Breaking news and a developing story. I hope GOS is not affected too much.
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I see the day coming when I no longer have a smartphone.
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I see the opposite, the day that everyone will be forced to use a smartphone. This combined with Google’s capture of Android would be a nightmare.
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I think the OEM partnership came at the perfect time. Access to security binaries and now hopefully source code during embargo will help the project remain resilient.
I wonder if the changes to security and source code release cadence is pushed by OEMs who can’t keep up or Google itself.
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I share this sentiment alot. I’ve personally given up on the idea of using custom ROMs because of all this nonsense going on with Android and don’t want to have to follow this cat and mouse game but I’m not even sure if I’m going to pursue another smartphone once my iPhone 14 Pro gives up because I kind of dont want to. At the same however I’m not sure how realistic this is because unfortunately alot of things already require smartphones
No I will be the weird guy with a Linux based phone creating government and corporate support problems. They can all give me a free Android or iOS smartphone if they really want me to use one.
This will probably not happen as this will be seen as anti-poor.
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I’m guessing you’re being facetious. But what happened to the days when companies provided everything you needed to do the job. Want me to use a smartphone to do work related stuff? You give me one. Don’t ask me to use my own device. The reason for why we don’t or are not allowed to use work laptops for personal things should also be extended to mobile devices. I don’t know why it doesn’t.
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I completely agree.
I am an employee. My phone, computer, and car are provided by the company.
I drive my personal car to work, carry out my work using the work devices provided by the company, and at the end of the day I drive my personal car back home.
All my clients and colleagues have only my business contact details, and none of them have any of my personal details, except Human Resources, who only have a contact email specifically created for that purpose.
Nor would I accept it to be any other way.
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Partially.
I am from a place that is so backwater, that a lot of people of low socio-economic background can only afford a feature phone, so the government cannot really mandate specific device requirement. Unfortunately some people in the bank and other commercial establishment knows who I am and knows that I am well off enough that I cannot really make that assertion - that I do not have a smartphone.
I am at this point that I am reflecting hard on Bryan Kreb’s “Plant Your Flag” idea. One of my banks have a strict app-only way to access my account online. I guess I could try doing this with Graphene OS but I do not know if the Google specific safeguards are there and I have to do it with a stock Pixel or have an iOS.
Music = mp3 player
Photos = ultra-thin pocket camera
Shopping list = paper
Phone calls = landline or dumb phone
I don’t use a phone at work and if I had to there is no way I would be installed corporate spyware upon my personal device.
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The only issue here is that texts and calls are not going to be encrypted if not using Signal.
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Very true.
I can use Signal Desktop and make sure the two people I chat with know I will only be doing so at home.
Once in a while I get a sms from work when they need me to come in. I can switch to a landline and they can call instead of sms.
My bank sends me an sms or email when making an online purchase which happens very seldom.
I go several months between voice calls.
I’ll share my exact thoughts this week on TWIP, but in short I don’t think a bi-annual release schedule will impact custom ROMs like GOS as long as the security updates remain monthly. The releases seemed aligned with the releases of the Pixel smartphones (specifically the flagship in the fall and A series in the spring).
Custom ROMs probably will get less QOL features but thankfully GOS’ OEM partner is granting them early access to a lot of these patches.
I’m still worried about this development as another step in the wrong direction for Google. They appear to be focusing less on AOSP and more on their own products. If they continue to delay these already sparse releases, it will impact GOS’ ability to support the latest pixel devices in time.
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The only thing that made be feel better was that the monthly security patches will continue.
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I agree it’s good to practice being analog and not relying on a smartphone. However what will smartphone non-users do when institutions, businesses etc require them to use one? Banks requiring SMS 2FA is one common instance of this, and those SMS could be received with a dumb phone, but it could get much worse: Restaurants making customers scan a QR code or use an app to order their meals. The tax mafia requiring taxpayers to use their app when filing tax returns. Concerts, festivals etc requiring patrons to use an app when buying tickets or when entering. If smartphone use becomes defacto mandatory in society, going off grid will be forced upon smartphone non-users.
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Bank in person or at the atm. Sms is only required when login in my account.
I can’t imagine a pub, pizzeria, or any independent restaurant doing this. Only a swanky place would do this.
In my country, the income tax office went through a lot of trouble to increase security after a cyber attack. Citizens have the option of not using sms.
I’m in the minority but I have no interest in attending such events.
Perhaps a lot of people will be forced to have a smartphone, I will not.
I wonder what would happen if Google just decides to pull the trigger and make Android fully closed-source.
Will it be socially acceptable to not own a phone?
Would be cool to have the choice between:
- I have an iPhone
- I have nothing else, pass me the menu of the restaurant in a written format
kind of situation. 
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Dumb phones? Punkt finally becoming a viable option? (Mainly because its the only company that has a dumbphone with a signal client)
Maybe a combo of iPhone and them?
Let me make it clear that these are not recommendations, we should have shower thoughts first about it
“In 2077, what makes a someone a privacy advocate? Getting c- cyberpunk soundtrack I mean dumbphone”
You know on the subject of dumbphone, cool channels:
I kinda gave up on those dumb phones idea.
IMO, either you can skip it fully and embrace analog or then bend the knee and go GOS.
The middle ground of shady support, limited features, clunky UX and expensive price is very much dispensable.
It’s a middle-ground that I personally have absolute 0 interest in after watching a few reviews.
Also, a phone is IMO just pushing for consumption where a desktop is there to get some real stuff done.
Hence I can get through my day without a portable device, then clear all of my todos on a static desktop with proper ergonomics.
PS: but yes, good channels that I do like. 
Ill be okay with a Linux device with wifi.
You could pair it with a portable LTE/5G Wifi modem of sorts.
It will never be as a good as Graphene and wont even be a close competition with an iphone but it could be a big middle finger to both ecosystem.
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