upvote

points

by wiseowise16 hours ago |
comments
upvoteby john_strinlai15 hours ago|
next
[-]
>The openness, freedom, customizability and accessibility (money wise) were the tenets that differentiated Android from Apple devices.

i have never heard someone outside of tech circles (e.g. HN) mention openness, freedom, or customization, even as a passing comment.

they use a phone to access mainstream apps (youtube, instagram, reddit, maybe their bank) and text/call. mention "apk" or "fdroid" and their eyes start to glaze over.

cheaper devices, sure, i agree with that as being the differentiator to the average non-techie. the rest is, at least in my experience, absolutely a "HN view".

reply
upvoteby someguyornotidk4 hours ago|
parent|
next
[-]
My brother, who's relationship with tech barely extends to the latest samsung flagship, threw away his iphone because he couldn't get all the apps he wanted.

I think _your_ impression of people outside tech circles is as HN-centric as it gets :)

reply
upvoteby dartharva10 hours ago|
parent|
prev|
next
[-]
> i have never heard someone outside of tech circles... mention "apk" or "fdroid" and their eyes start to glaze over

My no-tech middle-aged uncles and aunts know what apks are, and that you need to install apps from somewhere apart from the main Play store if you want them to have no ads.

reply
upvoteby jMyles11 hours ago|
parent|
prev|
[-]
> i have never heard someone outside of tech circles (e.g. HN) mention openness, freedom, or customization, even as a passing comment.

And how do you qualify "(e.g. HN)" for this purpose? Places where people value openness?

These feels like a no-true-scotsman.

reply
upvoteby 30 minutes ago|
parent|
[-]
deleted
reply
upvoteby kuhsaft15 hours ago|
prev|
[-]
Android is developed by the Open Handset Alliance, a consortium of mobile industry giants.

https://web.archive.org/web/20260420021444/https://www.openh...

Openness for end-users was never a tenet. It is a very HN view to think that open-source equals freedom for users, and to state that it was a promise when it never was.

reply
upvoteby classified7 hours ago|
parent|
[-]
Freedom for users was the motivating factor that created open source in the first place. Rewriting history to serve your own ends doesn't help your credibility.
reply