The UnifiedPush standard is actually so simple, I don't think a company could even make that proprietary if they wanted to. You need to keep in mind that it's not sending the notification contents but just that there is a notification for a specific app.
I definitely agree that it's best when apps support all methods, so UnifiedPush, running in the background and Firebase (that one just for the Google Play build). That way you can use whatever is best for you.
But there's also UnifiedPush. If apps used that, you could just selfhost that server. A lot of open source apps do use it. I, for example, have a phone with MicroG and I didn't enable cloud messaging. I also have a Nextcloud server, where I installed the UnifiedPush provider and I use NextPush on my phone as the UnifiedPush app. Works great and that way a lot of apps I have don't need to run in the background constantly.
So it backs up system settings, app data and stuff as well, right? But do you just need a PC for that or does it have to be a Mac?
There was actually someone who did that, the repo was called pineapple-src and it was fairly popular
But that's why UnifiedPush exists, an open standard where you can choose what server to use or selfhost it
You're right about the last part, I didn't think about that. But wasn't the whole point of this that you can only backup your system and app data to iCloud? Can you back that up using a computer as well?
Apps running in the background was how it was done before but it drained a lot of battery, which is why it's done this way now. Even KDE is implementing UnifiedPush. Things like the Firefox progress bar notification also don't use this system at all.
If you have a better way to do this, I'd really like to hear it. Also, what additional features are you talking about?
Yeah, it was exactly like that for me too. Bought a few disposables (still have them in my drawer, will probably bring them to the supermarket for recycling at some point) because I didn't want to actually start vaping but realized that I already did.
That's only true for disposable vapes tho and I think a Pfand system, like we have for plastic bottles in Germany, would be a way better idea. People are already illegaly shipping them in from China, banning them won't stop that.
I don't like Google either but this design makes perfect sense. There's a reason UnifiedPush works the same way. It sucks that you can't choose a different server but that's just how Google does things.
Btw, Tachiyomi isn't being developed anymore after the cease and desist they got. The fork that replaced it is Mihon.