So this is the Questions and Answers forum, I think this is a question a lot of people want to ask.
Is face unlock on custom roms dead?
OnePlus, from what I can gather, won't release their face unlock code in case competitors use the improvements they have, so that can't be used in custom roms.
Google has killed the face smart lock method and apparently won't be bringing it back so we don't have that method to introduce face unlock.
What is left?
Google is starting to annoy me by introducing technology and software which will only work on their phones, their hardware. That's not what Android is supposed to be, it's open source software. The software and technology should be available to all. Did Google really kill the face unlock so they can keep it within their new radar based unlock? If so, isn't that anti-competitive?
If this is what we're going to be left with then someone has to budge. Either OnePlus, Google or both collectively.
I think you are mixing things a little bit here. The android system is open source, yes. The Google apps that come preinstalled with every devices are proprietary. Without those apps android would be useless for 97% of the people, believe me. Google knows that and uses the data provided by the user with ads, analytics and other paid offers. Imagine all of this would be open source. Google would lose a lot of income within months. They will never do that.
Vendors like OnePlus add their own stuff to the cake like fingerprint quick actions or face unlock. Those pieces of software ship with the device and are major selling points as well. Google needs to sell pixel phones. They gave them software additions like now playing in the past and now the enhanced face unlock. Maybe other phones will ship with a similar biometric setup and Google allows face unlock there or it will never come back.
Isn't Google anti-competitive? Dude. They already paid billions for being "anti-competitive", have you never noticed? Just Google (there they are again. Funny, isn't it?) "google fine eu"..
Seems that way. :/ It's rather annoying, esp since the inscreen fingerprint sensor won't work with a privacy screen.
Hi,
I am inquiring about the possibility of having stripped down Android version, along with our special engineering app, be made into an image that can be cloned to about 200 tablets. The app will run in Android 10 but it may need some tweaking. We have the source code from our developer.
There is no need for all parts of the Google experience with exception of the browser, mail and Google drive. Connectivity via wifi and bluetooth is required and all bloatware including games must be eliminated.
We have a deal with Lenovo for the tablets. So model number will be available when we purchase them.
We have no concerns with breaking Lenovo warranty with regards to rooting the tablets. We would be glad if they weere.
We also need something that we could use to clone the images over to the tablets before we ship them.
Thank you.
Google discusses security and how it fortified the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro
Ahead of its release, Google discussed the impressive security features that are available on the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro.
www.xda-developers.com
October 11, 2022 7:22pm Comment Timi Cantisano
Google discusses security and how it fortified the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 ProThe Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro are finally arriving to eager consumers tomorrow, and before their official retail release, Google has shed light on some of the phones’ security features, showing how the company took extra steps to build devices that protect users and their sensitive data.
Smartphones have become a big part of our daily lives, filled with personal photos, apps for education and entertainment, and even sensitive data like passwords, health information, and more. Because of this, Google outfitted the Pixel 7 series with its next-generation Tensor G2 processor and a custom Titan M2 security chip that offers layers of hardware protection to keep your data safe. The security that the chips offer is great for everyday use, but they’re also powerful enough to be used in business applications.
Google is confident in its Titan M2 security chip — so much so that the company had it certified under Common Criteria PP0084, a security standard that is used for ID and SIM cards, EMV-equipped bank cards, and other applications. In order to gain this certification, Google had its hardware tested by a third party, in which it received certification against CC PP0084 with AVA_VAN.5, the highest level of vulnerability assessment. This was a pretty painful process, as the company states that it took more than three years to achieve this certification.
The firm also made advancements in how it processes data with its Protected Computing initiative revealed during Google I/O in May, which it applied to the Pixel 7 devices. Even though Google does offer a lot of security through its hardware and software advancements, the company understands that it’s also important to give users the freedom of choice when it comes to the security experience by offering different options when it comes to user safety.
In addition to the above, Google takes things a step further by offering an extra layer of security by providing its own Virtual Private Network (VPN) service through Google One. The service encrypts network traffic and masks the user’s original IP address. This feature will come standard for Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro owners later this year without any extra costs, giving users another option to protect themselves when browsing the web using cellular data, personal Wi-Fi, or public hotspots. The service will be offered to users as long as the phones receive security updates.
Of course, we can’t forget about Android 13, which will also provide multiple layers of protection of its own on top of what we have already discussed. While the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro are quite secure, they will eventually get even better, especially with Feature Drops, monthly security updates, and yearly OS upgrades. For its latest devices, Google has promised at least five years of security updates and at least three years of OS updates. If you are curious about either handset, you can now pre-order them with excellent incentives or wait for the retail release on October 13.
Source: Google Security Blog
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I wonder how the security measures will affect root and getting certain modules to work in magisk.
rester555 said:
I wonder how the security measures will affect root and getting certain modules to work in magisk.
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I doubt if it will at all, especially root itself, but we'll see.
rester555 said:
I wonder how the security measures will affect root and getting certain modules to work in magisk.
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I don't see anything new for the Pixel 7. The Pixel 6 is equipped with the same "titan m2".
The only other thing it talks about is the free access to "google vpn", which is just a software thing, and which instead of improving your security, will actually DIMINISH your security. Fact of the matter is that Google is THE ONE entity that you most need security in order to protect yourself FROM, so rather than having a few fringe connections sending data from your phone to google, now you get to feed ALL of your data through them. That's BAD. Remember: If its free, then YOU ARE THE PRODUCT.
Absolutely agreed about the VPN. I will use my own VPN. This is why I have pixel, to de-google my phone.
rester555 said:
Absolutely agreed about the VPN. I will use my own VPN. This is why I have pixel, to de-google my phone.
