Maybe 2026 can be Year of the Linux Phone.
We’re still at least a couple of years out from that, the biggest issue at present is app compatibility, specifically in the context of banking apps. For everything else it is usable with some minor quirks
Most banking (and many other) apps could be a website, and most (all?) banks have websites, so a linux phone could be compatible with most banks the same way a desktop OS is compatible with most banks.
But I agree that we’re several years out from Linux phones becoming anything more than a novelty. It’s still a good path to take. We really need a magic rectangle that is not locked down in any way.
I think the biggest issue is the 2fa for transactions which is annoyingly inconsistent between allowing SMS verification and requiring an app 2fa. I know that I have had fairly consistent issues with capital one in this respect, I don’t know if it is prevalent elsewhere
Are you saying there are banking sites where you have problems logging in using a web browser? Because using a web browser is what I am suggesting.
My bank requires a proprietary 2FA app for any transfers between accounts or internet transactions in local websites.
It’s fine. I understood Google doesn’t want me as customer, so this will be my last mobile with Google software.
I identify as $SANCTIONEDNATION
I’m checking if my VPN has exit nodes in Iran, Cuba, Russia, Belarus, etc
How would that help you?
The article says, “unverified apps will only be easily installable in the sanctioned countries where verification doesn’t exist.”
So even if you used a VPN to trick Google into thinking you live in a sanctioned country, you wouldn’t be able to distribute apps to those countries without breaking sanctions.
I don’t want to distribute apps, I just want to be able to install whatever I want on the hardware I own.
I feel the same way, but can you explain how a VPN would help achieve that in the face of Google’s proposed developer verification scheme?
I’m basing this on OP’s comment
Someone in Cuba or Iran can keep installing APKs with no new restrictions, but devs will suffer.
My first thought reading this was that the “cool down” period to install (side load apps) would also be waived.
That’s not what this says though.
Why do people seem to think ungoogled won’t just become ‘unverified’ and the world won’t just keep spinning as usual?
This sucks for anyone with a stock phone, sure.
Oh no, I can’t use my banking app!
Oh no! 🙄 Guess you’ll actively have to remember your balance. The horror.
I already can’t access many (and growing to MOST) government services without my government’s “my gov” app.
The mygov app won’t install/run on my devices as it is not a stock Android OS.
I’m LITERALLY unable to gain access to many government services without having to run a less secure “stock” device.
This isn’t an “oh my, what an inconvenience” situation over here.
It becomes an actual life limiting event.
What hellhole is this when the US typically has no such requirement?
If this is a country in the EU, y’all need to step up and tell US to fuck off,
Denmark here. Both MobilePay (a national phone payment app that works for private to private where you just send to a phone number and in place of credit card payment in shops and webshops) and MitID (national authentication app used for logging in to everything regarding public services and quite a few private services too) have severe problems outside of Play Integrity. MitID straight up doesn’t work and MobilePay fails an integrity check once in a while forcing a reinstall.
These two apps are integral to life in Denmark. MobilePay has no backup measure but MitID has physical code viewers you can get. But that is not something the common user would go out of their way go figure out.
MobilePay used to work just fine for me, until a couple months back. My plan is to get some crappy used phone, install MobilePay on that and use RustDesk to gain access from my main LineageOS phone.
Thankfully over here we authenticate with banks, and the 2 banks I use work just fine with no play services.
My only point was:
these restrictions have the capacity to carry real impacts on people that amount to more than mild inconveniences…
Computers still exist and they still have browsers and they still work for your bank’s website.
Even in the browser of an unverified phone.
And how am I going to get past the bank’s custom 2FA which requires the phone app?
is this the only way your bank does 2FA? mine also allows for use of physical security keys like yubikey etc
There’s only 4 Dutch banks that still support authenticating without an app, and iirc one of them announced they’re going app-only not long ago:
You use a different bank. Honestly, if people voted with their feet, these issues wouldn’t be as common
So, a ton more developers for the GrapheneOS ecosystem.
