Apple isn't going to let them build on top of iOS, and anything except those two is dead in the water because it'll never have users because it is missing a bunch of critical apps, and will never have those apps because it doesn't have users.
Anything can and will go down. Nothing is forever.
Windows still has the vast majority share of desktop.
And yes we still have windows as the major desktop OS but don't forget, in the 90s/early 2000s windows was equivalent to computing.
These days the desktop OS is much less relevant than it was and many people don't even own a laptop or desktop anymore. They just do everything on their phone. And Microsoft totally and completely lost that race.
It's a completely different situation here.
There have been several projects like Ubuntu Touch to create an open Linux for smartphones.
That would be an open alternative.
Android is not open.
I would recommend it as tool for a Linux app designer to use with testing and user improvement. Helps find issue not present on a laptop or desktop. Highlights the difference in solution choices; Python vs Node.js vs Rust.
I'm getting away from Google as far and fast as possible. The sooner the bandaid is pulled the better and more freeing. Google's path with being able to reject those that they don't seem worthy to run on Android, that is a prison.
Personally, I should have root access to the device so that all content which must be archived can be or consumed with another tool; Category Theory. I should have direct access to copying or backing up SMS with ease. Watching the network traffic to know what is actually going through.
Security is also being able for one to learn about the actual operations and test and validate them.
So say you use a USB device to host the kernel boot image which then requires manual password authentication to decrypt physical device drives. Without the USB device, it boots into duress mode.
Duress mode provides a false shell into a working phone. Physical security system do this, by provide false statements of what is going on. Wipe the real stuff in the background if need be.
GraphneOS is using a Linux Kernel. I'm looking for something more Linux Distro style of implementation. Not choosing GraphneOS is pure objective to remove myself from Google and Apple as much as possible in a communication tool.
Android device has become phone and text only. Linux device has become my engagement. Going for a walk without primary communication is peaceful.
- No dependency on Google - Actually free and open OS (this means: root access to device, being able to customise any part of the distro/WM/DE, full, low-level access to external devices etc)
That duress pin idea is not good at all and would be bad for the users of GrapheneOS.
Not to want to give too much. Cell phone companies have no issue deactivating an account with a stated text message. Duress kernel can mimic it with other slight of hand displays that the _foot_ will accept as reality.
User lock down versus machine lock down moves to allowing the machine holes to be used for bypassing. User lock down allows for analyzing and patching the machine holes.