Nick @ The Linux ExperimentAfter years of being an #Samsung user (with a few months of using an #iPhone11 in between that I didn't enjoy), I'm quitting #Android.
Here are the main reasons why it just doesn't work for me anymore, whatever the model, or the ROM it runs:
YouTube
R. L. Dane 
@thelinuxEXP
Not posting to #PeerTube? 😢
Benjamin@RL_Dane there is a peertube channel at @thelinuxexperiment_channel but the video isn't on there yet. :/ And I agree, PeerTube needs some love!
@benjamin @thelinuxexperiment_channel @thelinuxEXP
I need to start posting my #PeerTube channel discoveries.
There's a lot of good stuff out there!
Mathieu@thelinuxEXP that's funny you're talking about leaving Android. I just bought a second hand OnePlus 6 to test and maybe contribute to @postmarketOS (my main phone is already a OP6 running @LineageOS)
So far pmOS is quite nice with phosh UI, but obviously lacking important features to use it as my main phone
So far pmOS is quite nice with phosh UI, but obviously lacking important features to use it as my main phone
Rassilonian Legate@thelinuxEXP
One note I would like to make is that hardware is one major reason I'm never switching to apple, I need my expandable storage, and not even most android have that anymore but apple got rid of it first
I'll switch off of android when Linux phones become viable, but my options are very limited untill then, becouse I need to much storage space for that
RN I use a note 20 ultra and have no issues other than the inability to root my model so far (though I'm not getting another samsung)
@RassilonianLegate I’d rather move to a Linux phone as well, but I don’t see this happening for a long time.
zem@thelinuxEXP Of course you are aware that Foxconn has several factories in mainland china producing iPhones there. 🙄 I am afraid there is not really a choice yet.
@zem Made in China, yes, but that doesn’t mean Apple has to conform to Chinese data laws :) Compared to chinese companies that do.
alice@thelinuxEXP maybe you should try Repainter if you don't like Material You, lets you adjust how the Monet Engine picks colours or just lets you set completely custom colours if you just want to set your own ones.
@thelinuxEXP you can get something fairly similar to old android colour wise with some tweaking
@lexd0g Still, that padding…
Leonard Menzel@thelinuxEXP I am kind of the opposite. I love the esthetics of android and the pixels. I have a pixel 7 pro and (except for the horrible camera bar) I love this piece of Hardware. The only real problem is Google though. I am trying to escape the Google eco system as much as possible, but in my opinion apple is worse. I know about graphene os but this phone is my only one so I am afraid of experimenting so I am kind of stuck on the pre installed android. But switching to apple? No way.
@menzel To each their own! I’d rather use something that works for me than contort a spyware device into something that sorta du crions but that I don’t like!
Not an Apple fan, but for now, Android doesn’t work for me. Maybe that will change in the future!
M3LVINthesentinel@menzel @thelinuxEXP
GrapheneOS web installer makes it a no brainer. I'm a tech noob and graphene's web installer makes it simple.
GrapheneOS web installer makes it a no brainer. I'm a tech noob and graphene's web installer makes it simple.
OmarSuarez@thelinuxEXP welcome in the iOS Universum 🖖
Moritz 🐧@thelinuxEXP you didn't talk about the #fairphone4 while showing it a lot. What is your experience (except from clunky)?
My way to the FP4 was also a long one... I was searching for a repairable phone (the reason why I don't like the Pixels) which can run a good custom Rom with regular updates. CalyxOS is perfect for me although i can understand your complaining about the UI.
Have you tried AuroraStore + Fdroid with /e/? I like them much better then their original AppStore...
My way to the FP4 was also a long one... I was searching for a repairable phone (the reason why I don't like the Pixels) which can run a good custom Rom with regular updates. CalyxOS is perfect for me although i can understand your complaining about the UI.
Have you tried AuroraStore + Fdroid with /e/? I like them much better then their original AppStore...
@steinhmor I love the idea behind it, but I don’t like the phone. Low end specs for mid range prices, too chunky and big, bad cameras. It was a nice enough phone for testing the latest version of /e/, but not nearly good enough to daily drive for me!