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I don't de-Google, but I believe their VPN only works on mobile data, too, and of course is very limited in capability. I use my own, too.
roirraW edor ehT said:
I don't de-Google, but I believe their VPN only works on mobile data, too, and of course is very limited in capability. I use my own, too.
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Actually it says it works on WiFi hotspots too so it's probably an always on VPN so Google can get more information about us directly into their servers.
I will stick with my trusty VPN.ac that I've had since 2016.
EtherealRemnant said:
Actually it says it works on WiFi hotspots too so it's probably an always on VPN so Google can get more information about us directly into their servers.
I will stick with my trusty VPN.ac that I've had since 2016.
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I don't think it's always on by default, but interesting about Wi-Fi, I'll have to test it again (I have since paying for Google One).
Android has a built-in method to enable always on for any VPN app. I use it with my own VPN, and I notice Google's VPN in the list of VPNs available to enable always on, first.
It's actually a clunky method to enable and disable always on for a particular VPN, if you want to enable and disable that capability often enough. I usually only want it on for certain kinds of activities. They need to implement a quick setting toggle to enable and disable always on for whatever VPN app you have set.
I have a Google One subscription that may require me to upgrade to the next tier as storage under the plan is slowly becoming full. This makes me think about options to keep my costs to the minimum, while keeping my photos secure in the cloud.
To be clear, Google Photos is indispensable for me for the following reasons:
1. I have multiple devices and Google Photos allows me to access my camera roll and screenshots on all my devices.
2. Google Photos is secure. I'm sure they have multiple backups (I believe 3) and several layers of security built-in to prevent hackers and other bad actors from taking control of my files.
3. I don't have the expertise to host my own local server in a secure manner. Hosting a personal server is much more than simply buying hardware.
Google Pixel
This is one device that I always shortlist, but then I end up choosing another brand for the following reasons:
1. Stock Android is too basic for my taste. It lacks several very useful features that other OEM implementations of Android offer.
2. Stock Android may lack bloatware, but it doesn't translate into better performance or battery life. The so-called 'clean' nature doesn't offer the benefits that one would expect from it.
3. Google Pixel offers one of the best cameras on a smartphone. But so does Samsung, and flagships from other brands are great alternatives too. One needs the camera to capture great photos and videos, and not necessarily the absolute best, which also has a subjective element to it. A smartphone is much more than its cameras. And with GCam available for most devices, it reduces the need for a Pixel even more due to its cameras.
4. Google Pixel offers some advanced editing features. Since these are also available for Google One subscribers, they are of no additional use to me.
5. Offline voice transcription: This is probably the only Pixel exclusive feature, but then not many care about it.
6. Fast software updates: This doesn't actually make anyone's life better.
Google One Subscription
1. The plans are reasonably priced. Buying an old Pixel (Pixel 5 or older) to get unlimited storage on Google Photos doesn't make much financial sense. It would take a minimum of 10 years to recover the initial investment, and the phone may become too old by the end of that period. The effort required to transfer all media to the Pixel and then upload it to Google Photos is just not worth it. See the 1st comment below to see why it makes good sense to backup using a Pixel 5 or older Pixel phone.
2. Google One subscribers have access to the same editing tools that is available on the Google Pixel.
3. Google One storage can be shared with 5 other Google accounts, very useful if these are family members.
Custom ROMs for non-Pixel devices
I'm told Pixel Experience ROM (and some other custom ROMs and mods) allow for spoofing the device details to make Google Photos believe that the device is a Pixel, thereby unlocking unlimited storage on Google Photos.
I'm still looking at the Pros and Cons of this method.
CONCLUSION
It doesn't make any sense to buy a Pixel device (Pixel 5 or older) just to unlock unlimited storage on Google Photos. Since Google isn't offering unlimited storage for Pixel 6 and newer devices, this makes Google Pixel a bad choice of smartphone for most users. See the comment below to know why backing up using a Pixel 5 or older Pixel phone is very beneficial over the long term.
I missed one very important advantage of using a Pixel device for backups:
Assuming that it takes 10 years of Google One subscription to recover the cost of the Pixel phone purchased today, i.e. the break-even period is 10 years, one must remember that the hundreds of GBs of pictures and videos over this period will continue to be stored for free for life (if backed up using a Pixel device), but one has to continue paying a fat subscription for these files for the rest of life with a Google One subscription.
This makes backing up using a Pixel 5 or older Pixel phone a financially sound decision over the long term.
It was only a matter of time before this spyware from Apple made its way to Android.
Samsung devices to get ‘power off finder’ feature: Track your Galaxy when powered off
Apple devices can be tracked even when powered off. This crazy feature appears to be coming to Android soon as Google reportedly begins preparation. Samsung Galaxy devices may also receive the ‘Power Off Finder’ feature to let the owner track even when turned off. According to 91mobiles, Google...
www.sammyfans.com
Here's another interesting information:
Qualcomm chips found to collect and transmit user information
https://www.gizmochina.com/2023/04/29/qualcomm-chips-found-collect-transmit-user-information/
Hi! I’m looking for a phone that can record phone calls, many phones banned that function on system level, can you please give me some tips? (Chinese brands or China versions excluded)
momokokawaii said:
Hi! I’m looking for a phone that can record phone calls, many phones banned that function on system level, can you please give me some tips? (Chinese brands or China versions excluded)
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Without Chinese brands, you have pretty limited yourself to Samsung and Google Pixel.
Samsung phones come with call recording by default, but only in supported regions (Europe is not supported). You may be able to enable the feature by changing the CSC (Country Specific Code) of your phone to that of a supported region. There are tutorials online and on YouTube that show you how to do it. You may check them out.