DeGoogle Yourself

Not sure if memeing or serious

Same here in Canada, though I get the American version with an American VPN.

Same for me in Australia

I've reported an issue. Enough people do it they might do something.

I moved to GrapheneOS a few months ago and haven't really looked back. Someone else below covered using the Sandboxed Google play / Aurora Store (I use both, in addition to fdroid).

Although I could conceivably install more apps, using GrapheneOS had made me think more deeply about whether I actually need an app, instead of using a web browser. It's true that using the web is a degraded experience (likely intentionally so, in some cases), but this is a cost I'm willing to pay for better security and privacy.

Finally, I wanna rep Magic Earth as a solid alternative to Google maps. Route finding is accurate and includes traffic warnings, etc. It uses OpenStreetMap data FWIW.

Same as almost everyone, I need some apps that just won't work, even with sandbox GSM and Play (ie: banking apps, ev charging, my kids' school reporting app), so I just have a sub-200 dollars phone just for that (One Plus n200 is now 84 dollars).

Since I only use apps when there's no other option (web version and PWA for everything else), it's actually refreshing. I charge my car at home unless I'm on a road trip, and only use banking apps 1 day of the month to get paid and pay bills. Outside of that, I'm home free with everything self hosted and absolutely no social networks other than Lemmy and Mastodon.

Unfortunately, if you want privacy, you need to compromise. However, absolutely nothing will make me drop my GrapheneOS use for everything else.

I get it that's not optimal, but the alternative, in my opinion is even worse.

Good luck degoogling, and I wish you enjoy the mental health improvement once you do.

For most of those things you could probably use the browser on a degoogled phone? I can't speak to your specific banking or university apps.

You might want to set up a separate work profile to sandbox that browser usage and/or dodgy apps (see Shelter if you can't do this through the Android settings).

GrapheneOS has the option to run sandboxed google play services which you can then download any google play store app. This allows for much greater security as the apps cannot see the other apps you download. Also, you could use Aurora Store which allows play store app downloads without a google account.

There are issues that can pop up and is something you'd need to look into on app by app basis. Lately, it seems they have most banking apps working though.

F-droid works on any Android phone, doesnt need to be GrapheneOS. I have installed in on regular installs plenty of times.

i know its not as easy / inconvenient, but is there any way to use the companies website instead of the app? For example, i usually log into my banks website to check things or to make a transfer between accounts. Yes you cant scan a check or make desposits, but i also not use a lot of companies App's in the first place. I just dont understand why everyone needs apps - do you really need an app for your ISP?

You can get by for most apps with MicroG which is a cut down implementation of play services but some apps will absolutely refuse to run on a non-factory Android image.

Last time I was on a custom ROM I got most things to work to some extent but some jush didn't work e.g. NFC payments via Google Pay.

IIRC there's legislation being discussed in the EU that could compel Google to offer hardware signatures for custom ROMs in future.

I live in the US and I won't recognize the name either.

It's the same in every language, or at least in russian and french.

UK should sue them..