@thelinuxEXP yeah, the specs are very low. For me it was OK because I don't need super cameras... I think FP4 + CalyxOS (or custom roms in general?) is a solution for users with lower hardware-needs...
popey@thelinuxEXP Welcome to the club. I switched to an iPhone (13 mini) last year. Also gone all in with iPad, pencil, ipods pro, and most recently, Apple Watch. Feeling happy with my choices.
@popey I won’t buy another product from them, because I don’t need anything else, but yeah, for now, it’s decent. And the hardware really is superior to anything else.
Mission Control@thelinuxEXP @popey we also prefer iPhones. I think you can use an iPhone and still be a very good Linux citizen.
@missioncontrol @popey Yeah, they’re not incompatible .
A. Sebastian Dietzel 😎🥳@thelinuxEXP iPhone is made in china too. ;) I'm using a pixel 4xl with graphene + fdroid on it and its the best device I've used with the best android experience. In your comparison you didn't take the 4xl and its amazing camera, cpu and screen into account, but of course its a bit dated by now. YouTube without newpipe is an absolute show stopper, can't stand watching YT on my ipad without it.
@dietzel Made in China doesn’t mean Made by a Chinese company ;) Apple doesn’t have to comply with Chinese data laws or firmware backdoors, Chinese companies do!
@thelinuxEXP I think you're spot on with the video, just the conclusion for me was a different one. Pixel 4xl / graphene instead of iphone. Its taken android ages to implement some basic security measures and to this day some apps can request absolutely extraordinary permissions like full r/w on storage. Thank god for some of the custom androids being able to pretend access privileges instead of giving them. Of the shelf android is a privacy nightmare. In my opinion.
Kepler Coyote@thelinuxEXP The Tensor chip they introduced in the Pixel 6 is a complete nightmare. It tries to optimize processes on the phone using AI, but it completely fails at it and I often have to reboot my phone when everything just starts locking up and the SystemUI crashes. The Pixel line is awful. But I hate every other Android alternative. I've definitely considered the iOS switch, but the walled garden is too much. I'd miss KDE Connect and Transmission too much.
Linux phone pls 😓
Gee Arr Haitch@thelinuxEXP I went for a fairphone 3 and flashed /e/ and quite happy (love the modular design).
Next will be a refurbed pixel for the ROM support - calyx, iode, graphene...
I've never owned an apple phone ;s
Sohrab@thelinuxEXP I would say take a look at Sony phones before switching to Apple.
Arnan de Gans@thelinuxEXP Just watched the video - And I'm a bit in the same boat. I don't want Android perse. Way too much Google and now Samsung is worming its way into my live as well. Not good.
But Apple making everything way overpriced made it so I don't want to pay that much for their decidedly average software and flaky services. It seems either way I'm a bit screwed...
×××××@thelinuxEXP Yeah I essentially just use old motorolla phones that are well supported by LineageOS. My use case is different than yours though, no high refresh rate or good camera just small phone.
one thing I kinda worry about sometimes is getting used to a certain quality of experience and not being content with things I used to be. For instance being happy with cheap headphones or 60hz refresh rate. It makes me nervous to be exposed to better because I don't wanna have high standards.
FarisZRI Agree with this video about the state of Mainstream Phones.
It's either Spyware or jail-spyware with privacy marketing, and Apple is adding ADs everywhere too!, enjoy it while it lasts!
I bit the bullet and bought a Pixel, with Grapehene you get the best experience with privacy, i personally didn't have that many problems, IMO you should've given it a go at least,
the Pixel 7 is considered to be the first mainstream-able Pixel, so there is that.
Even though you hate the design(which i absolutely don't agree with), you are probably getting less trade-offs with a Pixel + GrapheneOS than an iPhone.
Also the US has the same laws as China, and with any phone other than a stock pixel, you get Google spyware + manufacture spyware.
It's either Spyware or jail-spyware with privacy marketing, and Apple is adding ADs everywhere too!, enjoy it while it lasts!
I bit the bullet and bought a Pixel, with Grapehene you get the best experience with privacy, i personally didn't have that many problems, IMO you should've given it a go at least,
the Pixel 7 is considered to be the first mainstream-able Pixel, so there is that.
Even though you hate the design(which i absolutely don't agree with), you are probably getting less trade-offs with a Pixel + GrapheneOS than an iPhone.
Also the US has the same laws as China, and with any phone other than a stock pixel, you get Google spyware + manufacture spyware.
