[timetopay]

I don't think what people actually want is a "linux phone". IE, something that runs a semi-conventional linux userspace.

I think what they want is a privacy protecting smart phone built on open source components. Also, Android is based on a driver and BSP model that is quickly going to be replaced with Fuchsia/Zircon

[pmontra]

I want my mandated banking apps, voice calls, Telegram, WhatsApp, OSMAnd, Street View, SMSes, Firefox, an email client, one day of battery, WiFi, in a smallish form factor (let's say a bezel less original iPhone SE) and light (that phone again.) I don't think I'll ever get that in a not Android, not iOS phone.

[kuschku]

> mandated banking apps

> I don't think I'll ever get that in a not Android, not iOS phone.

Of course not, those apps nowadays do on-device checks in the TrustZone environment to verify with Google’s servers that you’re actually running a phone that’s approved by Google with a supported OS version in a supported configuration. Customization? Competition? Who cares!

> Street View

Considering just how much Google has tried to hurt Windows Phone by not supporting it with their own apps and services and even preventing others from making Windows Phone apps for their services, you’ll definitely never see Street View support on a non-Google non-Apple phone.

Your issue isn’t one that can be solved by open source volunteers. Your issue is one of monopolies and control.

[rglullis]

If by "not Android" you mean "without Google", then I'm happy to report that I've been using /e/OS for over an year without any major issue, which I believe was possible to install in some of the Sony "mini" models.

[danuker]

I don't like bezel-less. I have to carefully grasp my phone not to drop it.

[goldphotograph1]

Yeah, with bezel-less there's also the issue of accidental touches

[q-big]

> I think what they want is a privacy protecting smart phone built on open source components.

I don't think so. If the smart phone was about protecting privacy, the amount of functionality that has to be disabled (or rather: not there) has to be insane.

[rvz]

> Also, Android is based on a driver and BSP model that is quickly going to be replaced with Fuchsia/Zircon

That is the hard truth and the reality of it all and what is most likely going to happen.

[DoingIsLearning]

I mean the whole motivation for Google to sink money into Fuchsia is not to diversify into the embedded space it is obvious they want full vertical control from the Zircon Kernel all the way up to user space.

A lot harder to degoogle if your device is nothing but google...

[rvz]

> they want full vertical control from the Zircon Kernel all the way up to user space.

Of course, I have been saying that for years.

Contrary to the 'Fuchsia is only an experiment', 'Fuchsia is going to be shut down' coping crowd, in fact, Google has been much further than once thought with developing Fuchsia and it is going to start with replacing Linux with Zircon in ChromeOS next, probably in 3 to 4 years.

Also explains why they already have the Chrome browser running in Fuchsia. So there is no doubt that they are intending to use Zircon in ChromeOS.

[ladyanita22]

Without any proof, all you're saying means nothing. Fuchsia is, at this moment, nearer extinction than mass adoption.

[Beltalowda]

I think that makes sense too, and don't think that kind of "control" is necessarily bad. I've often written "dependencies" myself even though existing solutions exist so I have (full) control over them, and can do exactly what I want with them. I was reading an interview with SQLite creator Richard Hipp the other day, and he said pretty much exactly the same. It gives a lot of freedom.