Regardless of the distribution, would it be possible to have a phone that can be simplified to include only the features you want? For example, I would only want a calendar, notes, a calculator, calls and messages. I wouldn’t want a browser, an app store or any other way to easily install them. Is this possible on a Linux mobile distro? Does it require a lot of work, like making a specific distro for it?

Linux feels like a great option for this because it can leave enough freedom to dumb down what you don’t need while also keeping a big level of customization, not everyone needs are the same regarding to dumbphones

  • tomalley8342@lemmy.world
    8·
    2 mesi fa

    The fact that you don’t want an easy way to install apps outside of the initial deployment but (presumably) want an easy way to update your pre-existing apps would probably give you some trouble because they usually come from the same source. There are ways to blocklist or whitelist packages on some package managers but the specific details depends on the package manager.

    • AndrewZabar@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      2 mesi fa

      I have an Lposed module that you can indicate which apps you want to block updates for so they don’t get updated, regardless what any given shop tries. Easier than toggling it off for all those specific apps within each of Fdroid, Droidify, and Aurora.

      There’s also Obtanium that lets you do updates a different way as well.

      As for removing apps you can do so on any brew as long as you have root privileges. Sometimes you can even without, via ADB unless they’ve prevented it.

      So I mean basically Linux phone doesn’t really need to be used as a way of making this an easier thing to accomplish. Root is right away the ultimate solution, and a custom ROM even better.

  • Zak@lemmy.world
    3·
    2 mesi fa

    Yes, it’s possible. Some things might be challenging, like keeping the system up to date without the user having access to an app repository, but it’s possible e.g. by running a script as a cron job.

    Whether it’s a good idea is harder to say. Linux distributions for phones are not especially mature and polished compared to desktop Linux. You might get better advice if you explain why you want to do this and who the intended user is.

  • utopiah@lemmy.ml
    2·
    2 mesi fa

    Yes, I have a PinePhone and PinePhone Pro both with PostMarketOS so doing this is as easy as few sudo apk add packagename or sudo apk del firefox.

    Now… if you want a daily driver then as few others hinted at, it’s much harder. I would instead, if deGoogle Android is an acceptable compromise for you, get a 2nd hand Pixel 8 or above, install GrapheneOS on it, remove the browser and that’s pretty much it already since it doesn’t come with an app store or equivalent. Well, there’s the GrapheneOS equivalent but there are ~10 apps on it at most last time I checked.

  • uKale@lemmy.world
    1·
    2 mesi fa

    You could do something like that with Ubuntu Touch, but why waste the battery life and money on a smart phone when you can do this with a feature phone?

      • uKale@lemmy.world
        1·
        2 mesi fa

        That makes sense. On Ubuntu Touch (if you find a compatible device) you could just delete the apps you don’t want and keep the rest.

        Two issues I can think of is updating the apps that you do keep without the app store - I’m not sure there’s an easy way to do that. Maybe transfer the new package via cable or ssh (as you’ve also uninstalled the browser) and install it via the command line? The other issue could be uninstalling system apps. I haven’t tried that myself, but I have heard of others doing it and breaking things.