Wyatt 
@thelinuxEXP
Thanks for the content. And get the right tool for the job!! I am happy with my Pixel.
"GoOgLe BaD"
-hive mind
I'd like to run fully FOSS firmware and software on it, but I can only do what I can do. Thanks for the content.
Suquamish@thelinuxEXP Like you I dislike the vast amount of my data being monetized by both Apple and Google against my wishes. For me it came down to which mobile OS allows my [US based] family a better and safer experience.
"Safer" is loaded given a significant amount of my non-nuclear family lives in China.
Apple destroys everyone on this one aspect. So, like you, I held my nose, and bought Apple products.
Dunelayn@thelinuxEXP "you french guys like weird stuff anyway!" My impression is that there is a higher demand for an alternative to Android, but its not properly developt enought for people to switch. I have few core Apps that i realy need, otherwise the phone is no use to me. That is my impression and it could be very wrong... 😄
dgr@thelinuxEXP I did quit years ago and switched to Sailfish X. If I remember your wish list only the screen refresh isn't fulfilled by the Sony Xperia X III. Also I don't know if you can get your banking app to work in the Android App Support.
Gianmarco Gargiulo@thelinuxEXP maybe give the A series Pixels a try? I've never heard of reliability problems with those and I've had some of them, they've always worked perfectly even with GrapheneOS.
Nightbreaker@thelinuxEXP There is a Linux system that can run android apps. It's called Sailfish os. Unfortunately it can only run on a limited set of phones.
Till@thelinuxEXP When I bought my current #smartphone and wanted to exclude Chinese options for the first time, I was really amazed at how much it narrowed down the choices. I've had a #Samsung phone ever since. Has been running well for 3 years. Then again, I don't have such high standards.
SeAlMe@thelinuxEXP I definitely would underline most of the points you made. However, for me Android is still way better than iOS when it comes to customizing my workflows. Especially automations with Tasker is something I wouldn't want to miss any more!
@SeAlMe My main issue is that my use case is super simple, but my hardware needs aren’t: my OS can’t be as basic as possible as long as it has access to a decent App Store, but the hardware needs to be top notch.
@thelinuxEXP In a better world, the guys from Gnome would port their desktop to a smartphone ;) let's keep our fingers crossed!
@SeAlMe They’re currently doing it! But that still doesn’t solve the « no apps problem »
MostlyGordon@[email protected] Nick.
l Picked up a 13 Pro Sierra Blue 1TB for similar reasons. Tipping point is Apple now doing end to end encryption. Although I use Owncloud anyway.
I'd be interested to know what you use the phone for and workflows. I mainly use Audiobooks, Podcasts and Music. I have been using XLD to transcode FLAC to ALAC, but might just switch to Foobar2000 / FLAC.
l Picked up a 13 Pro Sierra Blue 1TB for similar reasons. Tipping point is Apple now doing end to end encryption. Although I use Owncloud anyway.
I'd be interested to know what you use the phone for and workflows. I mainly use Audiobooks, Podcasts and Music. I have been using XLD to transcode FLAC to ALAC, but might just switch to Foobar2000 / FLAC.
metallcorn 🐧I completely disagree with your decision)
Talking about how bad google is and settling for an even more closed ecosystem is a questionable choice imho.
When no opensource product can replace the awkward native one. Mandatory binding to proprietary company servers. Data leakage and very "controversial" work in China. And it is assembled in China, too.
I think it was better to choose a device on the native android and modify it for your own needs, than like this.
I expect a series of "I'm back on $os_name" after six months.)
@metallcorn Well, the criticism against Google wasn’t against it being closed, so choosing a closed ecosystem doesn’t really contradict what I said.
Also, it’s not closed for me: I don’t use Apple services, I use my own Nextcloud for everything, so the experience is exactly the same in terms of lockdown than with Android.
And as I explained in the video, I could not find an Android device that worked for me, so finding one to modify just wasn’t an option ;)
Life is a compromise
Everyone chooses what to sacrifice for one thing or another
I would rather sacrifice the camera or the screen, but in favor of more free software or privacy)
Several times in my life I've tried switching to Apple products, but each time I can't last more than 3 months.
Often in your videos your opinion is very much the same as mine. That's why I'm betting that in 6 months you'll change your device after all )