As some of you might know, Google plans to control the way of getting applications on Android starting in September 2026 by forcing developers to pay a fee and provide government identification documents. That would mean that most of the FOSS apps out there that can be downloaded from Accrescent, Obtainium, F-Droid, IzzyOnDroid and whatever else won't be installable anymore.

Althought Google announced to allow sideloading further, their statement didn't changed until now.

"Starting in September 2026, Android will require all apps to be registered by verified developers in order to be installed on certified Android devices"

If you want to help keep Android an open platform, see here: https://keepandroidopen.org

We can only hope that Google change that and/or allow sideloading further for "advanced" users whatever "advanced users" are (I'm ok with clicking three popups and the "are you seriously sure" button)

#android #keepandroidopen #opensource #freesoftware #fdroid #accrescent #izzyondroid #grapheneos #obtainium

As some of you might know, Google plans to control the way of getting applications on Android starting in September 2026 by forcing developers to pay a fee and provide government identification documents. That would mean that most of the FOSS apps out there that can be downloaded from Accrescent, Obtainium, F-Droid, IzzyOnDroid and whatever else won't be installable anymore.

Althought Google announced to allow sideloading further, their statement didn't changed until now.

"Starting in September 2026, Android will require all apps to be registered by verified developers in order to be installed on certified Android devices"

If you want to help keep Android an open platform, see here: https://keepandroidopen.org

We can only hope that Google change that and/or allow sideloading further for "advanced" users whatever "advanced users" are (I'm ok with clicking three popups and the "are you seriously sure" button)

#android #keepandroidopen #opensource #freesoftware #fdroid #accrescent #izzyondroid #grapheneos #obtainium

@neil
Hopefully this will give #FOSS devs an incentive to shift app development to #mobilelinux if Google pushes ahead with this.

There ARE alternatives. I'm fully aware that they are, for the most part, not prime time ready, but they DO exist, and they've come a long way.

Maybe Google doing this will be a blessing in disguise, as it may just be what's needed to give #linuxphones a push.

I, for one, will switch to one form of mobile Linux or another, if Obtainium/F-Droid/IzzyOnDroid are killed off by this.

#obtainium #izzyondroid #postmarketos #ubuntutouch #ubports #sailfishos #phosh #gnomemobile #plasmamobile

I don't even know what to think about #keepandroidopen:

The website doesn't have a word about #grapheneos, #obtainium, or #accrescent yet lists every possible insecure device and rom, and presents #fdroid (with well-known serious security issues of its own) as if it were the only option for installing apps?

Either the people behind the website are woefully unqualified to make recommendations or they have an agenda not much more in the interest of users than Google's.

@fdroidorg
Did you secure your build environment yet? Why must you re-sign everything instead of using signed artifacts from developers?

Until then, #Obtainium.

@marcprux

I decided my first post on this server should be my @ente Privacy Pack!

Two things are missing:
1) I use @elementary but that's not an available option; I'll open a PR for it soon
2) my phone (Mudita Kompakt) uses a custom OS made specifically for the device

You can make your pack here https://privacypack.org/create

#privacy #tuta #ente #kagi #vivaldi #signal #notesnook #cryptomator #proton #obtainium #mullvad #matrix #tech #technology

Is there any reason an AppImage couldn't use a similar method to Obtainium to download and install updates for itself (automatically or when promoted)? Maybe with an option to specify a different source of updates.

The administrativia of keeping AppImages up-to-date is one reason I almost never use them. Despite liking the idea better than FlatPak and Snaps.

#AppImage #Obtainium

@johnno
> Please make the app available via F-Droid and other FOSS stores

I believe full source code for the app is available, so all that's needed is a volunteer to help the devs set up an #FDroid repo for releases. Once that's working the app can be installed and updated using F-Droid, and getting it into their main repo is much quicker and easier.

For now, you could use #Obtainium to install directly from the release files on the project's code forge. This is bit more experimental.

@ueeu

Here are my personal recommendations for apps on GrapheneOS:

* App Stores: Sandboxed Google Play, F-Droid (with IzzyOnDroid repository), Accrescent (installable via GOS App Store), Obtainium (for APKs)

* Phone: Default AOSP/GOS phone app
* SMS: Default AOSP/GOS messenger app, Fossify Messenger (Play/F-Droid)
* Contacts: Default AOSP/GOS contacts app
* Camera: Default GrapheneOS Camera app

* Browser: Vanadium (default), Vivaldi browser (Play/Obtainium), Firefox/Fennec (Play/F-Droid)

* File manager: Fossify File Manager (Play/F-Droid)
* Gallery: Fossify Gallery (Play/F-Droid), Aves Gallery (Play/F-Droid/Accrescent)
* Notes: EasyNotes (Accrescent/F-Droid)
* Calculator: OpenCalc (Obtainium/F-Droid)
* Weather: BreezyWeather (Obtainium/Play/F-Droid)
* Mastodon: Moshidon (Obtainium/Play/F-Droid), Tusky (Play/F-Droid/Obtainium)
* Matrix: Schildichat (F-Droid, own F-Droid repo)

* Sunup: For apps that support UnifiedPush as notification service (Obtainium/Play/F-Droid)

#grapheneos #android #opensource #fdroid #accrescent #obtainium #fossify #izzyondroid #vanadiumbrowser #vivaldibrowser

🧵4/4

FYI, anytime I add, change or subtract #FOSS substitutes on this list, I'll update the date in parentheses at the very top of the thread.

So check back periodically if you're interested.

#Android⁩ ⁨#FDroid⁩ ⁨#Obtainium⁩ ⁨#InfoSec⁩ ⁨#DeGoogle⁩ ⁨#Floss⁩

🧵3/4

Utilities:
--Keep Screen On (quick setting)
--You Have Mail (Proton notification)
--Shelter (sandbox)
--Shizuku + Inure⁴ (unrooted debloating/freezing)
--Key Mapper (hardware button remapping)
--Nitterfy (open Twit links w/o account or tracking)

¹Tentatively
²Temporarily (yes, I know about OSM & Nova is closed)
³To Be Announced
⁴Open Source but requires license after trial
⁵this is part of the DAVx app name 😉

#Android#FDroid#Obtainium#Foss#InfoSec#DeGoogle#Floss

🧵2/4

--Photos ➡️ Ente & Image Toolbox
--Pixel Launcher ➡️ Kvaesitso¹
--Push Notification ➡️ Sunup
--Recorder ➡️ Fossify
--Song ID ➡️ Audile
--Translate ➡️ TranslateYou
--TTS ➡️ SherpaTTS¹
--YouTube ➡️ NewPipe¹
--Weather ➡️ Atmos¹ & wX

Miscellaneous:
--Kindle ➡️ Librera
--Mastodon ➡️ Pachli & Fedilab
--Merlin Bird ID ➡️ whoBIRD¹
--Pocket ➡️ Linkora
--RSS ➡️ Capy Reader
--Spotify/Podcasts ➡️ SpoTube¹ & AntennaPod
--TOR/DNSCrypt/Firewall ➡️ InviZible Pro

#Android#FDroid#Obtainium#Foss#InfoSec#DeGoogle#Floss