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So how would a Linux phone possibly gain momentum? I have no idea how it solves any job to be done for almost anyone. Does it have the apps I want, including f

So how would a Linux phone possibly gain momentum? I have no idea how it solves any job to be done for almost anyone. Does it have the apps I want, including for my bank? Does it have a great camera? Does it have fantastic battery life? Right now, the answer to all of that is definitely not, and it becomes a chicken and an egg problem, where you don’t have the investment to build all that. And don’t give me the obvious and trite answer of “privacy”. Because we have been bombarded with ”privacy” for years, and yet Google and Facebook keep raking in the cash and the users. I see no evidence the vast majority of people care at all. (And even then: prove to a user, or me for that matter, that a cobbled together Linux stack is in fact more secure than iOS. Or, explain how Linux magically protects me from all the ad trackers on the web.)

benatkin 5y ago
You may have a point, but Android and Apple phones are also, quite frankly, garbage. I open the maps app on my Android phone, and I get a bunch of ads littered around, for places like 7/11, even for locations that are closed! I have a 64gb phone and the map for the city I'm in could be quite easily downloaded, but nope, it must contain Google's malware.
- ndiddy 5y ago
  There's a bunch of offline maps apps for Android, I use maps.me for example.
- sgc 5y ago
  You can download maps in the maps app. I download a pretty large area because I drive a lot. Not that it takes away from your point, but at least there is that.
- toastal 5y ago
  This is why I love the offline ad-free maps of OpenStreetMap. In underdevelop areas I may need to refer to Google to find a location, and when I get there, I upload the location with finer-grained details and now I can find the place again and help others.
- matkoniecz 5y ago
  I recommend Osmand and Mapy.cz as OpenStreetMap-based alternatives. No competition for car navigation (live traffic data), likely worse for shop data, but clearly superior for basically anything else. Especially cycling/hiking. There is also plenty of other OSM-powered navigation apps.
matkoniecz 5y ago
> And don’t give me the obvious and trite answer of “privacy”. Note that small pool of people actually caring may be enough. See whoever buys Pinephone and Purism-Librem.
- f6v 5y ago
  > Note that small pool of people actually caring may be enough. Everyone heard about Facebook's data leaks, everyone knows Google collects tons of data. Their revenue show people don't care.
- lewiscollard 5y ago
  Exactly this. There are many predictable comments in this thread about why they think mass adoption of Linux phones won't happen. I even agree with them, but they are missing what I think is the point. I don't care if they take over the world; I want a means by which those of us that do care about privacy and openness and control can opt out.
vincnetas 5y ago
Interesting situation here. Whats the name for oposite chicken-egg problem. You mention that linux phones do not support banking apps and google even being antonym for privacy, has still increasing user base. But we are in situation where you must use google to be able to use banking apps. Vicious cycle? For banking aps to work you must install them from play store. To be able to use play store you must agree with google TOS. If google dicides your evil, you will not be able to use banking app anymore :(
- f6v 5y ago
  > If google dicides your evil, you will not be able to use banking app anymore :( It's like driving a car: there's a tiny probability to get killed, but everyone is driving nonetheless.
  - ryukafalz 5y ago
    The difference is that when driving a car, the risk is from the fallibility of yourself and your fellow drivers, not from a single giant megacorp that can decide to reach down and mess with you. (But by the way, we shouldn't accept car fatalities as inevitable either! They're far more likely still than they should be. Street design and infrastructure priorities can slow traffic down and encourage people to use safer forms of transportation when feasible. Just look at the Netherlands.)

benatkin 5y ago

You may have a point, but Android and Apple phones are also, quite frankly, garbage. I open the maps app on my Android phone, and I get a bunch of ads littered around, for places like 7/11, even for locations that are closed! I have a 64gb phone and the map for the city I'm in could be quite easily downloaded, but nope, it must contain Google's malware.

ndiddy 5y ago
There's a bunch of offline maps apps for Android, I use maps.me for example.
sgc 5y ago
You can download maps in the maps app. I download a pretty large area because I drive a lot. Not that it takes away from your point, but at least there is that.
toastal 5y ago
This is why I love the offline ad-free maps of OpenStreetMap. In underdevelop areas I may need to refer to Google to find a location, and when I get there, I upload the location with finer-grained details and now I can find the place again and help others.
matkoniecz 5y ago
I recommend Osmand and Mapy.cz as OpenStreetMap-based alternatives. No competition for car navigation (live traffic data), likely worse for shop data, but clearly superior for basically anything else. Especially cycling/hiking. There is also plenty of other OSM-powered navigation apps.

matkoniecz 5y ago

> And don’t give me the obvious and trite answer of “privacy”. Note that small pool of people actually caring may be enough. See whoever buys Pinephone and Purism-Librem.

f6v 5y ago
> Note that small pool of people actually caring may be enough. Everyone heard about Facebook's data leaks, everyone knows Google collects tons of data. Their revenue show people don't care.
lewiscollard 5y ago
Exactly this. There are many predictable comments in this thread about why they think mass adoption of Linux phones won't happen. I even agree with them, but they are missing what I think is the point. I don't care if they take over the world; I want a means by which those of us that do care about privacy and openness and control can opt out.

vincnetas 5y ago

Interesting situation here. Whats the name for oposite chicken-egg problem. You mention that linux phones do not support banking apps and google even being antonym for privacy, has still increasing user base. But we are in situation where you must use google to be able to use banking apps. Vicious cycle? For banking aps to work you must install them from play store. To be able to use play store you must agree with google TOS. If google dicides your evil, you will not be able to use banking app anymore :(

f6v 5y ago
> If google dicides your evil, you will not be able to use banking app anymore :( It's like driving a car: there's a tiny probability to get killed, but everyone is driving nonetheless.
- ryukafalz 5y ago
  The difference is that when driving a car, the risk is from the fallibility of yourself and your fellow drivers, not from a single giant megacorp that can decide to reach down and mess with you. (But by the way, we shouldn't accept car fatalities as inevitable either! They're far more likely still than they should be. Street design and infrastructure priorities can slow traffic down and encourage people to use safer forms of transportation when feasible. Just look at the Netherlands.)