Google shifting to “upstream first” Linux kernel approach for Android features
I am afraid it does not matter any more, at least not for practical software freedom.Most Android devices these days have bootloaders that cannot be unlocked, preventing device owners from installing custom kernel images onto their devices. And even if you have a phone where that isn't true, Google's SafetyNet will prevent you from using many crucial applications, like your bank's Android app, on that handset.It's an awful situation for people who would rather install software provided by a third party onto their hardware (due to not trusting the device manufacturer enough to only include software in their best interest, which is a very reasonable stance in my book), but I don't think there's a way out any more.