this post was submitted on 25 Jan 2026
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It's not flashing a custom ROM. It is installing an OS of users choice. Enemy's language shouldn't be used if we want things to change
This is why "side load" is annoying to me. It's installing. It is not special or different. They aren't "blocking side loading" they're "restricting what you can install."
I'm 100% okay with how my Samsung Galaxy handles it: You access the Developer mode by pressing on the phone info screen in the settings for several seconds, and then there's a switch that allows execution of random .apk files.
"Yes, do as I say."
There was talk about Google changing this, but I'm not sure if that was something that would only affect Pixel phones or all of Android as an ecosystem. Well, to be specific, the change is to not let people run unsigned APKs at all and devs can only get them signed by giving their identification to Google.
I think they're testing out different regions to see if they'll get sued before trying to do this globally
Still custom as it's not the default
Installing linux on your Dell that came with Windows isn't "Installing a custom OS."
Not IMO for phones but hey, it's a free world ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
You've been trained well.
Bruh.
What makes it "custom"? If you install Linux on a laptop that comes with Windows pre-installed, is Linux then a custom OS it's not being a default? Why phones are any different? Calling it custom you play to the manufacturers pockets making it sound shady and unofficial giving them right to take the control from the customers devices. Soon we won't own anything we buy.
I've never thought a custom ROM sounded shady.
To me it was always, "we only have vanilla or chocolate on the menu, but if you're willing to risk bricking your phone, you can get cookies and cream."
I picked cookies and cream.
On PC it is usually called "other"
To me it feels more like a full appliance as it's not even intended primarily to install anything else.
But I can also see your point as a valid argument.
Because for phones they kinda are custom. The smartphone hardware landscape is an absolute clusterfuck of proprietary blobs and closed source drivers and all sorts of shit that makes it so you need a lot of work to customize the base os to work on any particular device. ROMs have rather short lists of compatible phones, and each one of those had to have a build specifically developed for them. You can't take, say, grapheneos and slap it on any phone you like.
The same applies to every pre-installed OS. They are all customized from AOSP, but only third-party operating systems are called such. That was my point there.