If this manages to land, then it will hit me hard, as I like to install open source apps via f-droid. I’d be interested to know how this will affect the Fairphone.
GrapheneOS and similar custom roms are looking more enticing by the day. Especially now what Curve Pay can largely replace Google Pay.
Here’s an article in german regarding this issue.
https://www.heise.de/news/Android-Google-verbietet-anonyme-Apps-10617479.html
Dark future ![]()
If we install a different rom, does it affect the warranty?
Not on Fairphone phones. You just need to revert to FPOS when you want something related to warranty.
That won’t fly with the EU. They already forced Apple to allow sideloading.
I am unsure about your statement, since this is not a complete ban of sideloading.
But I hope you are right!
EU’s 2 year warranty? No
https://xdaforums.com/t/info-eu-rooting-and-flashing-dont-void-the-warranty.1998801/
Fairphone’s extended warranty? Unclear. I’ve seen posts on here that claim that you need to revert back to Fairphone OS to be able to use it, but I’ve also seen posts that claim that if it’s obvious that the custom ROM didn’t break it then they will fix it.
Sudden death of the motherboard? Fairphone fixes it. Battery draining a lot faster with CalyxOS? Fairphone’s not giving you a new battery.
This has nothing to do with the extended warranty but with warranty in general and yes you have to revert back first to see if the issue still persist before sending it in. I guess when reverting back is not possible its a case by case basis.
i just saw the Ars Technica about this earlier today — Google will block sideloading of unverified Android apps starting next year - Ars Technica
I would like to know what Fairphone’s stance is ensuring people can still side-load apps to their device, as an owner of the FairPhone 5, it came pre-loaded with Google Apps (GAPS), and what future updates Android has will impact other Android OS in some capacity when it comes to choosing what apps can be side-loaded from alternative app stores, ie; F-Droid, Obtanium, etc…
if anything I would like to flash /e/OS to my Fairphone 5, but as an update that doesn’t wipe the device.
I doubt OEMs will have a choice in the matter. If they want to use the Play Store they have to add the requirements by Google.
As far as I understand, the no wiping part is technically impossible, but one is allowed to dream.
I agree - Google will have the final say here. But, it still doesn’t stop people from rooting, installing their own ROM, and then sideloading. I’m interested in that part, if I need to go down that route.
Android keeps getting worse with every version. Fairphone needs to add a simple developer option that disables this crippling when it gets deployed.
And while they’re on that, they should make AFdroid or some other iptables firewall an official system application.
Your proposals are not good for the 90% of users. Those need Google approval, and Google will never allow this.
For those concerned, FP now sells the e/OS/ option which doesn’t need Google approval.
I guess Fairphone will be quiet about this since that could harm the relationship with Google. They need the certification for the majority of customers, who want to use e.g. Banking apps which request certification and verification to run.
They just have no choice, but make us swallow this pill.
It should be very easy to work around that with an apatch-/magisk-/xposed-module. Modules that detach apps from the PlayStore already exist. It should only be a problem if you don’t want to root your device or don’t want to use a custom ROM afaict. ![]()
I am also wondering what happens if someone provides ROMs with hacked Google-services, excluding the verification-part. It should be possible afaict.
However as mentioned before, in the EU this should be illegal anyway ![]()
For me, this means I will never ever go back to Google Services again. I am over it.
This is a undesirable route for FP to go down. They will have a lot more work maintaining this patched version of Android. It may not even be possible for them to do.
OTA Updates to new OS version is possible without wiping, so if flashed to a different OS, it can be applied in the same way if pushed as an OTA update.
So the different signing keys of the different OSes are no problem?