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Ask HN: Non-duopoly smart phone in Sweden?

Are there people in Sweden or the EU working towards changing the laws to require critical services (banks, school, health care, and the like) to support privacy-oriented non-Apple/non-Google servers for smart phone use?

I live in Sweden. I do not have a smart phone because I do not agree to the terms of service for the Apple Store or for Google Play, and have the luxury of not needing a smart phone for my life.

It is getting harder because Swish (person-to-person payments) and Mobil BankID are so widely used, while BankID on a computer is not. My gym recently switched from an RFID card to phone QR code to enter, and I get the idea the chain doesn't want to continue to support the handful of people like me without a phone.

A couple of days ago I learned about /e/OS and de-Googled phones. I like the privacy orientation, the EU location of company, and the fact that they haven't been fined 2 billion Euro for abusing monopoly power or found to violate EU privacy laws. I am willing to pay the 800 EUR for a Murena Fairphone 5 ... if I know it will work.

However, BankID says they do not support /e/, and even if it works now, they say all risk is on me if does not work in the future. That is not a risk I want to take. I figure it's easier stay with what I know works than to backtrack in the future.

This requires a political solution. I figure others are working on this. Are there any suggestions for who they are?

Additionally, what laws are in place to require support for those without a smart phone? My barber dropped debit card support in favor of Swish, but still accepts cash. But places are increasingly going cash-free, which may mean Swish-only in the future.

64 points dalke 2 years ago 84 comments

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