Mishaal RahmanBreaking: Google just confirmed that the U.S. DOJ is seeking, among other changes, to force Google to split off Chrome and Android.
Source: https://blog.google/outreach-initiatives/public-policy/doj-search-remedies-framework/
Covidiocracy
ErevanDB@MishaalRahman
Android going back to An open-source project? Good.
Android going back to An open-source project? Good.
RejZoR@ErevanDB @MishaalRahman LinusTechTips tried actual open source (AOSP) Android and it was pretty much unusable. You need to use bunch of proprietary services and frameworks (mostly from Google itself) to be half usable.
I've also tried LineageOS without any Google services and despite having more features built in, the usability was miserable because you couldn't easily install apps on it and a lot didn't even work when you did.
Cassandrich
jet set ratio@rejzor @ErevanDB @MishaalRahman Didn't he try the "Generic System Images"?
The Android site literally mentions that they're only supposed to be used for app validation/testing, not as your main system image
@lio @ErevanDB @MishaalRahman You'd expect there is base Android version that is fully functional without any garbage. There is none.
Caroline Bell 
@rejzor You lost me at "LinusTechTips". That channel is awful and frequently releases content that misrepresents the products they're working with.
If you're smart enough to install LineageOS without Google apps, you can figure out sideloading FDroid, Aurora Store, or some other app store too. Stop whining.
The reason a lot of apps don't work is because of the (now convicted) Google monopoly.
AOSP being split off from Google will give it the opportunity to catch up to the modern standards.
@halotroop2288 Um, no. It's because apps also depend on Google's APIs and frameworks that are not present on systems that don't have Google services installed. And even when you manage to solve that with MicroG, there will be apps that will whine about phone being rooted or even just having bootloader unlocked and will entirely refuse to work. And you cannot lock it with any 3rd party ROM installed except GrapheneOS I believe on Pixels only.
Mister Moo ๐ฎ@MishaalRahman Yes, the Chrome thing in particular must happen.
Orion ๐ดโโ ๏ธ๐พโ ๐ EF30@MishaalRahman They're playing the open-source card lmao
Android is in practice not open, because if you exercise your freedom to modify the thing they will use their monopolized app distribution/api platform and trusted computing BS the devices come with (again, thanks to their requirements) to exclude you from using apps that should work, no questions asked
Using the hands of other companies for it just shows the monopoly power they hold
Also idk, the word "radical" isn't painting the picture they want, non-radical action clearly didn't do us any good so far
john localhost@awooo @MishaalRahman android is just about as open as windows is these days. considering most of the system simply does not work without proprietary google services, using a fully FOSS android is essentially impossible
Mx Verdadamn. so my idle daydream of nuking every big tech company simultaneously would do even more harm than expected. Crap.
luna the doggie 
@mjdxp @awooo @MishaalRahman to illustrate how far this goes, the "sending GPS data to emergency responders when you call them" feature is part of Google services
you do not get that if you use a "degoogled" version of android
you do not get that if you use a "degoogled" version of android
๐ธ lumi-nhac 
๐ฑ@lunareclipse @mjdxp @awooo @MishaalRahman wait really? that's seriously messed up
well, taking a step back, the OS having any proprietary components at all is seriously messed up
well, taking a step back, the OS having any proprietary components at all is seriously messed up
Vorsos@mjdxp @awooo @MishaalRahman Corporateโs definition of open is meaningless, part 3901. https://mastodon.social/@ShinyQuagsire/111936999784816467
@Vorsos @mjdxp @MishaalRahman It's also meaningless because they literally get to define the meta
They can release all the sources, let you change the OS on their devices, whatever
But the power structure they put in place globally through technologies like trusted computing will get you in the end and make your experience miserable if you try using anything on your terms
@awooo @Vorsos @MishaalRahman giving customers the illusion of choice is evidently a very good strategy
Sam@MishaalRahman This is excellent news.
Dave/Loebas 
@[email protected] interesting
taylor 
@MishaalRahman Hm. I wonder if when they say they're want Android to be split off, that means just AOSP or they're including Play in the split
AlexTECPlayz@MishaalRahman Splendid!
ellieโจ:3@MishaalRahman i sincerely hope this happens, especially because it could provide precedent for other big tech companies to be broken up as well. this could finally be the microsoft anti trust case we never ended up getting
dbat 
jn (big endian energy)@MishaalRahman wouldn't it be rad to have a vendor-neutral Android Foundation?
Beatrix
NONE โ 
@MishaalRahman so funny this is the first thing you see when you go to the link, they are terrified ๐คฃ
gulfie official@NONE @MishaalRahman "it's afraid!"
Reid 
@MishaalRahman zamn, that would be huge
please turn both into non-profits; and put the LineageOS and crDroid folks in charge of Android, they know what Android should be far better than Google
eppie@MishaalRahman Yess! Finally!! I hope this means that Android becomes much less dependent on Google, and I hope this opens the RCS protocol to all of us out there who have a Degoogled phone! It's pretty usable without google already if you use lineage os for microg, but it would be nice to not need microg at all.
keinna 
@MishaalRahman history repeats itself
delta 
@MishaalRahman i really hope this actually goes through and that android being split off includes the play store and play services
๐ณ๏ธโโง๏ธPepperTheVixen๐ฆฏ@MishaalRahman Good. I hope the DOJ gets their way.
LiquidParasyte@MishaalRahman Let's fucking GOOOOO 
Pleading that their lawyers force them to divest that core necessary Play services stuff that makes AOSP even usable too
Independent chromium fuck yes
koto@MishaalRahman for fuck's sake, finally
Jima 
Etch@MishaalRahman
IM SO HAPPY ABOUT THIS INFORMATION
IM SO HAPPY ABOUT THIS INFORMATION
tekhedd@MishaalRahman Wow, the response is quite predictably disingenuous.
Riley S. Faelan@MishaalRahman I kind of wish they'd split off the ads instead, but splitting off the browser and the tablet OS also works.
E.D.E.N.@MishaalRahman thank *god* we're finally seeing some glimmer of hope here.
gkrnours
Mari@MishaalRahman how will this effect jxl adoption โโโโโโโ
๐ชฌ๐๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฅ๐๐๐ด๐ปโ๐งฟ
Gytis Repeฤka@MishaalRahman Oh, cry me a river, damn Google 
Saagar Jha@MishaalRahman New cafe for Android engineers when
TransQuinnzel@MishaalRahman damn! I so hope this happens!!!