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Best 1:1 google app replacements with privacy & functionality

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  Best 1:1 google app replacements with privacy & functionality Marion <marion@facts.com> - 2025-08-22 20:07 +0000
    Re: Best 1:1 google app replacements with privacy & functionality Jim Jackson <jj@franjam.org.uk> - 2025-08-22 21:29 +0000
      Re: Best 1:1 google app replacements with privacy & functionality Martin Schöön <martin.schoon@gmail.com> - 2025-09-05 07:02 +0000
        Re: Best 1:1 google app replacements with privacy & functionality Martin Schöön <martin.schoon@gmail.com> - 2025-09-05 15:52 +0000
          Re: Best 1:1 google app replacements with privacy & functionality Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2025-09-05 18:28 +0000
            Re: Best 1:1 google app replacements with privacy & functionality "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2025-09-05 20:50 +0200
    Re: Best 1:1 google app replacements with privacy & functionality Qihe <Q@invalid.invalid> - 2025-08-23 01:04 +0200
      Re: Best 1:1 google app replacements with privacy & functionality Marion <marion@facts.com> - 2025-08-23 02:28 +0000
        Re: Best 1:1 google app replacements with privacy & functionality Marion <marion@facts.com> - 2025-08-23 09:26 +0000
          Re: Best 1:1 google app replacements with privacy & functionality Qihe <Q@invalid.invalid> - 2025-08-23 12:37 +0200
            Re: Best 1:1 google app replacements with privacy & functionality Marion <marion@facts.com> - 2025-08-23 16:49 +0000
              Re: Best 1:1 google app replacements with privacy & functionality Marion <marion@facts.com> - 2025-08-23 17:55 +0000
        Re: Best 1:1 google app replacements with privacy & functionality Qihe <Q@invalid.invalid> - 2025-08-23 13:30 +0200
          Re: Best 1:1 google app replacements with privacy & functionality Marion <marion@facts.com> - 2025-08-24 03:50 +0000
            Re: Best 1:1 google app replacements with privacy & functionality Qihe <Q@invalid.invalid> - 2025-08-26 01:43 +0200
              Re: Best 1:1 google app replacements with privacy & functionality Marion <marion@facts.com> - 2025-08-26 03:42 +0000
      Re: Best 1:1 google app replacements with privacy & functionality Arno Welzel <usenet@arnowelzel.de> - 2025-08-26 13:07 +0200
    Re: Best 1:1 google app replacements with privacy & functionality "s|b" <me@privacy.invalid> - 2025-08-23 19:39 +0200
      Re: Best 1:1 google app replacements with privacy & functionality Marion <marion@facts.com> - 2025-08-24 03:28 +0000
        Re: Best 1:1 google app replacements with privacy & functionality Jeff Layman <Jeff@invalid.invalid> - 2025-08-24 08:39 +0100
    Re: Best 1:1 google app replacements with privacy & functionality Arno Welzel <usenet@arnowelzel.de> - 2025-08-26 13:06 +0200
      Re: Best 1:1 google app replacements with privacy & functionality Marion <marion@facts.com> - 2025-08-27 05:28 +0000
        Re: Best 1:1 google app replacements with privacy & functionality Arno Welzel <usenet@arnowelzel.de> - 2025-08-29 18:51 +0200
          Re: Best 1:1 google app replacements with privacy & functionality Marion <marion@facts.com> - 2025-08-31 10:35 +0000
            Re: Best 1:1 google app replacements with privacy & functionality Arno Welzel <usenet@arnowelzel.de> - 2025-09-01 10:48 +0200
              Re: Best 1:1 google app replacements with privacy & functionality Marion <marion@facts.com> - 2025-09-01 16:24 +0000
                Re: Best 1:1 google app replacements with privacy & functionality Arno Welzel <usenet@arnowelzel.de> - 2025-09-06 15:15 +0200
                  Re: Best 1:1 google app replacements with privacy & functionality Marion <marion@facts.com> - 2025-09-06 18:07 +0000
      Re: Best 1:1 google app replacements with privacy & functionality Qihe <Q@invalid.invalid> - 2025-09-01 16:05 +0200
        Re: Best 1:1 google app replacements with privacy & functionality Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> - 2025-09-01 15:27 +0100
          Re: Best 1:1 google app replacements with privacy & functionality Qihe <Q@invalid.invalid> - 2025-09-01 16:44 +0200
    Re: Best 1:1 google app replacements with privacy & functionality Qihe <Q@invalid.invalid> - 2025-09-01 16:14 +0200
    Re: Best 1:1 google app replacements with privacy & functionality Martin Schöön <martin.schoon@gmail.com> - 2025-09-02 08:09 +0000
      Re: Best 1:1 google app replacements with privacy & functionality Qihe <Q@invalid.invalid> - 2025-09-02 12:13 +0200
      Re: Best 1:1 google app replacements with privacy & functionality Marion <marion@facts.com> - 2025-09-02 15:46 +0000

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#150273 — Best 1:1 google app replacements with privacy & functionality

What would you modify in this list of best 1:1 Google app replacements?

