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Something worth noting is that F-Droid is both an app to download other apps but they also maintains a repository of apps. You can use alternative store apps (like Droid-ify) with the F-Droid repository OR you could use the F-Droid app with a different repository (like IzzyOnDroid). You can mix and match to meet your needs.
I use the Droid-ify app with the F-Droid, IzzyOnDroid, microG, NewPipe, and Collabora repositories.
Once you start down this rabbit hole, give Obtanium a look.
Neostore is also a good alternative to the normal f-droid client
Yep. Their permission and tracker built in viewer is a super qol feature
Yes, I much prefer Neostore.
I wanted to like this one.
Neostore got stuck trying to sync repos or something and drained my battery from 80% to 20% within like an hour.
Uninstalled it immediately. No app should be able to malfunction in such a way to cause such battery drain.
Can you elaborate on what these different repos are and do? And, referring to a child comment, what is divest?
On Android, we’re used the “Play Store” being both the app that facilitates downloads as well as the collection of apps available. With F-Droid, you can add additional collections of apps to make available for download.
You might add an additional repository to gain access to apps not in the main F-Droid repository. You might add a developer’s repository to gain access to updates to their apps before those updates hit the main F-Droid repository.
Divest is the developer repository for app maintained by Divest OS, a fork of Lineage OS.
I have and use F-Droid but hadn’t caught on to repos and their function. Just seen it mentioned. Thanks for elaborating!
Some software developers prefer to host their own repos and have more control over the release process and/or don’t want to fill all the criteria for being included on f-droid, so they create their own repos. Some of these apps can still be found on vanilla fdroid, but often aren’t updated so frequently.
Izzyondroid, on the other hand, is a different project, aimed at hosting different apps that are usually from smaller devs and can’t be included on fdroid yet, for different reasons.
The greatest thing about fdroid is that it allows anyone to create their own repos and you aren’t forced to depend on anyone.
I just have the basic f droid app, the layout is awful and confusing. Is there one you suggest?
I’m a big fan of Droid-ify.
I think he did suggest droid-ify with fdroid repo: https://github.com/Droid-ify/client
Looks good, I will try it out. You have it in F-droid :)
Apologies, I didn’t follow what was a storefront and such.
Then check out droid-ify. It has a really clean looking UI that won’t get in your way.
Thanks
Oh THAT’S what repos are for? I assumed they were all independently structured and incompatible with each other for different reasons lmao.
Don’t forget Divest, a must have repo. Also Molly for a foss signal client
I would avoid adding other repositories because you are risking malware and anti features.
F-droid is slow to get updates but it also verifies each app
There is safety there, but you’re just as safe using the the developer’s own repository for their apps, like NewPipe, Collabora, or the Guardian Project.
I second Izzy, add:
Many years ago I tried to go completely de-googled, and that involved using only F-droid. One of the many problems I faced was the tedious update process. I needed to tap each and every app individually every time there were updates. I wonder if droid-ify could have fixed that. Unfortunately I didn’t come across that app at the time, so I didn’t try it out.
Oh for sure! Droid-ify offers a few different installation methods. The Legacy and Session install options are what you are used to. With those methods, you are prompted to download and install with each update.
With the Root install method, updates can be downloaded and installed in the background using root privileges. Lastly, and I think most intriguing, is using Shizuku. Shizuku is a utility that will give you close to root access using ADB. See link for details. So, with the Shizuku install methods, Droid-ify can keep all your F-Droid apps up to date with little intervention from the user.
Footnote: Because Shizuku leverages ADB, it needs to be started manually after each reboot.
That’s awesome! Looks like there’s been progress while I was not looking.
What do you think, is it now a viable option do daily drive a completely de-googled phone?
It’s a lot more feasible than it used to be. I also use Aurora Store to fill in the gaps.
I use neo store it’s native non root installer (usually) manage to do one click install all updates.
Been using Fdroid to the point where my first boot into a new phone is:
Open chrome > download fdroid > open settings > uninstall/disable every single application I can > open fdroid > install all the relevant apps I require for making my phone useful
I’m just waiting for a small life upgrade in order to be able to support some app developers; it will be money better spent than using the standard google apps.
You might want to consider your next phone to be a pixel+grapheneOS.
any lineage os supported device is enough, i think
LineageOS isnt degoogled by default
It’s a lot better than stock, even though there are still some Google things left over. If you don’t install your own GApps, then the Google stuff in Lineage is minimal.
Doesn’t take long to De-google it up to 95% or so
It’s insane that I can’t make any steps towards ungoogling myself w/o paying 2.5 times the price of a phone. I can’t buy an allready degoogled pixel here, I can’t buy fairphone here, I can only use a package forwarding service from the US, declare it to customs - and watch them add a monstrous fee to it.
I wish I could have the courage to buy a pixel and try to replace the OS myself - but I fear I will just brick it…
Installing GrapheneOS is actually ludicrously easy if you’re expecting some kind of root exploit nonsense like you used to have to do with custom ROMs! Full instructions here, happy to answer any questions if you need!
You 99% won’t brick it, I guarantee you. Graphene’s install is really easy. You press a few buttons on a website and never touch a terminal, aside from if you’re on GNOME. As for price, I got a used Pixel 4a 5g for 100 and newer ones won’t be as expensive as the things you might’ve gone for. Try a used Pixel 6a? (Graphene doesn’t extend software support)
I just did it two days ago, had the same fears, everything went smooth like butter
Bricking is a possibility but for phones that can be unlocked, it should be a matter of following the instructions on Lineageos - unlock the bootloader, flash the recovery partition, flash lineageos + Google apps.
The biggest pain in the ass for me was trying to get the adb & fastboot tools to talk to the device in the first place. For example OnePlus requires drivers for its devices but Windows doesn’t install them automatically so you have to go find them. Except the adb driver works but the fastboot one didn’t. Then after a bunch of searching it turns out OnePlus forgot to sign the fastboot driver so Windows refused to install it and I had to boot Windows in a convoluted way to disable signature verification to get the driver installed.
After all that, the rest was relatively straightforward but it still took several hours of effort. IMO Lineageos is a pretty ugly dist but if you install Google Apps it’s not missing anything and it extends the phone’s life beyond what the manufacturer could be bothered to support.
The first issue is that you’re in the US.
As for installing Graphene, it’s very unlikely that you will brick your mobile, since with the new WebUSB installer, you don’t have to do anything. Just set it to install and have your favourite beverage whilst the Web installer deals with it
I just run lineage os
I’ve used so called entry level phones my entire life; I can’t motivate myself to spend the amount a Fair Phone costs, although the concept is appealing and regardless the geek in me going nuts with the idea of tinkering with my phone as I do with my computer. I also prefer rugged phones, which is something most brands don’t cater to.
My current phone is an Oukitel and has already passed the three year mark, still more than enough for my needs, in great part thanks to my option to run FOSS whenever possible.
I just run Lineage os. Sure its not as secure but it supports many phones and is clean and light.
Combine it with F-droid and your golden
I doubt I can get that to run on my phone. Being a minor brand, it is as if it doesn’t exist.
What device is it? There probably is an unofficial build.
Also 3 years is not that old. My phone is from 2019 and runs Android 13 just fine (Motorola-ocean)
Oukitel WP8 Pro
It has an MT6762D CPU, with 4GB RAM.
And now I’m doubting for how long I’ve had it, has the last update for the Android 10 it runs is from 2020 and I can remember updating it, for sure.
Ok, your right there is very little support for that device. Sorry I couldn’t be more help
