Why does anyone actually like this company? Or thinks they are pro-consumer?
Apple being Apple.
Considering that even if it’s moving slow the EU won’t give its approval to that “fee despite not using anything from them”-charge.
So with apple being shit and me not really liking samsung recently, what Android phones are good? I’m eyeing Lenovo since they make solid laptops but are they any better?
Pixel is the only decent Android phone if you don’t like Samsung.
And even then, it’s not that good.
I’ve been using them since the Pixel 2. The Nexus 6P was the last good Google Phone.
But the alternative options aren’t any better.
I have no complaints about Pixel 4a and I’m planning to upgrade to 8 soon.
The pixels are fine, but I have the Pixel 8 Pro and it still has too many bugs considering it’s Google and I’m getting real tired of the enshittification of all of Google’s services and apps.
Every year they get either more bloated, more hindered, or killed altogether.
I’m really bitter about Google Play Music and Google Podcasts being killed. Along with Google Now.
Pixel with GrapheneOS is pretty good.
Although be aware the fingerprint reader is now behind the screen, and is a lot worse than the dedicated reader in my crappy 6 year old Chinaphone.
I only use a password so yeah.
Lenovo is a solid choice for a laptop. I really would encourage you to explore Linux rather than Windows. Pop_os and Elementary both have a MacOS feel - I use Pop_os
As far as phones, I use a Pixel 6a, the 6a is the budget model - it performs well and has a great camera. The good thing about androids is that you can customize the hell out of em. Fairphone is another one I would recommend because you can do all of your own repairs if that is important to you.
The Samsung Galaxy line is very popular and they just announced they will support the phone for at least the next 7 years - so there’s longevity there - so dunno if that will change your mind, a lot of kinks have been worked out ( just don’t buy their appliances)
Good luck - happy to answer any questions
Ubuntu cinnamon user for the last year and a half love it. As for phones I have an s22 but I’m tired of all the bullshit bloatware that comes on it. Like I cannot fully uninstall Facebook on this thing without knowledge of how to use adb. And if uninstall something samsung deems critical, it could break half the features on the phone.
Do pixels have bs apps on the system partition?
They have some Google apps that you can’t remove but there is no true bloatware.
Plus if you are more privacy oriented you can install some custom ROMs with literally no bloatware or overhead.
Can you install roms on any variant of pixels? I know usa phones are sometimes a pain in the ass with locked bootloaders
Not to mention VPN based ad blockers (Rethink DNS ad blocker is foss)
I am using adguard, but yes, if you are a more advanced user I would say Android is the way to go
I have been quite happy with Nokias (HMD Global). Only downside is poor spare part availability.
Nokia g22 and g42 5g dont have that problem. They were desinged to be fixed and they are doing cooperation with ifixit
Motorola is good but their camera can do some work. Otherwise those phones are great too. OnePlus 12 also just came out and has a great price to performance ratio
Both of these have very good battery life
I’m getting real sick of Apple. I used to be a pretty big Apple fanboy, but over time I have been starting to resent them more and more.
It started a few years ago, when I needed a new laptop because the 2016 MacBook Pro had the backlight not working defect and I was out of the period to get it fixed.
I looked at the MacBook Air, but even to this day, it only has 256gb hard drive and 8gb ram. After upgrading the storage space, the price was insanely high. I don’t mind paying extra for an upgrade to storage and ram, but not $400 more for something that should be the standard amount at this point.
Then iMessage being locked to iPhone. Since I’m from the US but don’t live there I’m pretty locked into iOS for iMessage unless I want to deal with and pay for international messaging.
Now, once they’re forced to open the app store, something that a lot of people want, they are being so petty about it.
I just got an iPhone 15 to upgrade from my iPhone XR, but I’m really thinking about just moving to a pixel and saying buy to Apple for Good.
You know what really sucks? Is that I’m in the exact opposite situation you’re in. I’ve been using Pixels since they came out and androids since the Galaxy S3.
I’m so done with Google and their shitty, inconsistent services that I’ve been waiting for Apple to open up iOS to sideloading and Firefox so that I could leave Android.
