I love the PinePhone. It is an amazing project, and I'm definitely considering buying one. However, it does not solve my main problem. For most scenarios I still need a "normal" smartphone with either iOS or Android. Apps like WhatsApp and banking apps are unfortunately needed for a large part of my daily life. At risk of either socially isolating myself or bringing major inconveniences without having them. All unavailable outside of the walled gardens.
I really want the PinePhone to be a solution here, but unfortunately I know it isn't.
>Apps like WhatsApp and banking apps are unfortunately needed for a large part of my daily life
That is the opposite of what they want. Do you think whatsapp and a banking app will allow installations that let them track users less? With banking I can sort of understand it, they have to protect the lowest denominator (reused password, no 2fa), so barring different installation methods that are used for "anonymous" purposes I can sort of understand the reasoning behind.
but something like whatsapp where the main commodity is your data? Hardly their priority.
The (not cost effective) solution is to carry both.
Shut off the 'normal' smart phone when you don't need it (for banking or what have you).
Use the web version of Whatsapp (https://web.whatsapp.com/) if you must use it. You could even consider having a WhatsApp specific phone if you have an older model that you've upgraded from that contains no other data.
I do similar. Just use my previous Android (eg Pixel2) with the apps on it and my current phone (Pixel3) is trimmed (disable what you can, no apps but Firefox). I leave the 2 in a known safe location.
Not a 100% solution but is dead simple and better than 0%
A way to mitigate this is to just accept having multiple devices. This doesn't solve issues like unaccountable microphones, but does give you at least one device that you do control and the no-nonsense software benefits that brings.
I'm at the point in my life where I don't really need proprietary apps on the go, so my "full take" device is a tablet that mostly stays home.
My bank’s app is essentially a wrapper around their mobile site. I can’t think of any specific features it has that require it to be an app, both technically, and in their implementation.
Check deposit may be the only feature not available in the mobile site. It’s certainly not a technical requirement that they can’t implement that though.
Probably the most noticable feature of banking apps that I've noticed is real-time payment authorization.
Sometimes when making a card payment online (not necessarily on the phone), my phone shows a notification from the app asking me to confirm the transaction.
Ah, I hadn’t thought of that. Several of my credit cards have that same feature and it never shows up until I leave the US and don’t have connectivity and get locked out of my card.
I really want the PinePhone to be a solution here, but unfortunately I know it isn't.