So, I have a question on Motorola Mobility. The company is Chinese-owned, but US-based. This means it’s subject to the invasive CLOUD Act, and that US kangaroo courts even can require parent companies to provide that data.
Android also would lock down Android from september 2026, meaning that vendor-independent downloading (sometimes falsely named ‘sideloading’) would be rendered impossible, and all apps must be from verified developers, for which they’d have to give identification, iirc.
So how would a custom OS like e/ or GOS be affected by this? How would the latter ensure it’s not subject to the CLOUD Act? Or not affected at all downstream due to the locking down?
Sure, Motorola would qualify for the hardware specs needed for GOS, but legally considering, aren’t there issues? I’m considering to get a new phone that would be good privacywise, but I don’t like the thought of depending on the USA or China. It almost feels like a fed honeypot that way. Ethics is important to me.
I’ve thought about getting a Jolla phone with Sailfish instead, since that’s practically Linux. Or a Fairphone with e/, but from what I hear there are concerns surrounding privacy.
So I’ve no idea what to do. My ideal would’ve been a Fairphone with hardware suitable for GOS, and then having GOS on it, but alas. If there’s another option for phones also, I’d like to know.
CalyxOS was founded by someone who worked for the feds through Raytheon, no? I’m doubtful… granted, he got threatened by the FBI, so there’s that.
LineageOS or iodéOS are options, the latter being better if what this summary says is true..
Unfortunately, iodé doesn’t sandbox apps, nor has per-app storage & contact scopes, which are pretty big things. Verified boot is also not thorough, excluding app updates.
And doesn’t Nothing have a privacy policy where the data that they transfer and store, can be outside the EEA/UK? See point 9 there.
Samsung is too big tech for me, so that’s out of the question. Asus would be an option, but the short support is indeed questionable.
Nokia is a possibility, but they got into the AIslop.
It really depends a lot on your threat model tbh. Personally I am on iodé and its fine. I use almost exclusively open source apps through f-droid. For those few exceptions I have them in either work profile or in private space - yes you can have both at the same time. The private space offer some level of separation of the apps in between them while work space allows for apps run in background if you need that but still giving you different “userspace”. The founder of Calyx is gone btw. But imho Calyx offered (and hopefully will offer again after the freeze) the best balance between private/secure and device support. Nothing and samsung I put there if you wanted stock android but somewhat the least worst of the bigger one. I would not personally buy them.
Does iodé allow for an iOS-like look? A minor thing for me, but nonetheless…
It depends on a launcher right? What do you mean by “allow”? If there is a launcher that looks like ios just install it. Though I wouldn’t unless it is open source.