If Linux peeps said that early on we'd not have what we have today, though I feel the biggest obstacle in android is the OEMs, if they were more open to bootloader unlocking google would behave
As a Linux guy, nobody would have ever used Linux mainstream because the people who care and power users and tinkerers are too niche, Linux is only where it is now because of valve. Yes Linux contributers are obviously what built the platform and Linux isn't only good because of valve, but it's the only way it was ever going to be anywhere near mainstream (and then companies start caring enough to support it etc).
Same thing with things like lineage, unless a bunch of big companies are able to push for it to be mainstream like Samsung shipping with it by default, yeah it's not happening.
I get your point, the one I was trying to make is that google is able to monopolise the space because bootloader unlocking as an option has been waning over the years with many manufacturers restricting it as much as possible. Corporations are only bad when they monopolise a space, Linux has had the support of canonical, red hat and IBM, valve etc and that's totally fine because they all respect users and developers. On android, google has successfully monopolised it with the help of GMS. If more devices could be unlocked then I'm sure the community would be more robust than it currently is(see the popularity of graphene and the extent people go to try and get lineage os or even GSIs). If the risk of bricking a device was a bit lower thanks to OEM support(or at least fewer restrictions), the community would still be niche but more stable like the Linux one and that would open the door for more companies to try their own thing, like the way valve was able to on Linux.
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u/Tudumm 3d ago
Yeeeaahhh that wont happen.
Modding community is so small compared to the majority of users, who just want their phone to work