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@Hawkmoon
What is? It's just an alternative repo ("store") for opensource apps — stock app is not the only way to access it, here is the app I use: https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.machiav3lli.fdroid/
Works just fine on Android 12.1
Most apps have lower minimum API level on purpose so that users of older releases of Android can use them too, it has nothing to do with being insecure or based on old code, modern versions of Android are backward compatible with older APIs.
@fdroidorg
Oh, I see. Some guy on YT was calling it unsafe.
Pushing people to use something called Droidify.
I learned about all of this today, so. I don't really know that much.
I just wanted to see your comments on his claim would be.
@Hawkmoon
Well, it is less safe *in theory* but for other reasons — just because you have allowed apps to be installed from one more source, other than Play Store.
It all boils down to whom you trust more, I don't trust my phone's maker so I use an alternative ROM, bootloader of my phone is unlocked — which is a huge security no-no. I also don't really trust Google so my ROM doesn't have Play Store or Play services installed.
@Hawkmoon Experts talk about security all the time, but most users don't even follow security best practices and no amount of security measures built into their phone will make them 100% secure. I know that is I lose my phone, in theory, it would be possible to retrieve all data off it — and it's always best to assume that because it's a matter of how much effort one is willing to put into accessing your data: petty thief doesn't care about it at all, he just wants the device itself…
@Hawkmoon …and even full disk encryption won't make it secure against 3 letter agencies.
So… I just don't store any sensitive data on my phone😂
And I know that if I lose it, I'd have to change passwords to all accounts I've been using on it — that's it.
As for remote exploits — no, using F-droid or AOSP-based ROM doesn't make you less secure — as code is open, it gets audited by security researchers all the time, if some serious vulnerability gets discovered, it gets fixed in opensource SW too.