Google’s Android, the world’s most widely used mobile operating system, started life as open-source software. In its quest for ever-greater profits, the tech giant has been gradually eroding Android’s open-source nature over the last decade.

Originally published on The Lever, but that one asks you to sign up.

The big problem with anything not Google or Samsung is, as it's always been, software support. You get 2 or maybe 3 years of updates and then the device is trash. So you can save a buck on the short term but it will cost you more in the long run and you'll have shitty devices all the way along anyway.

You can buy a 2 year old Pixel for $2-300 and it will last you another 4-5 years (unless Google remotely nukes your battery).

i hard heard people use a smart watch to get nfc payments working

Google’s Android, the world’s most widely used mobile operating system, started life as open-source software. In its quest for ever-greater profits, the tech giant has been gradually eroding Android’s open-source nature over the last decade.

Originally published on The Lever, but that one asks you to sign up.

Google’s Android, the world’s most widely used mobile operating system, started life as open-source software. In its quest for ever-greater profits, the tech giant has been gradually eroding Android’s open-source nature over the last decade.

Originally published on The Lever, but that one asks you to sign up.

Can I get a rundown of the few non-flagship phonemakers that are currently out there? I have heard of The Nothing Phone. Are there more companies that put together Androids to operate within the US?

Stroke posting

I think what they were trying to say is "I heard people use an Apple watch to get NFC payments working". I'm not confident that answer=Apple (also I have no idea if that would actually help), but it's the best I can come up with.

Unfortunately the Android experience is getting more and more bloated and users' freedom to tinker with their phones or sideload apps is getting more and more difficult. The Play Store is riddled with more ads than useful content. Just try searching for something, and oftentimes more than half of your screen is ads.

I've been with Android since the start and I hate what Google is reducing it to. It pains me that the only viable alternative is Apple and I feel trapped.

Yup. Motorola is Chinese Lenovo now sadly. Lenovo is absolute trash devices and support.

Motorola Mobility - Wikipedia

(en.m.wikipedia.org)

You get 2 or maybe 3 years of updates and then the device is trash.

Yeah, I've noticed this as well...

... which is why I was surprised when I read that Nothing Phone 3 will get 5 years of updates + 2 years of security updates.

Nothing Phone 3 will get the company's best software update promise to date

The Nothing Phone 3 is confirmed to get up to seven years of software updates, including five major Android versions.

Android Authority (www.androidauthority.com)

Nothing’s Co-Founder and Head of Marketing, Akis Evangelidis, has confirmed that the upcoming Nothing Phone 3 will ship with a “5+7” software update promise. ...likely means the phone will get five years of Android version updates and seven years of security patches...

Although, you can't install GrapheneOS on Nothing phones... so,

You get 2 or maybe 3 years of updates and then the device is trash.

Yeah, I've noticed this as well...

... which is why I was surprised when I read that Nothing Phone 3 will get 5 years of updates + 2 years of security updates.

Nothing Phone 3 will get the company's best software update promise to date

The Nothing Phone 3 is confirmed to get up to seven years of software updates, including five major Android versions.

Android Authority (www.androidauthority.com)

Nothing’s Co-Founder and Head of Marketing, Akis Evangelidis, has confirmed that the upcoming Nothing Phone 3 will ship with a “5+7” software update promise. ...likely means the phone will get five years of Android version updates and seven years of security patches...

Although, you can't install GrapheneOS on Nothing phones... so,

android peaked with the pixel 2. then everyone went overboard on bezel-less displays and fast refresh rates and smart assistant services and brought the whole damn thing crashing down.

The big problem with anything not Google or Samsung is, as it's always been, software support. You get 2 or maybe 3 years of updates and then the device is trash. So you can save a buck on the short term but it will cost you more in the long run and you'll have shitty devices all the way along anyway.

You can buy a 2 year old Pixel for $2-300 and it will last you another 4-5 years (unless Google remotely nukes your battery).

Yup. Motorola is Chinese Lenovo now sadly. Lenovo is absolute trash devices and support.

Motorola Mobility - Wikipedia

(en.m.wikipedia.org)

Android watch maybe.

Google’s Android, the world’s most widely used mobile operating system, started life as open-source software. In its quest for ever-greater profits, the tech giant has been gradually eroding Android’s open-source nature over the last decade.

Originally published on The Lever, but that one asks you to sign up.

Google’s Android, the world’s most widely used mobile operating system, started life as open-source software. In its quest for ever-greater profits, the tech giant has been gradually eroding Android’s open-source nature over the last decade.

Originally published on The Lever, but that one asks you to sign up.

Just because it doesn't have latest Android doesn't mean it's trash. And Fairphone also aims for 7 years support just like your Pixel example.

Google’s Android, the world’s most widely used mobile operating system, started life as open-source software. In its quest for ever-greater profits, the tech giant has been gradually eroding Android’s open-source nature over the last decade.

Originally published on The Lever, but that one asks you to sign up.