cross-posted from: https://programming.dev/post/17508868
When Google, along with a consortium of other companies, announced the open-source operating system we call Android way back in 2007, the world was paying attention. The iPhone had launched the same year, and the entire mobile space was wary of the rush of excitement around the admittedly revolutionary device. AOSP (Android Open Source Project) was born, and within a few years Android swallowed up market share with phones of all shapes and sizes from manufacturers all over the globe. Android eventually found its way into TVs, fridges, washing machines, cars, and the in-flight entertainment system of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
When AOSP was first released, it included all necessary app. Now many of them have been replaced by Google's proprietary app.
There is also the Play Services, necessary for many third party apps. I know an open source compatible lib exists, but it's not the same as not needing it at all.
Yes you can use a fully Open Source Android system, but it's getting farer and farer from a "standard" Android install with all the Google proprietary stuff.