a certificate issued to them.

"Linux phones will skyrocketed" by who? Nerds, the comum user doesn't care if Android is proprietary or opensource, they don't even know.

There's already other mobile OS but have the same issue, no apps or developers interested on making apps for it.

FirefoxOS, Ubuntu touch, something else Linux based, it's for some nerds play on a secondary phone.

Comum people don't stop using Windows or macOS because it's proprietary or a privacy nightmare. EU didn't stop selling iPhones because it's proprietary.

It's the device vendors that decide which OS would ship, and people will use it

Related: Has anyone here used Pretty Good Phone Privacy (PGPP)?

https://invisv.com/pgpp/

https://www.usenix.org/system/files/sec21-schmitt.pdf

There's no hope for privacy at all as long as American and the 5 eyes exist.

I've always wanted to try one of these.

Well, I'm still hoping for Linux phones to skyrocket a bit when more people realize we're fucked with Google. But as of today I don't think we have a reliable alternative for day to day use...

I'm not gonna go looking for it or share it, but I am here using my Librem 5 and kinda feeling like that kid in the meme hitting a bong in the background while people in the foreground fight.

Yes. As long as GrapheneOS still exists there is at least some hope. The sad thing is even before this outside of GrapheneOS there really isn't any other "ROM" actually focused on privacy.