It struck me that if Huawei does it half right, next year's Huawei phones could offer the Holy Grail of an Android phone without Big Brother Google knowing your every move. Personally, I don't care if it tells Beijing, I'm not likely to be there anytime soon. I don't believe it does tell Beijing, btw. But I would be rid of the persistent logging of every minute detail. If I break wind, google wants to know so it can advertise all appropriate medications :-/.

I don't really think Huawei is working on their own Android version. It claims to be "Android Compatible". Android is open-source but it is still "Google Owned". They would need to create they're own OS to get rid of Google.

I think the Android/iPhone monopoly is about over. Librem 5 is not much of a worry yet. But the PinePhone sure could be. The mobile Linux operating system development is really accelerating fast recently.

Just get a phone that allows rooting without hacks and flash it with something privacy oriented

must admit that, while I have another brand of phone in mind as my next (who offer dual-boot Linux) I think along similar lines. I distrust my own and the US government more than I worry about Beijing even noticing me.
Well, Android may be Google owned but if you have the source and are willing to go to the effort no reason why you could not "roll your own" non spy version.

The Nexus 5 (which I still use as a second phone running Lineage) was a Google phone made by Huawei ....
The damn thing probably got confused sending all my data all over the globe ....

I can think of two good reasons: Lack of programming expertise and inertia. The fact that one hand disqualifies me from the Home_Volume_Power button press to reprogram the thing. It's theoretically possible but I haven't managed it.

Besides, I like Android's software suite, and if I break compatibility with that, things like WhatsApp goes.

my apologies, perhaps I ought to have used "one" rather than "you" or, indeed I should have used "they".
I see no reason why rebuffed manufacturers in countries which excel in tech could not produce a version of Android not made for the purpose of making Google shareholders rich and giving US(etc,) governments a way in to anything they want.

So I'll await next year's Huawei offerings with interest. My S7 Edge will still fetch money, Huawei will probably be realistically priced, and Beijing will hardly be as intrusive as Google

Moved: This thread is more suitable in <General> and has been moved accordingly to help your thread/question get the exposure it deserves.

Thanks. I forget where I posted it. Anyhow, moving it seemed to kill it off :-P. Folks had probably added what they wanted to anyhow.

Sure, as long as you don't say anything about Tibet, Tiananmen Square, Hong Kong, etc, Beijing won't care about you. I heard from a friend, who visited as a tourist, that you get an immediate notification on your phone when you jaywalk, thanks to the ubiquitous cameras. So if you think Google is intrusive, make sure never to visit China.

Don't worry, I won't be visiting. I have a son who spent a few weeks in Northern China. He was visiting his friend who has been 10 years helping in a seriously banned religion there. As foreigners, they'd just be thrown out if caught, but the locals are looking at lengthy jail terms. We're pretty re-education proof, so I'm sure they have tried that & given up. It's one of the places we get no news about. We don't even officially acknowledge we have any presence there. But there is a list of 45 countries where our work is banned & reports are incomplete. China is in there.

?

But since China Military and Intelligence funds those phones. Plus Military intelligence is part of the employee base.

I guess you get the surveillance you pay for. Instead of the free surveillance already offered by everyone else.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoff.../#4cd57df87208

https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoff.../#3d0b13544b24

Thanks, but no thanks. Funny though. Everything is made in China when it comes to phones. Go figure. Probably more going on than I know of. So I may just spouting from a keyboard. Ignorant like.

Unless China is unhappy with the country they're from, e.g., https://www.crisisgroup.org/who-we-a...michael-kovrig

while it's possible I doubt they'd bother trying to extradite you for anything though. The US, however...