this post was submitted on 07 Jul 2026
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cross-posted from : https://lemmy.zip/post/67481084

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[–] Zak@lemmy.world 136 points 2 months ago (1 children)

updated its mobile apps to no longer support GrapheneOS

This is not accurate. They updated the app to actively block GrapheneOS and other third-party Android builds.

The distinction is critical; unsupported combinations often work.

[–] lka1988@lemmy.dbzer0.com 25 points 2 months ago (3 children)

They updated the app to use the Play Integrity API, which GOS does not meet.

Not that it means anything, of course. GOS is far more secure than Google's laughable excuse of a certification.

[–] grue@lemmy.world 23 points 2 months ago (3 children)

They updated the app to use the "Play Integrity[sic] API," which actively blocks GOS.

"Does not meet" implies there is something reasonable GOS could do to "fix" it, which untrue and misleading. The malice on Google's and Volkswagen's part is an important part of the story.

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[–] gankouskhan@piefed.zip 10 points 2 months ago (2 children)

That is until the official Motorola partnership happens with GoS and Motorola. It's the missing piece for integrity verification as of current listed requirements on Google's documentation. They needed to have first class support from a major OEM. Looking forward to seeing how Google will change that maliciously. This includes attestation.

[–] EvenOdds@lemmy.zip 6 points 2 months ago

The pessimist in me thinks the GrapheneOS Motorola partnership won't happen, Google will put pressure on Motorola and make it fail. I really hope I'm wrong though.

[–] lka1988@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 2 months ago (2 children)

That is until the official Motorola partnership happens with GoS and Motorola. It’s the missing piece for integrity verification as of current listed requirements on Google’s documentation. They needed to have first class support from a major OEM. Looking forward to seeing how Google will change that maliciously. This includes attestation.

Good point, I didn't think about that. It will be very interesting to see what happens.

[–] gankouskhan@piefed.zip 1 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Interesting indeed. I know I'll be buying one pretty much no matter what as long as reasonably priced.

[–] lka1988@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 2 months ago

I'm definitely watching from a distance 😅

[–] Auli@lemmy.ca 1 points 2 months ago (1 children)

It won't they won't meet all the requirements if the partner ship even happens.

[–] lka1988@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 2 months ago

Yeah it's dubious at best. Daniel will probably try to torpedo it somehow.

[–] aquovie@lemmy.cafe 4 points 2 months ago

GOS is far more secure than Google’s laughable excuse of a certification.

Far more secure for the user. Which infringes upon the supreme inalienable rights of corporations.

[–] Eternal192@anarchist.nexus 53 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Companies that don't respect your privacy don't deserve your money either.

[–] fonix232@fedia.io 30 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Problem is, thanks to capitalism, you're no longer choosing from dozens of companies. You're choosing between 2-3 conglomerates that own the dozens of brands. And all conglomerates will do the exact same shit, because they can, and you're left twiddling your thumbs, not choosing between auto manufacturers but between owning a vehicle or not.

[–] N0t_5ure@lemmy.world 6 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Buy used, it's much smarter anyway, as you avoid a lot of depreciation that way.

[–] grue@lemmy.world 14 points 2 months ago

Eventually the supply of used cars that don't do this shit is going to run out.

Stop confusing workarounds for a solution. The only actual solution is political: banning these anti-consumer practices entirely.

[–] Auli@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

So don't purchase anything? Seems kind of hard to do.

[–] Eternal192@anarchist.nexus 1 points 2 months ago

Not really, the used car market is full of options BUT you can't just blindly pick something.

[–] Onomatopoeia@lemmy.cafe 40 points 2 months ago

Hahahaha

Fuck you VW, and your hypocrisy.

Remember Dieselgate anyone?

[–] mrbn@lemmy.ca 34 points 2 months ago (1 children)

This should get interesting when motorola releases a phone with GrapheneOS on it.

[–] floofloof@lemmy.ca 42 points 2 months ago (7 children)

With the number of countries trying to crack down on privacy-focused phone OSs, I'm a little worried Motorola may get cold feet after talking to its lawyers. Has Motorola made any public statement promising these phones are coming?

[–] lostoncalantha@lemmy.world 6 points 2 months ago

Correct take. Corps only care about money and reputation.

[–] EvenOdds@lemmy.zip 2 points 2 months ago

Agreed. As desperate as I am for a genuine OEM GrapheneOS phone, I won't believe it until it actually happens.

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[–] pulsewidth@lemmy.world 32 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (4 children)

This is very odd, agree with the devs. Seems like a very aggressive action and with no reasoning behind it?

