this post was submitted on 26 Aug 2025
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Privacy

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Google has been trying to make Android proprietary for a few years now, and that's not news, as many AOSP default apps have been abandoned over time in favor of proprietary Google ones. This was never a huge problem for me, as you can still use those apps without network access or use open source alternatives like Fossify on a custom ROM.

However, the situation is quickly getting worse, now that Google is actively trying to prevent the development of custom ROMs and taking a page from Apple's book by forcing developers to beg them for permission to release apps on the Android platform, even outside of the Play Store - giving Google full control.

Is there still any hope left for privacy respecting Android ROMs? What do you think will happen next? And what would be your suggestions for those looking for a phone in 2025?

If you have a different perspective on the situation, also please comment below!

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[–] idefix@sh.itjust.works 10 points 2 days ago (2 children)

What about a Murena phone such as the Fairphone 6 ? Is /e/os impacted?

[–] passepartout@feddit.org 9 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (14 children)

Fairphone 6, especially with /e/os is not an option atm from a security standpoint. But then again, no phone is except iPhones and Pixels (and more recent Samsung phones).

Fairphone 6 does not keep up with standard Android privacy/security patches and has no secure element to provide working disk encryption for typical users not using a strong password, among other flaws.

Regarding privacy, Murena is shilling their own proprietary Apps as alternatives to Google.

/e/OS includes numerous non-private apps and services. The Murena voice-to-text service included in /e/OS even sends user speech data to OpenAI with no local option compared to Apple and Google both offering offline speech-to-text support via local models which users can make sure is always used:

https://community.e.foundation/t/voice-to-text-feature-using-open-ai/70509

Taken from the Graphene OS forum

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[–] unexposedhazard@discuss.tchncs.de 3 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Any device and OS that uses standard google play services (and therefore its device integrity system) will be restricted from now on. So either go with AOSP+microG or just plain AOSP like lineage os.

e/os is lineage+microG so shouldnt be affected. Lots of apps like banking stuff are starting to prevent their apps from running on on google certified devices however. You will have to test case by case.

[–] upstroke4448@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (3 children)

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.

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[–] Schlemmy@lemmy.ml 6 points 2 days ago (5 children)
[–] Renohren@lemmy.today 5 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

That was then, now they are very pro FANGS and removing all barriers because they are afraid of tariffs and want the US to keep selling them weapons for Ukraine.

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[–] Ulrich@feddit.org 8 points 2 days ago

I'm afraid not.

[–] majster@lemmy.zip 5 points 2 days ago

I'll be going with Fairphone 6 + /e/os as my next phone most likely. Seems like a very decent path forward.

[–] TeamTeddy@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago (3 children)

I've heard that there's phones that use Linux, so I imagine once modifying Android isn't an option focus will probably go into making that more viable.

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[–] Core_of_Arden@lemmy.ml 2 points 2 days ago

Only if enough people support it...

[–] Mrkawfee@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago (2 children)
[–] antrosapien@lemmy.ml 1 points 2 days ago

For some reason, this is blocked on uBlock

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[–] crandlecan@mander.xyz 3 points 2 days ago

No, not really I suppose

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