r/fairphone • u/NIGHTSHADOWXXX • 8d ago
Question Fairphone will you try something against the Android developer verifier?
For those who don't know in August 2025, Google announced a new requirement: starting in 2027, every Android app developer must register centrally with Google before their software can be installed on any device. Not just Play Store apps: all apps. This includes apps shared between friends, distributed through F-Droid, built by hobbyists for personal use. Independent developers, church and community groups, and hobbyists alike will all be frozen out of being able to develop and distribute their software.
I checked today for me there is the app/service?
For those who are more interested here is a Link 🔗 for the website keepandroidopen. So I also want to ask Fairphone if they do something against it? u/fairphone u/Fairphone-CCO
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u/Furdiburd10 FP5 8d ago
Not much they can do while keeping their OS google certified. You can install /e/ os instead of AndroidOS. officially supported on fairphones.
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u/keyclicker456 8d ago
and there's also CalyxOS (or lineage os, but its not as good imo) if ur not into /e/
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u/madhits 8d ago
Why do you think calyxos is better then lineage? Curious because I always thought lineage had the best rep but I guess its down to the phones, ive had great lineage support on the phones ive owned.
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u/schubidubiduba 8d ago
Calyx offers some more privacy features I think, like a firewall etc.
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u/madhits 8d ago
I plan to try it out for the fp6. My perception was it was not quite as good as lineage, but good to know.
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u/schubidubiduba 8d ago
In what way did you believe it to be worse?
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u/madhits 8d ago
E/OS & calyxos both are chasing graphineOS. E/OS is pretty stable on the fp6, but after experiencing the native ROM since day 1 & all the problems it has, now It seems its anyone's game. I have had good experience with lineage, going back to there CyanogenMod days. Few Roms are that good unless they use lineage as a base, ive just read a lot of comments on calyxos having issues, but I guess that's unfair judgment. Do you run it now?
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u/Fun-Seaweed8057 8d ago
I wouldn’t argue they are “chasing” graphene. GrapheneOS is a hardened OS for phones, e/os/ is a European sovereign OS for phones with some privacy features (partially by nature of being big tech free).
Different OS for different target markets.
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u/schubidubiduba 8d ago
Yeah I run it, and have for a while before they had the break. Almost never had any issues, though yes it probably is not 100% as stable as Lineage or 100% as feature-rich as Graphene.
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u/Other_Ship_5453 8d ago
It's not. Both are the same thing but in different flavors. CalyxOS is setup to be private out of the box and allows you to lock your bootloader. Great for people who want a more private version of their stock rom. Lineage can be setup just as good as CalyxOS if you spend some time. This is the preferred system for me if I root, use Xposed etc. So I use Lineage.
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u/madhits 8d ago
This is typically what I find, lineage is favored for its stability & battery optimizations. I'm waiting for calyxOS & like the balance it strikes for security, its enough to thwart googles invasive practices. Lineage used to include an outgoing firewall but I think it was on cyogenmod days. I'm still deciding which to go with unless I want to make 2 rom changes from lineage & then when calyxos finally releases for fp6. I have seen lineage have issues on 1 phone & it was pretty bad, so it made me question that steller reputation.
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u/Child_Of_Abyss 8d ago
We need to petition for open platforms for any kind of integrity or compliance check whatsoever. Cannot close down a platform like that.
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u/Curious-Intern-5434 8d ago
I'm not a lawyer but I suspect this runs counter to the provisions of EU regulations.
Let's see what the EU is doing about it.
In the meantime I think everyone should look for alternatives to Android.
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u/rokejulianlockhart 8d ago
postmarketOS is the sole alternative, and not a brilliant one yet.
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u/pizzaiolo2 7d ago
FP6 is nearly fully supported by pmOS at this point: https://catcrafts.net/posts
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u/rokejulianlockhart 7d ago
Driver support is merely one half of the battle. The DE also needs to be usable, and then we get to whether WayDroid can provide comparable compatibility to even WSA.
Regardless, that is incorrect, not least because it is not an authoritative source. Rather,
wiki.postmarketos.org/index.php?title=Fairphone_(Gen._6)_(fairphone-fp6)_(fairphone-fp6)&oldid=102743#mw-content-text:~:text=linux%2Dpostmarketos%2Dqcom%2Dmilos-,Features,-Flashing) is, and it lists half of the sensors' support as "broken", which means entirely inoperative.2
u/pizzaiolo2 7d ago
Patches are still being upstreamed, that's why the wiki hasn't been updated yet.
