LineageOS and Google talk about approving custom rom for use

LineageOS volunteers are in talks with Google about the possibility of approving LineageOS for use. As a result, apps that use SafetyNet to see whether telephones can be trusted could officially work.

Talks are ongoing, Lineage volunteer luca020400 confirms in a Reddit AMA. “But it is not an easy process and it takes a lot of time, especially for volunteers. In any case, I am happy that Google is looking for solutions,” said the developer.

The question in the AMA arose from one tweet from a Google CEO this spring, who said that testing custom ROMs might be a good idea. “What we may need is a way for custom ROMs to get approval, after they can prove that they pass compliance tests and that they don’t compromise the security model.”

Apps that rely on SafetyNet’s API to check if an Android device is secure now won’t work natively on LineageOS and other custom ROMs, even if those software don’t give users root access. Video streaming apps and banking apps, among others, use the API.