I am surprised that Google spends so much time tackling custom ROMs via it’s Play Integrity API. If only they paid that much attention to say, curating the Play Store more, it had be much better for everyone
I don’t think they do it actively. There’s just not a big enough issue for them in custom ROMs to even bother doing something about it.
Rather, they got other issues to tackle and custom ROMs are so off their radar, they get swept up simply because nobody cares (either way) to check.
Google doesn’t want distributions of open source Android without Google services to be a viable option for mainstream users because that would reduce their ability to extract profits from the Android ecosystem.
While the focus is surely more on OEMs than end users at this point, I’m sure Google wants to keep the difficulty level for end users high enough that it remains niche.
I’m sure Google wants to keep the difficulty level for end users high enough that it remains niche.
I really do not think they need to. We tech communities massively overestimate the desire and even contextual awareness (and desire to have such awareness) of regular users to engage with these topics.
Keep in mind that the vast majority of Firefox users - a browser inherently more used by tech-savvy people! - have 0 addons installed. And probably 0 desire to change this. Or to even waste thought seconds on considering whether to change it.
To users, smartphones are tools. Like hammers. If it stops being a useful hammer, do you take the head off and re-forge it? No, you buy a different hammer that does what you need it to do.
Maybe, but the archetypal non-technical user, my mother does want to run a third-party ROM. Her phone is out of its official support period, and she knows that security updates are important and would like a way to get them. Most people, at least in wealthy countries do have a technical person in their lives they can ask things like that. She doesn’t want to buy a new phone because it would be too big and lack a headphone jack, a position I share.
I had to recommend against running what I run (LineageOS, Magisk, Play Integrity Fix). Without PIF, too many apps will refuse to run on LineageOS. She doesn’t need root for much else (maybe adblocking) and doesn’t have the knowledge to make good decisions about whether to grant root permissions to an app that asks (Magisk doesn’t have an allowlist-only mode, but it should). Finally, keeping root through an update is fussy. It’s not hard, but it’s an extra step that has to be done in the right order every week or two.
Unlike Firefox in 2024, a third-party Android build that’s easy enough to install and isn’t sabotaged by Safetynet would something many non-technical users care about: an extended useful life for their devices.
I moved to Android for the 1st time ever in 2020 from an iPhone 6s.
The device I decided to go with is a Poco F2 Pro which lost official support years ago, it has decent hardware and even the battery still holds up (with a good custom ROM, I still achieve 8 hrs of SOT).
It just took me about a year, or perhaps less to move to the custom ROM scene, and for me I can’t ever go back to stock Android ever, even when it is a big step regarding iOS features (except for LS customization) the amount of stuff you can do with rooted android device is no joke.
My only regret is that I was never in the prime days of rooting… At least Telegram communities are super active, not that it is better… But personally I prefer it to discord lol.
I was in the prime days of jailbreaking though, too bad that they seem to be doing worse nowadays.
With root?
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Having a superior backup and restore method, Swiftbackup rooted is way better than Google’s solution.
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Hassle free ad-less YouTube (and YT music) the root apps (Magisk or KSU) come with a way to auto update, so, from the user side I just hit update and I am good to go, no need to waste time patching the apks myself.
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I can replace the Google news from the side/left menu with whatever app I like, in my case, the Feeder app.
I can go on, but you just asked for 3.
I just disable Google app completely. Then Google news on the left just goes away
It’s true what you say, the golden days of rooting are over. I rooted my phone just so I could set a battery charge limit, but a recent update for the ROM I’m using (/e/ os) added that feature natively lol. Pretty much the only thing you can do nowadays with root is install tweaks that hide the fact that you have root from other apps lol.
Pretty much the only thing you can do nowadays with root is install tweaks that hide the fact that you have root from other apps lol.
While it is true that you can install those modules to hide it, I wouldn’t say they are the only reason to stick rooting lol, a lot of apps work way better with root permissions, Battery Guru, FKM and AdAway are 3 good examples that I can think of right away.
I think the main reason third-party ROMs aren’t more popular is that Google and certain app developers fuck with people who use them. The article addresses the difficulties later on, but comes up short in my view on just how much of a hassle it is for someone who isn’t a tech enthusiast who wants, for example to keep an older phone up to date for security reasons.
I think the main motivation for Google is limiting user control over the experience. More user control leads to unprofitable behaviors like blocking ads and tracking, which is also the motivation for recent changes to the Chrome web browser that make content blocking extensions less effective. In all cases, companies that try to take away user control claim the motivation is security, usually for the benefit of the user.