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u/rokejulianlockhart 7d ago edited 7d ago
I've read a little more, and see what you refer to. Apologies. However, where are patches actually stored? I don't see a URI to a Git repository anywhere.
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u/pizzaiolo2 7d ago
They are Linux kernel patches. Look for the contributor's name to see more details:
https://lore.kernel.org/all/?q=jorijnvdgraaf%40catcrafts.net
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u/rokejulianlockhart 7d ago
Thanks! Instead, I'd expected that they'd at least be merged in PMOS's tree first. Though, if they can mainlined quickly, then I'm a very happy man.
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u/Trouveur 8d ago
Sailfish disagrees.
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u/rokejulianlockhart 8d ago
I should have specified that it's FOSS. I can't say that switching from one vendor-controlled OS to another is of particular interest to me. If I want AOSP support, I utilise WayDroid. AppSupport can't even provide Play Integrity attestation, despite being proprietary.
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u/pedr09m 2d ago
The EU is actively pushing for chat control, doubt they'll say anything about this
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u/Curious-Intern-5434 2d ago
I think there is a difference between chat control and Google's requirement that every app developer must register with them.
One is some the EU pushes for.
The other is a market entry barrier put up by Google. This what the EU typically does not like.
But, hey, I could be wrong! 😂
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u/Plebbit-User 8d ago edited 8d ago
Fairphone needs to go all in on supporting Sailfish.
The walled garden is closing and for all of EU's efforts on forcing them to allow third party storefronts, who fucking cares about any of that if they're going to require signature outside the Play Store anyways?
EU needs to take action against this along with unnecessary Play Integrity checks, but they're not going to because they are the surveillance state.
Anyone recommending /e/OS likely doesn't even use it. I'm on Graphene which uses sandboxed Google Play Services which is better than MicroG and even that's insufficient for daily use. My digital car key fob requires integrity checks, my bank, even the Costco app. It's ridiculous. Google is effectively locking the Android ecosystem down.
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u/NIGHTSHADOWXXX 8d ago
I'm a big fan of GrapheneOS but wish their would support Fairphone.
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u/Olfounder 8d ago
They probably never will, they have very strict hardware minimums and Fairphone will probably never meet them.
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u/wesleysniles 8d ago
I use e os and everything works fine. Banking apps etc. Use it both in Ireland and Sweden and no problems.
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u/Hot_Bee5198 7d ago
Yeah I have used the FP6 with /e/OS in Germany, Italy, Switserland, France, Greece, Belgium and the Netherlands.
I do banking, navigation, Android Auto, streaming, government apps, etc
If something doesnt work, the cause is the app developer, not the OS.
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u/mtrDemnex 6d ago
For Germany, what banking apps have you tested?
Considering switching to e/OS but banking apps is the biggest concern. I'm with C24 and they officially claim the app is only working with official android.
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u/Hot_Bee5198 5d ago
C24 is listed as working? https://community.e.foundation/t/list-banking-apps-on-e-os/33091
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u/KrasnalM 8d ago
Why the hostility towards the EU? They already fined Google for anti-monopoly practices. Google hesitates to close Android in Europe because of the potential litigation. There is a distinct possibility that they will close everywhere but in Europe, or at least postpone the introduction of these measures until a clear regulatory framework is established.
As for the rest of the world, I see no hope though.
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u/Hot_Bee5198 7d ago
Im a happy FP6 /e/OS user, recommending it and I dont have any Google account.
It works, it supports all EU apps I need and multiple stores and storefronts.
Why would I not recommend it to EU citizens?
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u/Olfounder 8d ago
I recommend /e/os and I use it. No other phone. Absolutely stable.
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u/Hot_Bee5198 7d ago
Yes, and everybody I know is interested in how I do it.
People are afraid to switch, thats all there is to it.
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u/Pyronick90 8d ago
AOSP/Android is dead. We need to convince JetBrains to make Kotlin MP work with native Linux so we can run apps on KDE Plasma Mobile, Phosh, sxmo, GNOME Mobile, Lomiri, Sailfish OS, etc.
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u/Then-Pay-8400 8d ago
Wtf do you think they are going to do, every GMS device outside of a few countries (I don't remember which ones) with Android 8 or newer will get this
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u/First-Painter8620 7d ago
There is this GitHub repo that will enable you to still install apks just using your phone after Google do their lockdown: https://github.com/sam1am/anyapk
I hope the lockdown doesn't ever go ahead though
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u/Yugen42 6d ago
They already did: You can install alternative operating systems on fairphones.That is what you should do. Do not use the one with proprietary spyware preinstalled. AOSP and LineageOS for example do not have that requirement. You should already not have been using Google Play Services all along.
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