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Will GrapheneOS still be a thing after Google requires developers to be approved? (lemmy.world)

submitted 2 days ago by Zeon@lemmy.world to c/privacy@lemmy.ml

9 comments fedilink hide all child comments

I remember something about Google asking developers for verification in 2027, will this affect GrapheneOS? Is a Pixel phone really worth buying still?

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[–] Nicro@discuss.tchncs.de 32 points 2 days ago

App verification is only enforced on ROMs that honor it. You can choose to patch it out of the OS as the maintainer. Which will bar you from being a google certified OS.

The people behind GOS have gone on record, stating that they don't care about being google certified, and GOS will not enforce dev verification. So this changes nothing for GOS.

To stop GOS, google would need to change their bootloader policy. I haven't heard of any indicators for this though.

In summary, you're fine to use it on new and used Pixels. Given current information.

Reference: https://discuss.grapheneos.org/d/26337-android-developer-verification-are-we-screwed

[–] upstroke4448@lemmy.dbzer0.com 16 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Yes.

Eventually there will be a non pixel phone that works with grapheneos. This has already been announced.

[–] Carmakazi@piefed.social 8 points 2 days ago (1 children)

It seems to be a concern to the people behind GOS, enough that they are looking for an OEM to make phones to their specs, but I haven't heard anything to the effect of "Google will stop all support or brick devices that aren't verified." Maybe existing GOS Pixels will be fine, maybe they're sandbagging, I don't know. It'll definitely suck for me with a Pixel 9 Pro XL that I expected to keep into the 2030s if that happens.

[–] Postmortal_Pop@lemmy.world 5 points 2 days ago (1 children)

New to the graphene scene, why would it matter exactly? My understanding is that installing graphene takes the Google stuff off the phone the same way Linux takes the windows off the tower.

I imagine this might mean that you won't be able to do it on phones made after '27 but wouldn't existing graphene installations and non updated Google phones from before the cut still function the same?

Does Google have some sort of hardware kill switch I'm not privy to?

[–] Carmakazi@piefed.social 7 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Google is still the one that provides the hardware/security updates to my knowledge. They could choose to cut that off based on the "legitimacy" of your OS or other arbitrary reasoning. It wouldn't brick the phone but it would lose all future support, making GOS much less compelling.

[–] Postmortal_Pop@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago

I do see that as being a big con for the security side of things. I'm not too worried about it personally, I'm moving too graphene to degoogle and security is just a plus. My current phone hasn't gotten a security update in 2 years, if the potential of vulnerability is the only worry I'm still more invested in the longevity and control.

[–] ki9@lemmy.gf4.pw 7 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Not 100% sure but I believe this is to prevent side-loading on stock android. That is, a normal android can only install from the play store. Graphene and Calyx should be unaffected.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

[–] zzffyfajzkzhnsweqm@sh.itjust.works 8 points 2 days ago

I will correct you...

It is called "installing apps google does not like" and not "sideloading" - term used from Google to make owning your stuff seem illegal.

[–] RodgeGrabTheCat@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 days ago

You are 100% correct. It's just where apps can be installed from. Nothing to do with installing GOS or any other OS.