Although Google does everything it can to achieve greater integration between its services and the operating system, the truth is that Android remains open source, and many of its compatible apps also follow that line. The Google store is not the only source of applications available, and those willing to explore other options or manually load APKs can start with this list of ten suggestions..
Behind every Android device there is a Linux kernel, and a part of the open source philosophy. I say "a part" because due to the current rules of the mobile market, no device manages to completely escape the presence of blobs and apps with proprietary code.
That makes us think about concepts like "sandboxes" and "glass palaces", under which the user is given a comfortable and easy-to-use environment, but very inflexible, and not as safe as it should be. A significant number of users decided to reject the idea of running closed code on their smartphones and Android tablets, and seek any viable FOSS alternative. Today we are going to explore ten of them.
F-Droid
The adventure of the open source hunter on Android definitely begins with F-Droid, a store dedicated to all free and open source software that your smartphone or tablet can run. The repositories have a good update frequency, so no sense of "delay" is felt compared to the Google Play Store.
NewPipe
One of the first things the user "loses" when abandoning Google apps is the ability to access YouTube without being forced to use a mobile browser, but NewPipe rescues us by acting as a frontend for the main page. This means it does not depend on the YouTube API, nor on the Google Play Services that often run in the background.
Telegram
The open source hunter must be willing to make certain sacrifices, and one of them is to immediately abandon WhatsApp. The Facebook messenger is anything but open, and all apps that tried to use its protocol were immediately blocked. Telegram is its number one replacement. The servers are proprietary, but the clients are under GPL license.
AFWall+
Escaping the glass palace requires us to be a bit more aware and careful when protecting our devices. The effectiveness of antivirus on Android is still in doubt, but it is not a bad idea to install a firewall, and that is when AFWall+ appears. According to the official page, its code is based on the old DroidWall. It requires root access.
K-9 Mail
In general, each email service suggests that the user access the service with its official application, however, the essence of clients is to control and manage multiple accounts at once, regardless of the provider. With K-9 Mail you can do that. Don't let the reference to Doctor Who keep you from trying it. It works quite well.
OsmAnd
Many people depend on GPS and maps on their smartphones. If we combine that with the open source element, we automatically must turn to OpenStreetMap, and the navigation app OsmAnd. Its offline operation is excellent, so it is not necessary to consume the data plan or keep WiFi activated to access its resources.
Amaze File Manager
It makes no sense to have several gigabytes of storage on mobile devices if file management becomes a nightmare. Fortunately, there are several open source options in this field, and one of them is Amaze File Manager. The app has an aesthetic very similar to Google's Material Design. It is in beta phase, but it does not suffer major problems.
Open Camera
And what if we want to take photographs? Well, as the classic saying goes, there's an app for that, and it's also open source. Open Camera is shaping up to be a complete replacement for the basic app on Android, it brings auto-stabilization functions, records video at all resolutions available on the device, supports HDR, and its interface adapts to left-handed users.
KeePass2Android
The best offline password manager could not remain for long without an Android-compatible variant, and to tell the truth, a trained eye can find three or four at least. One is KeePass2Android, perhaps the most polished in terms of interface, password control, and compatibility with the latest versions of Android.
IceCatMobile
"And why not Firefox?" some readers will ask. After all, you need a browser, and we've known for a while that Firefox is open source. Well... according to F-Droid, the latest versions of Firefox mobile have software that is not free, and track the user. The direct alternative is IceCatMobile, the "rebranding" of Firefox by GNU.
I think with this list we have developed a very solid foundation for a more open Android experience, and without so much dependence on the traditional store. Suggestions? Corrections? The comments are open. Good luck!.
