Can anyone tell this meme is true or false? I don't have Gspy so I cannot test this
this post was submitted on 25 May 2026
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DeGoogle Yourself
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f-droid's website https://f-droid.org/ has a link to https://keepandroidopen.org/ which says in Google will lock down Android in September,
If you were planning on reformatting your phone to GrapheneOS, LineageOS, PostmarketOS, or UbuntuTouch, now is the time to do it.
yeah, would love to, but last time I checked my phone is not supported
Shit, not even with Lineage? What model is your phone?
Samsung Galaxy A35
Yeah, I just checked Lineage and it's not on the list.
So, there are unsupported builds of Lineage for the phone. Can definitely understand why you wouldn't want to try that though.
I may try unsupported builds on a phone I don't use, but for that I would need to buy phone.
The problem with Samsung (last time I checked at least) is that the moment you unlock the bootloader (which is needed to install anything other than stock), there's a flag raised voiding the warranty. That flag from what I know is acting like a hardware fuse, so it's pretty much non-reversible. Shame, really, because Samsung do have some really nice things in terms of hardware.
Well, It's also a quite old phone. I was never one to replace something just because newer version is available.
Yeah, but if it's new, you either put up with the stock firmware, or unlock it right away, giving up the 1 or 2 years of warranty (depending on the region).
Fuck man I cannot buy a new phone right now. All apps I use are from fdroid. I'm kinda fucked ain't I?
Looking at cad$300 for a pixel 8a to get graphine on it. So sad my galaxy 9 can't run postmarket, lineage, or anything really.
I guess the pixel 3 (I think that's the one) with Ubuntu touch could work. Only a hundred it looks like to get that
Welcome to the dependency economy where you can't afford to not let them fuck you.
You can disable updates on Samsung even if not rooted. Fix it in time to where you are. Of course, that also means no security updates, but they're kindof forcing our hands.
Even better, under community builds here it looks like PostmarketOS supports Galaxy 9
https://wiki.postmarketos.org/wiki/Devices
Not for my model. This ones got a locked bootloader and no way to unlock it. Tried everything I could think of to keep this boi out of the recycling center
If you reformat your phone before September will one of my mentioned operating systems, f-Droid will continue working.
If you really need a new phone, but do try to avoid it, buy one second hand one. Or buy a new one of these https://scribe.disroot.org/post/8920564 including Fairphone as an option.
I know this won't be a popular answer, but with my distaste for google, my switch to linux, the rumored google search revamp later this month turning it completely to AI and THIS? I'm going to go to iOS I believe
Company A enshittifies
Options:
The choice is clear for me.
(btw you can run all android apps on OS built on the android open source project like GrapheneOS or LineageOS. Banking apps also work perfectly on GrapheneOS, don't know about LineageOS, not using it)
Not entirely clear unfortunately. #2 requires google to continue to allow APKs to just work on the open OS's. If they decide to require google signed OS components and/or encrypt the APKs, we'll be at the mercy of the individual developers to continue to compile for FOSS. Banks will be far less likely to release 'less secure' versions of their apps to run on 'aleternative operating systems'
For now, 2 is a good answer, but looking toward the future, stuff is looking a bit bleak. It'll be a slow downward slide into obsolescence if we can't keep the developers interested in FOSS support and if they're no money in it for them, we'll always end up with the shit end of the stick.
Have you not seen that google is apparently going to limit the ability for grapheneos?
By YOUR metric #2 IS #1. If you go to grapheneOS, you are trusting that one they won't enshitify and two that google won't absolutely wreck the ability to continue.
lineageos is still based on androids kernel. It still has connectivity to google applications.
If you think google is problematic in terms of either control or spying I got serious news for you little buddy.
Just get a Pine Phone or similar linux-based device.
https://www.howtogeek.com/pinephone-pro-is-discontinued/
Anything with any decent specs is gone.
Battery life on non Halium builds is horrible.
Hallium still requires FOSS android drivers which requires Google not to purposefully fuck us over.
Don't get a pine phone.
Pain phone.
If you are implying iOS is anywhere near the control and spyware of google, you don't know tech at all.
Apple was the first company to start using AI to scan cloud storage and later iOS devices themselves 'for CSEM.'
and they are the only OS widely available that isn't incorporating AI baked into every app so far as android 17 going to allow gemini to control your phone for you and read anything on your device.
...Siri has been around longer than all google AI integrations and has had phone control features since the iphone 8.
That comment alone tells me you don't know what you are talking about.
Siri, to this day is a voicd-command assistant.
Read this part slower:
Google is actively developing "screen automation" so Gemini can order food or book rides in apps without you touching the phone. Android 17 is being framed as an "intelligence system" where the assistant does real tasks on your behalf.
You are saying Siri has done that since iOS8? How old are you? was iOS 8 like the oldesr you can think of?
...What do you think Siri actually is in the current year, 2026?
Also iOS has had phone automation. Not that far, yet, but none of this is new.
I know you Apple fan boys tend to be less tech savvy than everyone else but holy fuck.
Again. Showing how absolutely ignorant you are. There isn't one apple device in my home and there hasn't been for 7-8 years.
Good attempt at a deflection by trying to go to the insult area of a conversation because the intellectual premise waa to far from your comprehension.
The control on iOS is much stricter, and it always has been, but I suppose at least they sold it as such from the start and didn't slowly trickle it in while pretending to be supporting open source. The spyware is also the same. They probably share it with a few fewer people I guess, that's about the best you could possibly say for it.
