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Comment by Kim_Bruning | Hacker News Reader

It's not like Android and iOS are the only options exactly.

So I never spend much on phones, but I just got a Fairphone 4 running E/OS , which is .... like running android, except it blocks tracking by default, and you're in control. Some fairphones come with e/os pre-installed, but installing it isn't even all too fiddly, you can do it direct from chrome(ium).

And you can take it apart with your fingers and a screwdriver!

There's hope yet!

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They _are_ the only options if you want banking to work reliably, which is essential for me at least due to 3DS requiring mobile app verification for transactions. I have to run stock android for pretty much this reason only. Everything else I could manage with, but not being locked out of certain banks.

Oh dear! That's like Microsoft all over again!

I've been in IT long enough to recognize this pattern. Every "convenient" lock-in becomes an expensive problem later - something you're definitely experiencing now!

My advice: don't get locked in in the first place yesterday. Or second best, start exploring ways out today. Push back on your bank - odds are they simply haven't had enough complaints yet. Demand alternate authentication methods. Fall back to web banking or even paper banking. Shop around - banks are IT companies like any other these days, and there are definitely banks with better terms.

Fortunately I'm in the Netherlands where web banking still works fine, so that's what I'm doing. Where are you located?

Huh, turns out a lot of banking apps actually work on e/os.

TBQH I'm a bit skeptical of banking apps in general, mind, but if you're not here's a list:

https://community.e.foundation/t/list-banking-apps-on-e-os/3...

For a lot of us who have to use payment apps, banking apps, government apps, these two are pretty much the only options. :/

That sounds terrible! What country are you in? (And what happens to seniors, or people who can't afford a phone, for instance? )

I'm in India. Usually seniors etc... Just ask family members to do their transactions. My mom basically does all the transactions for my grand parents..

For the people too poor to own a phone, they just use cash in most places they can... To put things into perspective even road side beggars/homeless people just show you a QR code on a piece of paper for where to pay them these days..

I bought a cheap burner phone for the banking and government apps. It's connected to a Google account with fake details and stays in a drawer by my desk.

This 100%. If it comes that that in the U.S. and there is no other practical alternative, I will buy the cheapest Android phone I can find to run those locked down apps on it when needed, and leave it powered off the rest of the time. All my personal business will continue to be done on my Graphene device, that's non-negotiable.

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