LineageOS is currently installed on 1.5 million Android devices
LineageOS, one of the last great Android ROMs, is currently in use on around 1.5 million different devices.
Yeah, but I think I have like half of those devices in a desk drawer.
Why? I have had the same phone for the last 5 years.
Because people (like myself) do that with their old phone to have a backup that’s not horrifically outdated but that isn’t actually needed day to day
85 % probably have outdated firmware.
That number probably higher. However that changes nothing as we can't control proprietary firmware blobs.
Honestly there is no way of knowing anything about the security of those blobs. Firmware vendors can do whatever they want.
The list of devices on Replicant OS is old and short. Proprietary blobs are a big issue for Android.
It's a really nicely built OS, well documented, and the install process is streamlined as much as possible (with detailed instructions).
I really hope we can get enough attention and support to this project (as well as others like it) for it to get mainstream.
for it to get mainstream
It will never get more mainstream than this.
Lineage has been the go-to ROM that beat every other ROM in active users by one or more orders of magnitude since the beginning of Android. Everyone that cares a little bit about custom ROMs knows what Lineage is, and if they don't they will recognize its previous name CyanogenMod.
Average users are never going to care about custom ROMs because it's not worth the effort for them, so why would you care about making LOS more mainstream?
Welp, TIL it's just CyanogenMod and you are correct, turns out I did know of and use it a decade ago.
More people using a thing (in this case I mean FOSS more than LOS specifically) influences the market, companies start to notice and may even be forced to adapt. Large private monopolistic ecosystem are really bad for everything.
It would make things easier for smaller brands to enter market as well - like what Raspberry/Banana Pi but for phones.
Also the official list of supported devices (wiki.lineageos.org/devices) has a super easy install process. Mainstream would mean more of these (eg the latest flagship Samsung supported is S10/Note10). And expanding this list would make a huge difference in addition - not everyone that knows about custom ROMs is tech savvy (or just wants a stable OS with OTA).
because adopting open source software is a societal good? the idea that it won't grow is kind of bleak. the industry standard for android device OS is dogshit for user privacy and a private monopoly and that's something we should want fixed. unless you like living under constant corporate surveillance.
I wish I could use it but it's only supported on few phones that tend to be more expensive and older.
I use it on my old Pixel 3a to play livestream bird feeders for one of my cats.
And did your Pentester find any vulnerabilities yet? XD
📱🐈⬛
Does it still work otherwise? Pixel 3a user who may or may not watch birds. And cats.
Oh yeah, it's fine otherwise.
I always wanted to try it, but my bank wont let me login if I'm not on on the devices OG OS, I used to run Custom ROM until that started to happen.
Meanwhile, the OG OS has more vulnerabilities probably
Yes so freaking annoying
Try the bank’s web site. Companies all push apps to harvest all your data. Very few compute services actually need them.
There are workarounds:
Install magisk, add the app to the zygisk denylist before first run.
Install universal safetynet fix and magisk hide props config (modules for magisk).
For some apps, you may have to install them in island so that they can't detect the magisk app.
Still running on my GalaxyS4. Lite, stable and reliable.
I am really tempted to try and set this up on one of my devices. Never messed with this before so it's a bit intimidating
I have no idea what I'm doing but I imagine I should be able to. I have a xiaomi redmi note 10 and a galaxy tab a8 tablet laying around not really being used.
Follow the guides, if you have a supported phone. It is really nice for supported devices. But do follow the instructions exactly.
I think Lineage supports both of those.
Check https://wiki.lineageos.org/devices/
Also check out DivestOS, it's a fork of Lineage, supports fewer devices.
Divest is currently running a fundraiser to support further development. If the goal isn't reached, the project will be set aside.
Just something to keep in mind. I'm using it, and I hope it can continue, because it really is great.
Is that supposed to be a lot?
Whenever Google kills a feature used by <1% people always cite that is still over a million people. But nobody looks at the reverse. 1.5 million Lineage users doesn't even make up a tenth of a single percent of Android overall.
For an OS that you need to install manually, it's definitely a lot.
