Not sure how many people were suffering from it, but Google Photos became adamant about pushing ads. I couldn’t find a replacement in Google Store which wasn’t doing the same. Downloaded F Droid, used alternative to website to find apps, downloaded and now the problem is solved. You can use Google Files to install the F Droid apk to start your journey of degoogling. I’m still using some proprietary apps which work with the Android UI such as Google’s Wallet but everything I could replace I did (unless I’d inconvenience myself like with Contacts). The open source apps have much better UIs and don’t bombard me with ads or other stuff the big corp wants to push like their accounts. I wish I had done it sooner and this post was made to encourage other people to do that. I tried Aurora Store, but Google doesn’t let me login. It tells me it would give me a popup to type a number into, but the popup never comes. Anyone knows what app pushes the popup? Is Aurora a full replacement for Play Store or do I need to have both installed?

  • Cotillion@lemmy.worldEnglish
    86·
    1 year ago

    Thats just the 1st step and easiest. You are far from degoogling. Remember, you are still using android. If you are really up to go check custom ROMs for your phone (of course if it’s compatible) I would suggest you that you take your time with this and dyor. And what about your pc? Win or mac?

    As for your question. When i was on android I only had F-droid (almost all apps that i used were from there) and I didn’t bother with Aurora because only apps that i had from Google store were banking app and steam.

    • Twink@lemm.eeOPEnglish
      122·
      1 year ago

      Custom ROMs don’t work on all phones. I’m also not sure if my bank app would accept the custom environment, if you can even install it in a custom OS.

      Wdym Win or Mac? I’m on Linux. Have some respect and don’t assume another person has no idea about anything.

      Did you install your banking app manually? I had apps give me an error when downloaded via Play Store saying they were installed through illegitimate means and won’t work. I can assume banking apps are even heavier on security measures like this, especially on custom OSs they won’t recognize as what they were made for.

      Do custom OSs support biometrical security and cross app integration? NFC? Quick searches show me people struggling with these. I’m happy to go open source when it doesn’t affect me or makes things better for me. I won’t continuously inconvenience myself to shake my fist on corpos.

      • N4CHEM@lemmy.ml
        5·
        1 year ago

        I use a custom OS (iodéOS) and can use biometrical security (fingerprint reader) and my banking app works fine. It has MicroG and passes SafetyNet.

        With this being said, not all banking apps will work on custom ROMs / OSs, and SafetyNet might fail any day, as the developer has said, being honest, that it’s a game of cat and mouse.

      • Eavolution@kbin.social
        4·
        1 year ago

        My banking app (when I had a rooted phone, but even with an unlocked bootloader only this was a problem) even when hidden by magisk wouldn’t work. It told me to unroot it and lock the bootloader.

      • JurassicPork@lemmy.oneEnglish
        2·
        1 year ago

        Depending on how far down the rabbit hole, or how deep your pockets are… I started off slowly degoogling. Now have replacements for everything… Run grapheneos on pixel6. Yes. Google phone with graphene is your most private and secure route…who would have thought… Banking apps all work, NFC, etc. Can even have a work profile or separate user and sandboxes play services if still need play services for any apps you reply need

        • darcy@sh.itjust.works
          1·
          1 year ago

          can confirm. using grapheneos on a pixel 5. i dont have a banking app or google services though personally. everything else at least i can confirm works fine. not really much need to root grapheneos either usually, especially as it is less secure (at least for most users?)