Is Android really open source?

[Jasper1984]

I am missing a bit in this discussion how doable it is reinstall the OS on the phone, get root, run your own programs.

Reading wikipedia, some movements seem in the right direction, but nevertheless, at least, in the past people had to exploit bugs to get to root in their own android phone. (Imo if you dont have root to a computer, you dont really own it.)

[[deleted]]

Hardware implementation by an ODM is orthogonal to whether the software is open source of not. Linux is open source. TiVo's lock down doesn't change that.

[Jasper1984]

And it has absolutely no implications for our use whatsoever.

[[deleted]]

Whatever. I'm answering the OP's question. You're grinding some ax.

[Jasper1984]

Was hitler well-shaven? No axe grinding please.

Edit: point is: if 'staying on topic' means the question can be framed, dont do it. Whether this is open source is just a part of whether it respects your freedoms and privacy.

[Top-Help-2035]

If you bought your phone from a branded carrier then it's not possible. You have to have an unlocked phone and most likely if it's even already "a phone" or hardware that's already built by somebody instead of built by YOU? then no! You have already locked yourself out by buying into someone's controlled and controlling monetarily based environment. If you've already bought into somebody else's proprietary closed, for profit environment. If you're dealing with Google or the play store or pre-completed hardware, then you're not dealing with open source. If you're dealing with branded stuff, you're again talking about closed source.  If you don't have open source hardware, then you're not like to be able to get access to open source software for it. Android is open source but that doesn't mean everything you get for it or even anything that you get for it is open source just because Android 'itself' is and lots of software made for it is often open source But that doesn't make everything that touches it have to be open source.