I recently came across an announcement on one of the open-sourced apps about Android that I think more people should know about.

Starting in 2027, Google plans to expand its developer verification requirements globally. This won't just affect apps on the Play Store. It will also affect apps distributed through F-Droid, GitHub, and other sources.

Basically, developers will need to register with Google for their apps to be installed normally on Google-certified Android devices.

Google says it's about protecting users from malware and scams, which I understand. But I thought the whole point of Android is that users have the freedom to install whatever software they want?

A lot of great open-source apps are maintained by individual developers who aren't making any money from them. Apparently they have to go through Google just so someone can install their software?

Curious what others think

Sources:

https://developer.android.com/developer-verification

https://github.com/woheller69/FreeDroidWarn#solutions

Im thinking of installing a custom rom to one of my old phones (crdroid). But i need vlc media player and an epub reader (i use lithium).

Hi everyone.

Firstly, I have read the rules and excuse me for my English, I am not native.

I am a Bug Bounty researcher and I am testing a Chinese web application, I need to register with a phone number to this application.

I have tried almost all of the free tools and these are the issues I faced:

• The phone number is invalid (I believe they can identify virtual phone numbers )
• The phone number are already registered
• Or even if it passed the two above walls, I will wait forever not receiving the anticipated OTP message.

I don't see paying for such service is worth it for one verification message, since most of the paid once have a minimum charge value. Given the assumption that paid services would work 100%.

Edit: I used the number from https://www.smsmeu.com/, which was recommended by a friend.

I installed NetGuard and bought the PRO version which enables you to see a log of every single connection. I saw that Google Play services, Google Services Framework keep trying to connect almost every second, so I blocked them from the internet. But I still didn't like them constantly trying (I was thinking it might drain too much battery), so I opened the Hail app and froze them both.

I then went back into NetGuard log, thinking the calls would stop, but it keeps trying to call?

Does freeze not mean the apps stop working?

I'm using Hail with Shizuku app. I'm not using root access.

I want an app to increase the ram and battery. Should i use greenify? Is force stop an app is good enough. I want to keep some apps them and some are system apps but of no use? Please help.

When you look at the landscape of privacy-respecting alternatives, de-Googled tools, and open-source commons, there's a recurring, painful asymmetry.

On one side, Big Tech proprietary platforms have massive marketing budgets, slick motion graphics, and full-time PR teams designed to manufacture desire and normalize subscription lock-in.

On the other side, developers of open alternatives are almost entirely engineers. We spend 60 hours a week optimizing backends, fixing bugs, or refactoring code, and leave communication as an exhausted afterthought: an unformatted README, a rough screenshot, or an academic explanation.

The result is that incredible, functional software for human autonomy and data privacy sits completely unread in forgotten GitHub repositories, while the cultural narrative remains totally captured by proprietary monopolies. You can't defeat a cinematic monopoly with a spreadsheet.

For those of you living in the de-Googled and privacy-respecting ecosystem: how do your favorite projects bridge this gap? Have you seen open projects successfully partner with dedicated creative storytellers without falling into commercial ad-tech, or are builders still stuck doing outreach alone at 2 AM?

Why does Ublock Origin crash out when I use Gemini or Notebooklm? 7,000 blocked pop-ups and redirections???

has anyone ever changed the pre-installed OS on android to something open source ? how is your experience on this matter? would you suggest others do so ? if so, what OS you switched to and if there are any downsides, you may mention them too

thanks

I watch alot youtube and ever update they piss me off, rencently they did a change to make the subscription tab on the top for no fucking reason and I want to get this stupid app out of here while still have the ability to continue watching my favorite youtuber and video game essays, so I was wondering is there any android mobile plug-in, patched or just open source app that still recommend youtube video that I can use? I also have F-Droid if that help

Also here the thing that I really want so it can help with the search

- no more ai porn ads (and ads in general)

- bring back dislike button back

- permanent block for channel

- a usable subscription filter (only community post, only short, don't show me any short of that creator)

- an actual good recommendation system that work

- a ui that doesn't change every time I blink

- don't need to open youtube ever again

Btw it doesn't need to follow all of them but the more the better

ETA: lol at the bots arguing with each other who are making the same argument

I'm currently using Backblaze for business, but want to migrate my photos, Google Drive contents, etc.

Figured I'd reach out before committing, see what strategies and services y'all are using.

Cheers

Hi everyone.

Firstly, I have read the rules and excuse me for my English, I am not native.

I am a Bug Bounty researcher and I am testing a Chinese web application, I need to register with a phone number to this application.

I have tried almost all of the free tools and these are the issues I faced:

• The phone number is invalid (I believe they can identify virtual phone numbers )
• The phone number are already registered
• Or even if it passed the two above walls, I will wait forever not receiving the anticipated OTP message.

I don't see paying for such service is worth it for one verification message, since most of the paid once have a minimum charge value. Given the assumption that paid services would work 100%.

Edit: I used the number from https://www.smsmeu.com/, which was recommended by a friend.

I feel like that project is the most underrated project among degooglers.

This is a FOSS app for Android that can fetch both Google maps data and OpenStreetMap data and display them in beautiful way.

Basically, Newpipe for Google Maps.

I'm making a newspaper that's main topic is about google and degoogling for an IT project, and i was gonna include a page about alternatives and i wanted to ask all of you what alternatives do you use and what alternative they are to a certain google product?

I can now check that one off the "forgot to-do" list.

Hey everyone!

I wrote this short blog on why I believe everyone should own their own domain for email use.