On 2022-04-18 at 19:32 +1000, Simon Wilson wrote: > *Completely* and objectively not true. > > I've run Android phones for many years with a Google account based on > my own personal non-Gmail email. I have never activated or used Gmail, > and at no stage has an Android phone ever tried to force me to use > Gmail. > > When using Android without Gmail, at no stage in the "defaults" or > "preinstalled apps" is this anything other than "enter your Google > account email address and login"-difficult to achieve. > > > > or for a number of other reasons related to other services. > > Without knowing what "other services" you refer to, it's hard to be > specific, but I use a lot of Google services without having a Gmail > account without any difficulties. Which services (specifically) do you > have in mind that are forced to use Gmail?
The systems may not *strictly* require a Gmail account, only a Google account, but that doesn't mean it is not perceived as such. I still remember how, many moons ago (i.e. 20 years back), I was introduced to MSN Messenger¹ and when asking what it required, told that in order to use it I needed a hotmail account. Was it accurate? No. What it actually required was a Microsoft Passport account (later renamed Windows Live ID), which could be added onto an email address by a different provider (something I only learned time later). However, even if it isn't actually a hard requirement, if it is perceived as a requisite to use the software, there is still such effect. Best regards ¹ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MSN_Messenger _______________________________________________ mailop mailing list [email protected] https://list.mailop.org/listinfo/mailop
