4 ms·

Android isn’t free. There is a free kernel but so much of what is useful and expected by users is now wrapped up in play services.

by mnd999 5y ago

awestroke 5y ago
I've never paid to use play services. If you did, you were scammed
- ocdtrekkie 5y ago
  You do not understand how it is not free: It's sold to OEMs in exchange for control of their devices and mandatory placements. In countries who have working antitrust law, Google now charges OEMs for Play Services access per device, where they cannot legally force the OEM to default to Chrome and Google Search. And you, as the consumer, pay for it with literally all of your privacy.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
- danielheath 5y ago
  Phone manufacturers incur costs to get it installed. Do you imagine they decide not to pass those on?
  - bagacrap 5y ago
    really? What cost? Is that public information? My understanding was that play services was no longer part of Android core because Google didn't want phone manufacturers mucking with it (creating an inconsistent and frankly worse experience on some devices), not because they were trying to charge a fee for it.
    - teh64 5y ago
      Google has a certification process to allow play services to be installed: https://www.xda-developers.com/how-to-fix-device-not-certified-by-google-error/ https://www.xda-developers.com/how-to-fix-device-not-certifi... Google forces phone manufacturers to install some google apps to get certification: https://www.kamilfranek.com/how-google-makes-money-from-android/#:~:text=Conditions%20that%20phone%20manufacturers%20need%20to%20comply%20with%20to%20get%20a%20free%20license%20to%20install%20Android%20with%20Play%3A https://www.kamilfranek.com/how-google-makes-money-from-andr... And in the EU, companies actually need to pay, if they do not install some google apps: https://www.theverge.com/2018/10/19/17999366/google-eu-android-licensing-terms https://www.theverge.com/2018/10/19/17999366/google-eu-andro...
      - bagacrap 5y ago
        From your own link: "a free license to install Android with Play" The question was about monetary cost, i.e. "free as in beer", not "free as in speech" or "free of effort".
colordrops 5y ago
While not perfect, MicroG [1] + Aurora [2] on LineageOS [3] is good enough to get by without Google Play. I've got every app I need running on it, and haven't run into any major issues. [1] https://microg.org/ https://microg.org/ [2] https://www.aurorastore.pro/ https://www.aurorastore.pro/ [3] https://lineage.microg.org/ https://lineage.microg.org/

Android isn’t free. There is a free kernel but so much of what is useful and expected by users is now wrapped up in play services.

by mnd999 5y ago

Android isn’t free. There is a free kernel but so much of what is useful and expected by users is now wrapped up in play services.

awestroke 5y ago

I've never paid to use play services. If you did, you were scammed

ocdtrekkie 5y ago
You do not understand how it is not free: It's sold to OEMs in exchange for control of their devices and mandatory placements. In countries who have working antitrust law, Google now charges OEMs for Play Services access per device, where they cannot legally force the OEM to default to Chrome and Google Search. And you, as the consumer, pay for it with literally all of your privacy.
deleted 5y ago
[deleted]
danielheath 5y ago
Phone manufacturers incur costs to get it installed. Do you imagine they decide not to pass those on?
- bagacrap 5y ago
  really? What cost? Is that public information? My understanding was that play services was no longer part of Android core because Google didn't want phone manufacturers mucking with it (creating an inconsistent and frankly worse experience on some devices), not because they were trying to charge a fee for it.
  - teh64 5y ago
    Google has a certification process to allow play services to be installed: https://www.xda-developers.com/how-to-fix-device-not-certified-by-google-error/ https://www.xda-developers.com/how-to-fix-device-not-certifi... Google forces phone manufacturers to install some google apps to get certification: https://www.kamilfranek.com/how-google-makes-money-from-android/#:~:text=Conditions%20that%20phone%20manufacturers%20need%20to%20comply%20with%20to%20get%20a%20free%20license%20to%20install%20Android%20with%20Play%3A https://www.kamilfranek.com/how-google-makes-money-from-andr... And in the EU, companies actually need to pay, if they do not install some google apps: https://www.theverge.com/2018/10/19/17999366/google-eu-android-licensing-terms https://www.theverge.com/2018/10/19/17999366/google-eu-andro...
    - bagacrap 5y ago
      From your own link: "a free license to install Android with Play" The question was about monetary cost, i.e. "free as in beer", not "free as in speech" or "free of effort".

colordrops 5y ago

While not perfect, MicroG [1] + Aurora [2] on LineageOS [3] is good enough to get by without Google Play. I've got every app I need running on it, and haven't run into any major issues. [1] https://microg.org/ https://microg.org/ [2] https://www.aurorastore.pro/ https://www.aurorastore.pro/ [3] https://lineage.microg.org/ https://lineage.microg.org/