I totally agree. I own a FP3; I do support the sustainability and reparability goals of the company. But there’s almost no option on supported OS alternative besides Google Android.
Even I am the geek type, the FP3 is on the high price range for me (I chose it with my heart and beliefs, not with my wallet), so I do not like to use it as the Guinea pig for OS selection.
Not having an AVD or emulator for FP3, makes this research impossible for me.
Maybe in future I’ll find the time and the will to wipe it out and try /e os/ or alternatives (I dream of a stable linux is with apk support)
Getting off topic and too personal… I endorse the fact that privacy and related need for privacy-fair OS alternatives support should also be a pillar of the ‘fair’ mission.
Do you really think Fairphone has the resources to support a number of OSes, no way.
There the e foundation and other that do that work.
On the other hand what is so bad about a degoogled android that fills the world with such concern.
There are many more depressing mankind attributes more scary that nosing into my data.
So I understand it can be an issue for the anti government forces and the weak willed who may fall for adds, but what can an alternate OS do to make me feel safe in this crazy work, absolutely nothing.
I understand the resource thing. I am aware of the /e is/ collaboration. This does not change the fact OS alternatives is a concern for somebody. It’s good people express their thoughts openly.
Please don’t impose people your priorities. Do whatever you like with YOUR data, not my business. Please discuss the topic fruitfully.
There are plenty of issues mankind needs to resolve. Focusing on FP, in this thread I see somebody’s brought a topic up for attention.
It does not mean it is the most important or high prio.
IMO its pretty simple. You either pay with your privacy, or your wallet. FOSS or proprietary is secondary to that (FOSS should be more valuable).
So, privacy or wallet is your payment method. Most people can’t afford wallet (look at the Apple tax and Android popularity in non-USA). Microsoft spend a lot of effort into Windows Phone, and they failed to grab relevant market share. So it is iOS/iPadOS or Android/AOSP_derivatives (OSes without such need an emulator layer to ‘run Android apps’ if they want to be relevant for the masses). These are the two choices you got. The other ones are niche, not ready for the masses. Something like Sailfish is probably actually too cheap. Why? Lack of volume, means they cannot grow.
Speaking of Sailfish, Fairphone and Jolla (Sailfish) tried a partnership, but soon it becomes about money and then you got two small companies who don’t have the upfront money to invest in such a project. RIP.
Ubuntu Touch, Canonical canned it. Its a community project now.
So, what’s left? Niche community OSes. Quite a bunch of them. But don’t expect official support.
@anon39506985
I just thought of something else:
You want to run the FP4 not only privately very privacy-friendly, but also in the company, right? I don’t know what country you’re from, but the German company Flashtec recently partnered with iodé and provides support for iodé. They write, among other things:
French software developer iodé delivers iodéOS, an alternative Android operating system for those who no longer want to be at the mercy of the big data octopuses. In addition, iodé sells refurbished devices alongside new smartphones like the Fairphone, reducing our ever-growing mountains of e-waste. These were reasons enough for us to take a closer look at the system.
After extensive testing, we are so enthusiastic about iodé that we are now using it ourselves at Flashtec and have been offering support for iodéOS as the first German partner since summer 2021. In addition, we support the developers with the German translation of the iodé APP.
We are happy to advise you on the strengths and weaknesses of iodéOS and support you in installing, setting up and using the system as well as in transferring data from old devices or cloud providers.
I started this topic to really get a feel, and insight to what others are thinking about, and what they see as priorities, and I feel like we are moving in the right direction, fairphone has certainly taken the right steps in creating a platform that is repairable by the owner.
Sustainable technology is a huge issue we have to think about, especially when we start to see geopolitical issue affecting the supply chain of components, and obviously the ethical issues that are also implied with this.
We are also seeing the manipulation of data, as mentioned by others in this forum, we do pay for services with our data. I think we are rapidly moving into a social culture where we are slowly nudged and coerced into buying yet more stuff we just don’t need. So although Fairphone may make us feel like we are doing our part, buying from responsible vendors, the same device is also used to manipulate us with advertising and targeted propaganda. (purely based on the OS and social media tracking that is implied with such technology).
At some point we (as a society) need alternative options when it comes to the underlying OS that we use. There are some options out there right now, but the problem is that we don’t have any real standardisation between the hardware and the OS, making it near impossible to have viable options.
sailfishOS and other alternatives are a great start, but I think we need more support and development in this area.
Hmmm, I would love Sailfish, but what with all the Apps like Certificate Apps you need nowadays? They are not available on the inofficial (!) Sailfish OS for FP2.
Well after doing a lot of reviews I decided to opt for the Volla phone. I will keep an eye on the Fairphone 4, and if they ever start to support alternative OS’s i’ll certainly buy into it.
Yes, that’s what I mean - but unfortunately FP2 is NOT officially supported by Sailfish, for whatever reason… So no chance to use Sailfish, as e.g. we urgently need these days the Swiss Certificate app etc.
And I have several FP2 and will stick to Fairphone, the FP4 is waiting on my desk for the eOS (mid January).
Install one of the custom ungoogled GSI Roms from project treble. Take a look to project treble and you will discover there are a plenty of custom roms available for the FP4
probably you could provide a link? To my understanding GSIs are not Custom ROMs and so far Custom ROMs are still not officially published, even if some developer already started to build them.
