Google’s Gemini team is apparently sending out emails about an upcoming change to how Gemini interacts with apps on Android devices. The email informs users that, come July 7, 2025, Gemini will be able to “help you use Phone, Messages, WhatsApp, and Utilities on your phone, whether your Gemini Apps Activity is on or off.” Naturally, this has raised some privacy concerns among those who’ve received the email and those using the AI assistant on their Android devices.
Saying “You’re not alone” is supposed to be a wholesome thing to show someone that you care. Instead, it’s AI companies squeezing as much data out of customers and injecting as much AI into everything they can.
Society really took a wrong turn didn’t it?
In the absence of being able to switch to Graphene (Don’t own a pixel), I’ve done everything I can to replace Google Apps with FOSS alternatives, and disabled Google Assistant on my device entirely.
I know none of that will stop a determined Google eventually fucking with me, but at least I’m trying.
I’m so damned tired of the modern corporate world.
Yet we keep empowering them with every purchase we make and half of the consumer base will never see an issue doing so. Some purchases we have no choice but to make, and that’s where they really have control of our lives. They seized the means of production, distribution and access of things necessary for life and leverage access to those necessities for access to more parts of our private lives. The majority appear to be naive morons who will happily sell all of us down the river for more camera filters and some pretty shoes. Basically, toys. We are losing our rights, our privacy, and control of our lives in exchange for toys…
Consumer activism, by itself, has rarely, if ever, accomplished anything.
The best recent examble was Tesla, but that wasn’t a mere non-buying action. Tesla action involved vandalism and a massive word of mouth campaign.
Basically if we want to fight for a future we believe in, we must stop playing patty cakes and fight like it’s a life and death struggle.
Symbolic resistance is not enough.
Don’t get me wrong, I still avoid buying Nestle products, and have for years, but I know this is not the way to real change.
I want us to stop suggesting consumer activism as a valid pathway to change.
Gemini depends on the Google app, disable it, and it dies.
Have you noticed how the Google app, the one that supposedly just does search and list news articles, has like 400 MB? Over time it accumulated 2GB cache… how?
Apple has been seriously underperforming on their AI strategy.
Really makes it easy to keep using their devices.
My wife has been trying to get me to switch to Apple since Ive had a Droid X years ago. I’ve been on android since. It is time to switch. Probably a lateral move, but Google has gone to absolute shit.
Dammit don’t make me switch to apple phones, I hate apple. I hate Google too but FFS all you need to do is stay out of my way and the one thing you continuously do is stand in my way…
GTFO of my way! Piss off with that AI crap that nobody asked for
An ungoogled android variant has to be a lot lesser of an evil, no?
Problem is that if you have a critical application (like banking) that relies on Google services you’re SOL.
It’s Apple or Google at that point.
Just use the websites instead of the apps.
“Do you guys not have laptops?”
The apple who recently put AI as the core element of their os?
You dont have to switch phones entirely, and you’re better off if you dont. iCrap is still far worse than anything Google is coming out with.
Just switch to a different dialer/phone app to replace “Phone” and a different SMS/MMS app to replace 'Messages". I’ve used “Should I Answer” in the past for my default phone app, and I currently use QKSMS for texting.
This headline format makes me irrationally annoyed.
They shouldn’t be making assumptions about what the reader thinks. It almost feels like they’re planting a bias first and then presenting the facts - instead of just laying things out and letting people make up their own minds.
“We spent a lot of money on this, so you’re going to have it.”
Remember when Google+ was the future?
I wish it had been. Circles were so much better than FB groups etc
I remember. But don’t quote me on that. Actually, I guess no one can quote me on it, it was in a discussion on Google Wave, anyway.
no
Come on people don’t spoil sport this, it was funny!
Just… Disable it. You can switch to the old assistant.
until google decides thats not allowed either
That’ll be the day I switch phones.
If I have to use a walled garden, then I’ll go the OG Apple daddy.
Yup, but for now it’s a solution
I wish I knew how. Did this several times already, it always magically turns back on after a couple of weeks.
Too bad we can’t get a Linux OS.
so this has got me looking at alternative OSs, but it’s all a bit confusing. which one is most mature and would still let me run android apps (I want my bank apps and stuff like that) but is also somewhat de-googled? I appreciate any advice
You would have to test how strict your bank app is.
GrapheneOS, /e/ os, and LineageOS
Would be the first ones I’d reach for.
Few years ago I got a Nest Secure to go with my other Google Nest gear. One day Google emailed me to tell me Assistant was now enabled on my security system. Oh, by the way, it has an undocumented microphone!
That’s when I realized what a privacy nightmare Google really is. I know Apple isn’t great but come on.
“Google is making it easier for Google to pry into your personal data.”
“Water is making it easier for water to make you wet.”
I agree it would be concerning if I allowed Gemini access to my phone. Fuck that. This shit is exactly why I am on GrapheneOS.
Can you tell me about Graphene?
I got bank and government ID apps (manditory. Denmark uses MitID for all government related things), but they require things like locked bootloaders and Google security features.
Would those apps be functional on GrapheneOS?
ew. Tell your government to stop mandating spyware.
Graphene does let you re-lock the bootloader. IIRC, whether an app works depends on whether they require SafetyNet full, or just basic. I have so far only found one app that refuses to work. However… it looks like MitID was recently updated and no longer works.
https://gist.github.com/lbschenkel/4199be415f2a139b64688ae74c92a7fc
Starting on 2024-06-12, MitID have started using Google Play Integrity API during activation. This means that new installations will no longer work in GrapheneOS nor any other non-stock Android, as they are not certified by Google and will not pass the required checks. The app still works (for now) if you managed to get it activated before that date.
I can also recommend CalyxOS. Locked bootloaders, open source emulation of all Google’s play services (meaning an open source binary running on your phone, filtering requests to Google’s servers with absolutely minimal/random info).
Basically I have anonymized access to the play store, and any apps I install other than Google pay work, no issue. ~~I believe even Google’s secure features work. There’s a reddit post about MitID: https://www.reddit.com/r/CalyxOS/comments/w2ordg/a_proven_way_to_use_calyxos_and_banking_apps_etc/~~
E: having read through the technical comments on graphene’s forums, looks like play integrity prevents MitID from running. The service offers free code generators which hang on your keys though.
Do you happen to use android auto? Does that work OK? I could go without, but that’s one integration that’s just got it’s hooks on me hard.
Android auto works on an ungoogled phone last i tried, it does take some tinkering though
Maybe? It depends on what exactly the app checks for. Some apps don’t work because they check if it’s running on the original ROM. It’s hit or miss.
If you can access what you need through the web, you can go that route instead.
It’s best to never use any apps or accounts for your business life on your personal device. I have two phones for this purpose.
