Have never looked back since i switched to gos… just buy a refurbed pixel to avoid giving big G ya monry.
Remember, though, in less than 200 days google kills all “sideloading.” It seriously fucks with gos, and they have hinted they will eventually disable flashing custom roms
TL;DR The above commenter is spreading FUD. GOS will work fine and allow sideloading.
Stop spreading FUD. Google kills sideloading on Google certified ROMs. Being Google certified doesn’t mean you have more features than ROMs which aren’t certified. Only Google certified ROMs lose the ability to sideload and have to adhere to all Google Play policies. Meaning GOS loses its certified status but doesn’t lose the ability to sideload. The only way in which GOS might be coerced to disable sideloading is if Google pushes these changes upstream to the AOSP and even then forking is always an option. Also when has Google ever hinted at disabling flashing custom ROMs? It might be right down their alley but I wouldn’t make such claims without citing sources.
Just as a side note: Android ≠ AOSP. This is relevant as many people misunderstand the news they read. When Google changes Android (Google’s proprietary AOSP “distro”) it doesn’t necessarily mean that changes are coming to the AOSP or GOS which is also an AOSP “distro”.
I don’t see how spreading FUD and being misinformed are exclusive. I didn’t say he was doing so in bad faith, just stating that the comment created fear, uncertainty and doubt without any factual basis.
To be fair Wikipedia does say it is a manipulative propaganda tactic but I’ve usually meant it in the abovementioned context.
Im not trying to “spread fud.” The state of 3rd party software on android is where it is. Google is introducing a high friction system for unverified apps that includes fees paid directly to google, and is not releasing to aosp in advance at all… this potentially means things like f droid and aurora cant operate. It doesnt mean that gos wont “allow” sideloading, but that you wont have alternatives to load. It also means you will have to increasingly be limited to sandboxed google play, with more barriers to overcome to make those apps work on non-android. https://www.androidauthority.com/android-changes-third-party-app-stores-3613409/
Wish i could find where i read that google was planning to eliminate bootloader access… they walked it back in the end after expected uproar. Ultimately, the pressure from ‘verified by google’ and the changes to AOSP are enough pressure to push out ROMS as it is…
I don’t doubt that in the future Google will kill off the AOSP and disable installing custom ROMs like Apple does. But it just isn’t accurate to say that in 200 days sideloading on GOS won’t work or that Google disabling sideloading on their ROM even affects GOS in any way.
GrapheneOS is actually better for banking than the other alternative OS’s because you can run Google Play Services (which some banking apps require) sandboxed and only allow it to interact with the apps you want it to. That said, I’m still going for e/os on a fairphone right now.
Unfortunately though they certainly do not all work, and some work only partially. Depends on the bank, the app and the feature. Wallet services are completely unavailable.
Most banking works fine. There was a time it had more problems but I don’t even need to use a secondary profile with Google Play Services running any longer.
NFC works, but that is app specific.
So no, wallet won’t work because google wallet wants Google services to work. But in the EU some banks have their own contactless payments that work fine. In the US none do to my knowledge.
For bus pass etc that would be down to your app and if they require google services or not. There’s always the option for secondary profiles.
To me, I was amazed at his many apps use google services for notifications. So many apps work, but don’t give me notifications unless I open the app… Which I’m okay with because 99% of them I would turn off anyways.
I use my USAA banking app, my stock app with Charles-Schwabb, and even Bitwarden with biometrics on GOS. It may have been limiting before, but not anymore. They have a sandboxed Google Play integrity whatever, too, do you can turn that shit on for select apps and it alerts you when an app is calling it.
Aurora Store also has the Play Store apps with reduced bloat. I’ve been using GOS on my Pixel 7 since late last year. It has a slight learning curve, but lots of info out there for how and what to change in settings for different apps and permissions. Definitely don’t regret my install!
Have never looked back since i switched to gos… just buy a refurbed pixel to avoid giving big G ya monry.
Remember, though, in less than 200 days google kills all “sideloading.” It seriously fucks with gos, and they have hinted they will eventually disable flashing custom roms
TL;DR The above commenter is spreading FUD. GOS will work fine and allow sideloading.