Why compare it to the greater ecosystem?
"Hey, a million people started drinking coffee with pea milk that they made themselves."
"Is this supposed to be a lot? Pffft, regular milk drinkers are in the billions!"
Who cares.
Plus, Google killing a feature that is used "by a million people," even if it's <1%, is fucked up. That's three Icelands.
If someone could crack the verizon bootloader lock that would be great. Have wanted lineage for years on my old pixel!
as long as it's paid off just give them a call and ask it to be unlocked and if they still don't want to just say your a developer and need it for work that normally works even if it isn't paid off
How can I do this? I have an old Realmi stuck on Android 9
Depends. 1st you need to find out if your phone/manufacturer allows unlocking the bootloader. No unlocking, no custom rom, no lineage os. If it is supported, you need to find a lineageOS rom for your phone. There is an official lineageOS website where you can find compatible devices. If it’s not listed there (which is not unlikely), you can search the web for unofficial lineageOS roms or other custom roms. Be careful, some of your phone’s features might not work properly or at all but most custom rom developers provide you with a list of what is and isn’t working.
And for the installation part, it’s probably better to look up a full tutorial on the web as installing a custom recovery that you need to install the rom can be a bit tricky…
Thanks, doesn't seem like my phone's officially supported and I don't feel safe about the custom roms. Maybe one day
This annoys the shit out of me.
I’ve got a /unique/ device that I use to exclusively run a single specialist app. It’s 5 years old, and it does the job.
Well, did the job. But they dropped support for Android9. Can’t unlock the bootloader (technically I can, but any rom just bootloops) and the vendor stopped releasing updates in 2021.
Sure, it’s an edge case. But I’ve got perfectly functioning hardware, to run perfectly functioning software and 6 months ago everything worked fine.
Now it doesn’t, and I’ve either got to find replacement software, or hardware. And I’m probably just… not. Everyone loses. Hardware manufacturers don’t get a sale to replace broken hardware (and it wouldn’t have been long, the phone has been yeeted down the road at 70km/h more than once), software vendors lose my subscription, and I just have a shitty experience.
And why? Because of some way software is packaged. Who benefits from this?
I would love to use lineage or /e/ again on my phone, but Google's Foto app is Soo good compared to all of the foss apps out there. Especially if you like modes like super-macro I did not find anything near that. This is a shame bc/ I've used an degoogled device for over an decade now.
Does anyone have an idea how I could come back on the good side without loosing the functionality of that app?
You cam use the pixelify module. It adds many pixel-exclusive features, including the google photos app!
Maybe I'm not aware what I'm missing out on. On GrapheneOS on a Pixel phone, you can install the camera app made by Google. com.google.android.GoogleCamera. Has some fancy features, but maybe not the ones you are referring to?
Immich solves this beautifully!
use a "gcam port"
Had some trouble running it on my Azus Zenphone, but now on my Fairphone it works flawlessly.
The camera was horrible back then.
Does LineageOS work with Google Family Link if I add gapps?
I can't confirm if all features are working, but possibly. My case is that I have LineageOS on my phone and my son has an Amazon tablet that I've used Fire Toolbox on to install Google Playstore and services. I'm able to approve/deny apps for him to install (I get the notification on Family Link on my phone), but some things aren't working because I'm having trouble with Play services on the tablet.
Wish not working? I've got the same.
Wonder if there's a privacy friendly version of this
I am using this, best decision I've ever taken. Using my device feels new again. There is still the issue with play integrity. Apart from that everything's good so far.
Remember the Cyanogen days, good times.
That logo was dope
I wish we could use this on more recent devices!
I'd have it installed on my phone if it was supported. 😬
I like lineage os, but i tought its about do disappear?
Maybe for a particular phone model it will stop, but haven't read it will stop completely.
Its less and less phones supported until it vanishes. Thats what i was meaning. Just more phones unrootable or really hard or no peoper cfw
Repost
Indeed, it's interesting, it was trending on news website again, I don't know why.
#GrapheneOS
Not quite