The control for their hardware and sofware yes. They do it all in house.
between Google and Apple, you genuinely believe iOS tracks and retains more data than Google? Google who is a data collection agency at this point?
Android phones preinstall meta apps as well as google apps. Both heavy trackers. Even on a galaxy ultra device, hidden meta files will remain. You can't even plug in and remove them passed the 24 models, as samsung and google have worked to explicitly block that.
iOS does not. iOS has apple apps preinstalled. Hell they don't even come with youtube anymore.
Google is also pushing to block 'sideloading' while apple is opening it up.
google is putting gemini ON devices with android 17 that can read your screens and do any task on your phone without your physical interaction, beyond voice.
There is no avenue you can show or explain to me that would paint iOS near google's anti trust data collection. You are acting as if I said 'iOS solves the whole issue."
what else is there but hardware and software?
they both collect as much data as they possibly can, yeah
That's OEMs, not Google. AOSP doesn't come with anything installed.
Google is requiring registration with ID to publish on the app store. Apple always had that. The EU is forcing them to allow other app stores. Google will also have to do that.
Apple tried to do this and just failed miserably to make it work, as tech improves they will do it again
Ok, if you aren't interested in facts I guess we're done here...
yeah they're just trolling, no facts, just straight downvotes anythime you post anything of substance they can't defend against. They don't have a point and they know it.
Yes, they do it all in house. is that a surprise to you? Are you under the implication other brands do it all.in house, because I have news for you child.
There is no evidence of apple selling data to third parties or allowing third party apps to be preinstalled on their devices. There is also no carrier locked bootloader on any iPhone.
ANDROID devices (which are maintained by Google) come with an abundance of preinstalled apps thay you can't see without using a debloater (which current models have had that broken)
So youre arguing Apple has had a better app store considering they are adding support for sideloading where as google is removing it? Interesting switch up.
Anf still, Apple isn't doing it.
You haven't shown one fact. You simply posted opinionated responses to my comments.
You sound like a dwindeling smooth brain who just can't live knowing people think iOS just might be better.
edit:
You had to say 'guess you dont lile facts' or whatever while your evidence to data tracking was 'they both do it as much as they can' LMFAO Youre a joke. You get no more of my time child.
We're not implying it, it's ready fact. That walled garden is more secure against the outside, but you are completely a product to them that gets sold and you're at the mercy of their appstore. Your data is not securely deleted from their cloud, tons of reports of data deleted years ago coming back, multiple attempts of them to auto-delete offending pictures from your roll with AI and the service being extremely overzealous.
All that did is further my point.
we don't know what apple does with it, we DO however know exactly what google has done and is doing with it. It's not just them either, its preinstalled apps on flagship devices. iOS doesn't have hidden meta files on your phone, and as you said, it is more secure.
So go put your social security number on a billboard, you don't know what people will do with it.
it only furthers your point if you're sticking your fingers in your ears and going annanananananananananana
From Google themselves
"We want you to understand the types of information we collect as you use our services
We collect information to provide better services to all our users — from figuring out basic stuff like which language you speak, to more complex things like which ads you’ll find most useful, the people who matter most to you online, or which YouTube videos you might like. The information Google collects, and how that information is used, depends on how you use our services and how you manage your privacy controls.
Google also collects and uses data that is not associated with your account. For example, when you’re not signed in to a Google Account, we store the information we collect with unique identifiers tied to the browser, application, or device you’re using. This allows us to do things like maintain your preferences across browsing sessions, such as your preferred language or whether to show you more relevant search results or ads based on your activity.
When you’re signed in, we also collect information that we store with your Google Account, which we treat as personal information."
source : https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=en-US#intro
from Apple themselves
"Personal Data Use for Personalized User Experiences
Unlike other gatekeepers, Apple does not use algorithms or profiling to make any decision that would significantly affect its users without the opportunity for human review. Apple does not receive or use any personal data from third parties for any marketing or advertising purposes. Apple does not track its users. "
source: https://www.apple.com/legal/privacy/en-ww/personalized-user-experiences/
Seems Google is very open about using anything possible about their users even when not signed in.
It is
I don't have Google Home installed on Graphene but also I can completely block microphone usage. 😏
Can I still use apps from the app store if I use one of those alternative OS's? I'm not very good with phones and don't use mine much, but with so many things slowly going phone only I don't want to cut myself off entirely.
Also, can I use those OS's on my tablet? Which is best for somebody with decent Linux knowledge but almost no smart phone skills?
Phones are usually easier to find compatibility than tablets. If you check the websites for those operating systems, you will see what devices are compatible.
Concerning apps, you will be able to run 99% for your apps. There are odd rare cases where some may not work. For those, you may find success by installing them through https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.aurora.store/ instead of the through the Google Play Store.
One is particular feature that doesn't work is using the NFC wallet feature on phones, but you shouldn't use those anyways because you're giving an extra cut away to Google, Samsung, or Apple, on top of credit card fees from Mastercard, Visa, or the like.
Some banks apps don't work on Graphene. All of mine never have any problems. It might be worth saving a click link on your phone your banks website instead if the app doesn't work. https://privsec.dev/posts/android/banking-applications-compatibility-with-grapheneos/ Or instead consider switching banks.
Thanks! I don't trust my phone enough for banking anyway. I'll try this out in the next few weeks.
Edit: Erg, looks like my phone isn't supported by Graphene or Lineage... Oh well.
It might sound weird, but,
if you can sell your phone, and buy the one you want second hand,
you might be able to land a compatible device without any financial lose.
Ubuntu Touch isn't much better.