I wonder what the real story is.. What had GrapheneOS enabled (or blocked) on user phones that got their executives so pissed they'd explicitly block GrapheneOS users from their apps?

[–] Buffalobuffalo@lemmy.dbzer0.com 14 points 2 months ago

I'm sure we'll get that transparency any minute now. Same transparency I'm waiting for why my work is going for Return-to-office while simultaneously short on desks to return to office.

[–] frongt@lemmy.zip 7 points 2 months ago (1 children)

They changed something in the play integrity or one of those similar libraries. They're not explicitly targeting GrapheneOS, it's affecting some other platforms too. It was also affecting iPhones, but I think they've since fixed that.

[–] pulsewidth@lemmy.world 1 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Maybe, the technical explanation is hopefully forthcoming. The article (which I will concede doesn't seem super professional) explicitly says "banned by Volkswagen", which is what I'm curious about.

[–] frongt@lemmy.zip 11 points 2 months ago (1 children)
[–] pulsewidth@lemmy.world 1 points 2 months ago

Thanks for that! Sounds like SEAT and Cupra (both have Volkswagen Group as their parent companies) are also affected - I wonder when this will spread to other Volkswagen & Porche-owned brands. What a terrible move for consumer choice/security/etc.

[–] Carighan@piefed.world 7 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

It's just stupid oversight, they switched to the Play Store API, which naturally excludes Graphene OS. But mind you this is the same managerial incompetence that brought us the lack of a Volks-Wagen (an affordable car that is) from Volkswagen, withdrawing partially from BEVs just as they get fully embraced and the sales start to accelerate, and of course who could forget the let's be honest fully C-suite ordered Diesel exhaust cheating.

At this point, Volkswagen needs to be shut down and all middle~executive management needs to be prosecuted going back 20 or so years. They're all criminally incompetent and ruined thousands of livelihoods with their negligence.

[–] Auli@lemmy.ca 1 points 2 months ago

They didn't block explicitly Graphene OS.

[–] chicken@lemmy.dbzer0.com 19 points 2 months ago (2 children)

I will never use an app to interface with a car

[–] CoriolisSTORM88@lemmy.world 6 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Good news, you’ve not missed anything. It’s a shit app for the id4 at least.

[–] JustEnoughDucks@slrpnk.net 1 points 2 months ago

Yep when I had my id4, I literally used the home assistant integration over the app itself because my simple dashboard I set up was miles better

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[–] freeman@sh.itjust.works 15 points 2 months ago

We need a ban on checking the manufacturer/supplier of a device/os instead of checking for APIs.

[–] massacre@lemmy.world 13 points 2 months ago

Was literally looking at a new VW the other day while getting some warranty work done (non VW). This news dropped the same day on my Lemmy feed and I said that takes VW out of the running.

[–] db2@lemmy.world 11 points 2 months ago (1 children)

VW is Audi too for those who don't know.

[–] ramble81@lemmy.zip 23 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Volkswagen Auto Group (VAG) is huge. It contains:

  • SEAT
  • Skoda
  • Cupra
  • VW
  • Audi
  • Lamborghini
  • Bently
  • Ducati
  • Porsche
  • MAN
  • International
  • Scania

And that’s just the vehicles.

[–] lka1988@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

I forgot VAG owns International now...

Don't forget about the currywurst sausages! Part number 199 398 500 A

[–] jobbies@lemmy.zip 8 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Thats fine, Volkswagen is hereby banned from my life.

[–] Onomatopoeia@lemmy.cafe 1 points 2 months ago

Already was for me, their cars are worse than American cars. I'd sooner a Ford or Chevy. And I haven't owned an American car in 20 years.

[–] Jaysyn@lemmy.world 7 points 2 months ago (1 children)

That's fine, I wouldn't own a Volkswagen unless it was given to me.

And then I'd sell it.

[–] lka1988@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (2 children)

The only VW I'll own is air-cooled, or equipped with the EA827 (diesel or gas, either is fine).

[–] Jaysyn@lemmy.world 3 points 2 months ago

That's fair, I'd probably keep one of those too.

[–] Onomatopoeia@lemmy.cafe 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Yep, at least those had a reason for being what they are.

Any other VW is garbage.

[–] lka1988@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

TBF, I would love a Mk1 Rabbit GTI (what the Golf was called in the US for a while). Mostly so I can restore it and gift it to my dad. He had a Mk1 GTI long ago, I remember only bits and pieces of it since he sold it when I was little. But he absolutely loved that car.

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