I have a friend who's very interested in open-friendly hardware and wants a PinePhone, but is stuck deeply in Google's service ecosystem. Ability to use Android and Google Play Store is a make or break feature for him. He said he'll preorder a PinePhone if (and only if) that is possible. What should I tell him?
The user that provided us the Android /e/ image for the Pinebook expressed interest in producing a build for the PinePhone. If he does, /e/ already uses microg, which is a non-Google implementation of Google Services. Your friend would still be able to use any desired Google apps.
in addition, from what I understand are also porting salifish that has a layer of compatibility with android (although I do not know how they are porting it).
Plus if also replicants is ported, you can probably install the gaps on them too.
If this is still your friend's doubt, maybe you should wait for the official release and not the bravehearts edition, so you can see which systems are available instead of hoping that some of the possible ones will become available.
I want the Pine phone to get away from Google
Thankfully the Pine phone is about getting to make those choices.
Not certain, but aren't about 80+% of the smart phones currently Google/Android ?
LINUX = CHOICES
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I used to be deep into the Android custom ROM scene, I was part of the FreeXperia Project that maintained Sony devices on AOSP. I stopped about three years ago when Sony took control of the project and turned it to shit.
I just ordered the BraveHeart edition and I hope to get back into Android ROMs again.
I'm sure a LOT has changed since then (I stopped before project Treble changed the internal architecture of AOSP) but I hope to get started ASAP!
It would be cool if Eelo (/e/) were ported to the PinePhone. I could think of a few situations you might want it on a spare SD card to boot for some Android app that you don't need for daily usage.