Got so tired of google pay breaking on crdroid that I got a credit card just to use my watch instead.
Still rocking a op7 pro on android 14.
There are different types of workaround but every single one of them is playing same cat and mouse game with Google. It works for a while, then it doesn’t, workaround is updated, it works, then it doesn’t, rinse and repeat.
I’m using a custom ROM but it’s so fucking tiring if I want to keep Google Wallet working. Fucking Google.
I’m still using LOS and still fight with google over Play integrity from time to time. there’s a fairly new patch that spoofs the fingerprint of the phone and fixes the issue entirely for me (play integrity fix by chiteroman) as long as it’s updated, my gPay still works. I prefer using custom OS because it’s much more customizable and has little to no bloatware. any unwanted apps can be removed. I can route my VPN to my WiFi hotspot, in order to get full speed tethering. (I’m a T-Mobile user and they throttle) I have a system-wide ad-blocker that uses the hosts file. I have the ability to allow root to only some apps, and deny it to others.
To me, its worth doing. I have no internet at my house, so I primarily use this to get online. The stock T-Mobile firmware is laggy and loaded up with their apps you can’t delete. You’ll get the “3g speeds” hotspot and their annoying branding on everything.
Going back to that would really suck!
This is offtopic, but fuck it, might as well.
Why do you use a digital wallet? For me, money is one of those thing I literally can’t allow to fail; growing up poor means it’s still a touchy subject. A digital wallet adds extra risk of payment failure everytime it is used.
So, what does a digital wallet add that makes it worth not just the effort of setting it up in a stock system, but also in a custom ROM where it is actively broken by the app developers as a form of “security”?
For reference, I still keep cash on my person in case my cards (or their machine) fails.
I know I posted this on your comment, but I would love to hear everyone’s answer to this.
well, I totally could live without it. Its just nice to have in case I don’t have my card/cash as a last resort kind of thing. all I do is add the magisk patch, and add shamiko, keep it somewhat updated, and it’ll work 99% of the time I use it. As for google, they probably do this to reduce liability on their end if something does happen. I haven’t heard of any issues from anyone so far.
i have yet to use one of these digital wallets but i would imagine a large part of it is “because everyone around me is doing it.” not necessarily herd mentality but the social shift of it making checkout processes faster so if you’re using cash or a card, you’re inconveniencing the people in line behind you (however rational that may be is another topic).
i live in a semi-rural area and have seen very few instances of someone paying with their phone. it’s so rare here, i’m not even sure how the process works. tap to pay with a card has only recently been more normalized here. however, when i travel for work to big cities, it seems like the only times cards are used is when there is a large group meal at a fancier restaurant.
i also carry a small amount of cash in case my card fails or a card machine is down but it’s very rare to see cash used here as well, except for personal payments. even then, third party pseudo-bank apps are consuming that process (cashapp, venmo, etc.).
i’m not trying to justify any of these payment processes or mark one as better than the others. it’s just an observation.
you’re inconveniencing the people in line behind you
They’re inconveniencing me with their thoughtless jump into cashless society. Fuggem.
Isn’t what you’re describing herd mentality, putting the need of the group or other individuals above one selfs - never mind if it’s consciously giving up on cash money in exchange for speed or not?
I’m not dealing with all this tracking and surveillance bullshit on a regular basis. No digital wallets, no mobile payment. Cash as much as possible. Where I live most stores allow cash withdrawal, I’ll literally rather withdraw cash in one go and then pay with that cash at the same check out to server the link between the me and purchase. I do keep a modest amount of cash at home.
For me digital wallet is a bit more convenient than using my real wallet, but not essential. I have one credit card that I use all the time, but it seems my bank hasn’t bothered to make it work with NFC payments yet for some reason, but it works with Google Wallet so that’s nice.
I also always keep my wallet with credit cards and a little bit of cash as a backup. One time I was out at a bar and there was a power outage. They were still serving drinks, but instantly all transactions switched to cash only. I think it makes a lot of sense to have backup options.
The opposite can be good too – your phone as a backup just in case you forget your wallet.
It’s probably not entirely been worth the effort to stay up to date with changes whenever Google breaks things. At some point I may stop. I guess one immediate value has been that watching things unfold has hastened the souring of my view on Google. I am now frequently looking for ways to avoid their ecosystem, and avoid big companies / non open source in general. I’m far from ready to leave the ecosystem on every front. But at the very least, I would never recommend a Google product in my professional life at this point, at least not without careful planning of an exit strategy.
Google just wants to copy the fruit store. They want total control and have seen how the fruit store does it. Competition is bad for business.
