I think the interest isn’t from the intended audience, but rather from those looking for ANY alternative to Google/Apple and have bene told by various sources that one of these “Linux phones” respects their privacy or doesn’t block apps based on politics.

I feel that middle points such as LineageOS or /e/os aren’t discussed in the same manner, and for various reasons arent looked at in the same light as a “Linux phone.”

Given the above I find it to be no surprise that many (the majority) of PinePhone buyers/fans/onlookers have no interest or skill to improve the device or service: they’re here because they’re fedup by some part of the current status quo and don’t want to wait for a more mature offering (which by the way would negate a lot of Martin’s initial complaints).

Speaking of, I’m assuming that something happened to set this post in motion, there’s only so much one Dev can take afterall. But I don’t have any answers, other than to point out that the devices keep selling out so people are putting their money where their mouth is - they (buyers) just cant back it up with continued support.

I’ve seen the Android rom/APk asks, and it puzzles me too. But then I remember that most are looking for some form of privacy, even if the data in the end still goes to the same place they’ll feel better that the “phone isn’t from Google” and don’t care if Linux was the focus of the device they’re interested in.

His features vs stability comments also fit this perspective imo, there is a “baseline” that a lot of buyers comer into the project expecting and would rather see it met than to have work be finished or have things done in a replicatable manner. I started to write more on this but on second thought feel that if upstream ability(?) was kept at the fore then having so many releases would be less of an issue.

Taken as a whole it’s a good post even if I don’t necessarily agree with the cut of its jibe, I suppose we (device owners) can only try to do better/help in what manner is able to us.

Side note: the Librem 5 vs PinePhone fight was inevitable, I agree that both need/use the other even if I have a hard dislike for Purisms marketing and word choice in some of their material.

Thanks for this, I had some of this completed already but didn’t know about AppOpsX - that piece helped a lot for my peace of mind (as I like my device otherwise quite a bit).