Not for long. Android phones (with Google Play Services) will soon require some degree of authentication to sideload applications, once that happens then those phones will only have the barest of features available without a Google account.

For the average person, including buying apps, this simply isn't a reality.

And Google will now be throwing up massive "OMG! You're going to install an app that isn't from the Play Store?!" warnings to anyone that tries, including requiring some degree of technical skill to do so.

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45908938

You can nitpick this, but the truth is my comments are about the average user, and from that perspective, factually accurate.

The AOSP exists. You're just wrong, regardless of what arbitrary goalpost the average person considers accessible.

From my post:

An Apple account, or a Google account is required to use an iphone or pixel in its default config, and all the features it entails.

Are you suggesting Google is selling Pixels with pure AOSP? Context counts.

>> regardless of what arbitrary goalpost the average person considers accessible.

You stated I was wrong. I am, and was not. This is because I have contextually stated that I am referring to the average person's reality.

I was specific in this point, because yes aosp exists. If you want to discuss conditions outside of those I mentioned, that does not make me wrong.

Instead, that means you are discussing something else.

Aosp existing does not mean the average person may or even can use it. This matters, for consumer protection is aimed at the 99.9%.. not 0.1%.

One sad example, many banking apps won't work without firebase and google play. You cannot, as an average user, even find such apps without the Play store.

A play account, or apple account has serious gatekeeping ramifications for the average person.

Pretending otherwise is ignoring reality.

It lets them win.

I do.