The solution here is to reject Google devices and switch to AOSP-derived distributions like Graphene and Lineage that patch out such arbitrary restrictions. You can buy a Pixel (ironically), flash GrapheneOS, and enjoy a phone that runs most Android apps without giving Google any of your data.

They're slowly tightening the screws on alternative Android builds as well. Most recently they removed distribution of factory builds for Pixels, which are used for figuring out drivers and such.

Until the government labels the use of Graphene as suspicious behavior, dragnets all alternative OS supporters, and wiretaps communications solely based on the fact that "'terrorists' use GrapheneOS".

Eventually we see a Chat Control esque law outright banning unapproved operating systems or unlocking devices. The authoritarian ratchet turns slowly but steadily, even as you sleep.

And all of the big tech corps support this vision of the future. Apple, Google Microsoft, Meta... They all release locked-down hardware and software, and have so far been on board with the convergence towards unmodifiable trusted computing. This may accelerate as local AI inference becomes commonplace and CorpGov demands unmodifiable safety controls that mediate the use of onboard models.

Last time I tried, things like my banking app didn't work.

What's the situation now? Because without those it's unfortunatly useless to me.

this solution is not available to the majority of people. ok, well, they could buy a phone from china with a chinese android version. but i don't know if i would want that either.