Luca WeissSep 4, 2023

The Software Longevity Team at Fairphone (which I'm part of 😀) is excited to announce that today, following the Fairphone 5 launch, we are also releasing the source code for its Android 13 operating system.

You can find instructions for browsing, viewing and downloading the source code on https://code.fairphone.com. The source tree contains all Android and Linux kernel sources that we can publish, excluding some proprietary components.

For more details see: https://forum.fairphone.com/t/fairphone-5-source-code-release/99616

Open Source at Fairphone — Fairphone Open Source

Show threadHugo 雨果Sep 4, 2023
@z3ntu I hope that this phone will be available unlocked without having to sign up with Google and ask Google for their permissions! 🙏
Show threadMartin 🧀Sep 4, 2023
@whynothugo already the case, check out Murena
Show threadAionoSep 4, 2023

@mart_e
I didn't fully research but Murena seems also incorporates their own cloud stuff and it's not vanilla AOSP. Why would I move away from a company to another?

I know not all companies are the same for respect of privacy but essentially what I want is vanilla Android with no bloat. Murena doesn't seem to provide that if I understand correctly. Which means I pay for stuff I don't want.
@whynothugo

Show threadMartin 🧀Sep 4, 2023

@aiono I dn't use it so can't really answer for sure but Murena replaces Google stuff by their own.
As explained by @z3ntu users have expectations of what they are able to use.
https://fosstodon.org/@z3ntu/111006582748280626

Many apps rely on Google services and will just not work if you don't have a compatibility layer. Murena offers one.
If you want to go fully 0% Google services, you need to get your hands dirty and accept a lot of broken apps.

Luca Weiss (@[email protected])

@whynothugo As @[email protected] wrote, you can also buy the phone preinstalled with /e/OS from Murena where you never have to touch this Google code if you wish. But GMS is just something expected by at least 99% of users so it's practically impossible to ship an Android phone without it. Huawei tried and invested many many millions if not billions into building an alternative ecosystem and get apps on board and I think they have even been half successful with that.

Fosstodon
Show threadAionoSep 4, 2023

@mart_e @z3ntu

I like the part of Murena where it provides compatibility layer.

However, it also comes with cloud solution + account stuff (don't know if I need one) which I don't want. I manage my own cloud instance.

I just want a solution that is as plain as AOSP gets + open source Google services alternative (maybe microG works good enough?). Murena does more than what I want which means I pay for what I don't want.

Show threadMartin 🧀

@aiono nobody is offering that because no for-profit company would sell a phone that is not working out of the box.
Selling a phone with an alternative ROM is already a very niche market.

The smartphone ecosystem is a shitty duopole I am afraid.

Sep 4, 2023 at 1:28pmWeb
Show threadAionoSep 4, 2023
@mart_e I understand why Google Service replacement must be there, but why not having cloud is "not working"?
Show threadMartin 🧀Sep 4, 2023

@aiono you mean a replacement of Google Service that is not a cloud? You still need some minimum level of servers to have messaging apps running and stuff.
If a company (like Murena) is sane enough to provide an alternative, I guess they try to monetize it by selling more services. Which I can't blame them for.

I am afraid for your kind of requirements, flashing an alternative ROM is always going to be the way to go (and I hope it will change one day, don't get me wrong)