this post was submitted on 16 Jul 2025
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Google Keeps Making Smartphones Worse (jacobin.com)
submitted 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) by JairajDevadiga@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world
202 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

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.

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[–] Ulrich@feddit.org 32 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (17 children)

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).

[–] paequ2@lemmy.today 5 points 6 days ago (6 children)

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.

https://www.androidauthority.com/nothing-phone-3-software-updates-3568533/

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, 🤷

[–] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 1 points 6 days ago (2 children)

isnt graphene mostly pixels only.

[–] noodlejetski@piefed.social 4 points 6 days ago (1 children)

it's not "mostly", it's only available for several latest Pixel generations.

[–] Ulrich@feddit.org 1 points 6 days ago

It's not the "latest" Pixel generations, devices as old as the Pixel 4 receive extended support (although it's obviously not recommended) and that's mostly because Google does not support them. This will be greatly improved moving forward, since Google has promised much longer update cycles for new devices.

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