That's the point I'm making though, Windows phone failed because it could run apps people expect, and that's the same blocker for Linux on mobile. Yes, there are more apps than Windows phone ever had, but usability is just not there. Last time I tried Linux on mobile UX was frankly atrocious. Unless things improved drastically, I really can't see how it replaces GrapheneOS. I can imagine Android UI layer being ported to regular Linux though.

And Fairphone is promising, and hopefully it gets big enough for companies to pay attention to it. But if they end up just having their own store it's not going to be terrible useful for people wanted to use stuff like GrapheneOS.

To be clear, I'd love it if Linux or GrapheneOS started getting more traction. My current daily driver is a Pixel 9 with GrapheneOS, and it's the best experience I've had using a phone.

And this was idk how many years ago.

There's your answer. No one cares anymore.

Windows phone failed because it could run apps people expect

That combined with being a locked-down platform, which is a big difference with the open source OSes to people who want to make the most use out of their phone, technical or not.

Unless things improved drastically, I really can’t see how it replaces GrapheneOS.

Right now it doesn't, but GrapheneOS is held hostage by Google until a group of people decide they want to hard fork AOSP even though Linux already exists. Google has become increasingly negligent with AOSP which is not a good sign for the future of either platform. Hard forking would involve maintaining most of an OS and fighting Google constantly if they want to maintain Android app compatibility, whereas the Linux ecosystem is already maintained and work for it improves both desktop and mobile so it just needs UX improvements to be a solid alternative.

My current daily driver is a Pixel 9 with GrapheneOS, and it’s the best experience I’ve had using a phone.

Right now I use a Pixel 6 Pro and it's also my best experience but I'm pissed that it's EOL now and I don't want to spend $1000 on another mediocre Google-ecosystem phone with no expandable storage.

1. Embrace open source
2. Extend services into proprietary layers (Google Play Services)
3. Extinguish third party development

We're entering the final phase of Microsoft's famous EEE strategy from the 90s.

If people aren't going to put effort into avoiding proprietary platforms, then the duopoly won't change and nothing gets achieved there either

EDIT: Also this is about functionality not morality, proprietary platforms are functionally restrictive which is what makes them problematic in this situation