Stop spreading FUD. Google kills sideloading on Google certified ROMs. Being Google certified doesn’t mean you have more features than ROMs which aren’t certified. Only Google certified ROMs lose the ability to sideload and have to adhere to all Google Play policies. Meaning GOS loses its certified status but doesn’t lose the ability to sideload. The only way in which GOS might be coerced to disable sideloading is if Google pushes these changes upstream to the AOSP and even then forking is always an option. Also when has Google ever hinted at disabling flashing custom ROMs? It might be right down their alley but I wouldn’t make such claims without citing sources.
Just as a side note: Android ≠ AOSP. This is relevant as many people misunderstand the news they read. When Google changes Android (Google’s proprietary AOSP “distro”) it doesn’t necessarily mean that changes are coming to the AOSP or GOS which is also an AOSP “distro”.
Reading through this forum thread is recommended.
I use GOS and I am all for correcting people, but perhaps next time, don’t assume they are spreading FUD, and instead assume they are just misinformed
Never attribute to malice what can be attributed to ignorance and stupidity.
Only a Sith deals in absolutes!
I don’t see how spreading FUD and being misinformed are exclusive. I didn’t say he was doing so in bad faith, just stating that the comment created fear, uncertainty and doubt without any factual basis.
To be fair Wikipedia does say it is a manipulative propaganda tactic but I’ve usually meant it in the abovementioned context.
Im not trying to “spread fud.” The state of 3rd party software on android is where it is. Google is introducing a high friction system for unverified apps that includes fees paid directly to google, and is not releasing to aosp in advance at all… this potentially means things like f droid and aurora cant operate. It doesnt mean that gos wont “allow” sideloading, but that you wont have alternatives to load. It also means you will have to increasingly be limited to sandboxed google play, with more barriers to overcome to make those apps work on non-android. https://www.androidauthority.com/android-changes-third-party-app-stores-3613409/
Wish i could find where i read that google was planning to eliminate bootloader access… they walked it back in the end after expected uproar. Ultimately, the pressure from ‘verified by google’ and the changes to AOSP are enough pressure to push out ROMS as it is…
https://www.androidauthority.com/android-rom-calyxos-support-freeze-google-blame-3590268/
Anyway, listen. I LOVE graphene. Everyone should use it, BECAUSE google is demonstrably a band of fuckwits. Im not trying to dissuade but inform. I am excited for an announcement about who theyre working with when they say their future is a phone made in connjunction with a “major OEM” maker. https://www.androidheadlines.com/2025/10/grapheneos-may-break-pixel-exclusivity-with-a-new-phone-in-2026.html
I don’t doubt that in the future Google will kill off the AOSP and disable installing custom ROMs like Apple does. But it just isn’t accurate to say that in 200 days sideloading on GOS won’t work or that Google disabling sideloading on their ROM even affects GOS in any way.
Aren’t there things GrapheneOS can’t do though like banking, wallet, and bus pass? I hope im misinformed because I’d love to switch to an alt OS.
GrapheneOS is actually better for banking than the other alternative OS’s because you can run Google Play Services (which some banking apps require) sandboxed and only allow it to interact with the apps you want it to. That said, I’m still going for e/os on a fairphone right now.
Unfortunately though they certainly do not all work, and some work only partially. Depends on the bank, the app and the feature. Wallet services are completely unavailable.
Ah well, I just do banking in my browser anyway.
Most banking works fine. There was a time it had more problems but I don’t even need to use a secondary profile with Google Play Services running any longer.
NFC works, but that is app specific. So no, wallet won’t work because google wallet wants Google services to work. But in the EU some banks have their own contactless payments that work fine. In the US none do to my knowledge. For bus pass etc that would be down to your app and if they require google services or not. There’s always the option for secondary profiles.
To me, I was amazed at his many apps use google services for notifications. So many apps work, but don’t give me notifications unless I open the app… Which I’m okay with because 99% of them I would turn off anyways.
You can sandbox Google Play services and 99% of things will work that way
I use my USAA banking app, my stock app with Charles-Schwabb, and even Bitwarden with biometrics on GOS. It may have been limiting before, but not anymore. They have a sandboxed Google Play integrity whatever, too, do you can turn that shit on for select apps and it alerts you when an app is calling it.
Aurora Store also has the Play Store apps with reduced bloat. I’ve been using GOS on my Pixel 7 since late last year. It has a slight learning curve, but lots of info out there for how and what to change in settings for different apps and permissions. Definitely don’t regret my install!
Very encouraging!
Graphene coming with OEM phones other than pixel so it will solve those issues