Turns out the grass is brown and dying on both sides and we consumers have a choice between two trash options.
international messaging? wtf? what’s app, Facebook messenger, the 100s pf other ones you could use. I,hate apple too but come on now
The onus is upon him to force all his friends, family and other contacts to switch? That doesn’t seem reasonable.
seriously, how hard is it to ask your mum to install a single app so you don’t have to pay to message her? what will that take like 5 seconds?
i have plenty of friends overseas who use ios and we message just fine. surprisingly they didn’t defriend me when i requested they install an app we can both use.
wtf sort of shitty friends and family do you have??
I find it intriguing that you’re only just now discovering the challenge facing many smartphone users in the United States, where the use of iMessage is dominant.
The problem isn’t with 1:1 chats, but with being excluded from group chats. If everybody is chatting on iMessage, I’m sure you can find the challenge in getting everybody to use your preferred alternative.
The EU said they will be no exceptions. It’s open or open.
developers can offer other payment options outside the App Store, but they still need to pay Apple a 27% fee. In addition, they have to follow some guidelines to promote an external link while also reporting to Apple about every purchase made through this external link so the company can charge a fee.
I think the meeting at Apple when they were discussing this must have gone something like Well how hard can we fuck them before their arsehole ruptures? A bit more? Sure let’s go for it. Lube? Nah we don’t need that.
Tim Cook is not British, and would say “asshole.” Kindly get your facts straight before posting on the interwebs, sir/madam/other. /s
Humble apologies 😜
:surprised pikachu face:
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What device do you use grapheneOS with?
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So it must be like this:
They see a way to interpret what the EU means in the worst way possible, BUT it’s only so they can go to court.
Why would they? Because they would be able to keep their monopoly until the case is done. Basically, buying time.
They’re probably confident that they can get away with this cheap (or by paying less than what they’ll gain).
Extremely shitty done by Apple, but a common strategy among shitty companies.
This might be their strategy. There’s no way they could come to the conclusion they’d be allowed to continue charging a fee for access. The DMA is explicit:
(57) If dual roles are used in a manner that prevents alternative service and hardware providers from having access under equal conditions to the same operating system, hardware or software features that are available or used by the gatekeeper in the provision of its own complementary or supporting services or hardware, this could significantly undermine innovation by such alternative providers, as well as choice for end users. The gatekeepers should, therefore, be required to ensure, free of charge, effective interoperability with, and access for the purposes of interoperability to, the same operating system, hardware or software features that are available or used in the provision of its own complementary and supporting services and hardware. Such access can equally be required by software applications related to the relevant services provided together with, or in support of, the core platform service in order to effectively develop and provide functionalities interoperable with those provided by gatekeepers. The aim of the obligations is to allow competing third parties to interconnect through interfaces or similar solutions to the respective features as effectively as the gatekeeper’s own services or hardware.
(7) The gatekeeper shall allow providers of services and providers of hardware, free of charge, effective interoperability with, and access for the purposes of interoperability to, the same hardware and software features accessed or controlled via the operating system or virtual assistant listed in the designation decision pursuant to Article 3(9) as are available to services or hardware provided by the gatekeeper. Furthermore, the gatekeeper shall allow business users and alternative providers of services provided together with, or in support of, core platform services, free of charge, effective interoperability with, and access for the purposes of interoperability to, the same operating system, hardware or software features, regardless of whether those features are part of the operating system, as are available to, or used by, that gatekeeper when providing such services.
It’s an incredibly risky strategy, as the fine is payable immediately. That’s up to $38B for the first offence. They’ve had years to check compliance with the EU, so leaving it to the last minute then claiming “confusion” won’t be a valid defence. If Apple continues to renege on their legal responsibilities, a second fine of up to $76B can be levied. There are additional fees for late payments and other infractions too. The EU legal system uses the principle of the spirit of the law. This is contrasted with the US system which is the “letter of the law.” As such, constructive evasion isn’t taken lightly in the EU. Anything but free access is clearly intentional non-compliance.
Must say, I’m a fan of “spirit of the law”.
Then there’s no “bUt tHiS wOrD cOuLd mEaN tHiS iF tRaNsLatEd 50 tImEs tHroUgH gOoGle TrAnSlaTe iN 1874”
Exactly. Avoiding the clear intent of a law by using weasel words has always pissed me off about the U.S. legal system.