 YouTube app ==> NewPipe
 Gmail app ==> FairEmail
 Chrome browser ==> Ungoogled Chromium/Bromite
 Google Play Store app ==> Aurora Google Play Store app
 Google calendar app ==> Etar  (perhaps with DAVx5)
 Gboard keyboard & stt ==> OpenBoard 
 Messages ==> PulsSMS (last known good version)
 Android App Drawer ==> Muntashirakon App Manager
 Google Contacts ==> OpenContacts
 Pixel Launcher ==> Nova (last known good version)
 Google Maps ==> OSMAnd~ (not 1:1 replacement, particularly for traffic)
 Google Voice ==> TextNow (but not really a 1:1 replacement)
 Google Play Services ==> Micro-G (signature issues on non-rooted phones)
 Google search ==> DDG search
 Google Drive ==> nextcloud,sync.com (not sure, I don't use 'em)

Anything else to replace Google on a phone that has no Google Account
set up on the phone?

Note: You can have a thousand Google Accounts; just don't set the phone up
with any of them. That one action provides privacy like you can't imagine.

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#150274

On 2025-08-22, Marion <marion@facts.com> wrote:
> What would you modify in this list of best 1:1 Google app replacements?
>
>  YouTube app ==> NewPipe
>  Gmail app ==> FairEmail
>  Chrome browser ==> Ungoogled Chromium/Bromite
>  Google Play Store app ==> Aurora Google Play Store app
>  Google calendar app ==> Etar  (perhaps with DAVx5)
>  Gboard keyboard & stt ==> OpenBoard 
>  Messages ==> PulsSMS (last known good version)
>  Android App Drawer ==> Muntashirakon App Manager
>  Google Contacts ==> OpenContacts
>  Pixel Launcher ==> Nova (last known good version)
>  Google Maps ==> OSMAnd~ (not 1:1 replacement, particularly for traffic)
>  Google Voice ==> TextNow (but not really a 1:1 replacement)
>  Google Play Services ==> Micro-G (signature issues on non-rooted phones)
>  Google search ==> DDG search
>  Google Drive ==> nextcloud,sync.com (not sure, I don't use 'em)
>
> Anything else to replace Google on a phone that has no Google Account
> set up on the phone?
>
> Note: You can have a thousand Google Accounts; just don't set the phone up
> with any of them. That one action provides privacy like you can't imagine.

Deja view. We've been before.

Camera => OpenCamera

Fossify Apps => Phone, messages, contacts, calendar, filemanager, 
      gallery, voice recorder, notes.

Put on termux and termux:Widget and build you own file sync/backup to 
     your linux home server or desktop.

So what's changed for you since the last time you went round this?

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#150431

Den 2025-08-22 skrev Jim Jackson <jj@franjam.org.uk>:
>
> Fossify Apps => Phone, messages, contacts, calendar, filemanager, 
>       gallery, voice recorder, notes.
>
I have started to test Fossify Apss on an old phone. Mixed results:

File manager works fine.

Music player don't play bog standard mp3 of moderate bit rate. It
does not find them when I tell it to look and if I manually makes
it play I get 'unknown error' type of message.

The phone is a Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini introduced in 2014...

/Martin

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#150437

Den 2025-09-05 skrev Martin Schöön <martin.schoon@gmail.com>:
> Den 2025-08-22 skrev Jim Jackson <jj@franjam.org.uk>:
>>
>> Fossify Apps => Phone, messages, contacts, calendar, filemanager, 
>>       gallery, voice recorder, notes.
>>
> I have started to test Fossify Apss on an old phone. Mixed results:
>
> File manager works fine.
>
> Music player don't play bog standard mp3 of moderate bit rate. It
> does not find them when I tell it to look and if I manually makes
> it play I get 'unknown error' type of message.
>
Follow up.

The Fossify Music Player plays mp3 files if they are placed in the Music
folder. I had created a new Audio Book folder.

Now I want to make it play the chapters in order -- not alphabetical
order...

/Martin

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#150444

Martin Schöön <martin.schoon@gmail.com> wrote:
> Den 2025-09-05 skrev Martin Schöön <martin.schoon@gmail.com>:
> > Den 2025-08-22 skrev Jim Jackson <jj@franjam.org.uk>:
> >>
> >> Fossify Apps => Phone, messages, contacts, calendar, filemanager, 
> >>       gallery, voice recorder, notes.
> >>
> > I have started to test Fossify Apss on an old phone. Mixed results:
> >
> > File manager works fine.
> >
> > Music player don't play bog standard mp3 of moderate bit rate. It
> > does not find them when I tell it to look and if I manually makes
> > it play I get 'unknown error' type of message.
> >
> Follow up.
> 
> The Fossify Music Player plays mp3 files if they are placed in the Music
> folder. I had created a new Audio Book folder.
> 
> Now I want to make it play the chapters in order -- not alphabetical
> order...

  That's normally done by giving the MP3 files names starting with the
track number, i.e.

01 Sharazan.mp3
02 Canzone Blu.mp3
03 Arrivederci a Bahia.mp3
etc..

  Any sensible music player will play those songs in track order.

  N.B. Most CD-ripping programs will do this automatically, but for
MP3 files from other sources, you may have to do the naming 'manually'.

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#150445

On 2025-09-05 20:28, Frank Slootweg wrote:
> Martin Schöön <martin.schoon@gmail.com> wrote:
>> Den 2025-09-05 skrev Martin Schöön <martin.schoon@gmail.com>:
>>> Den 2025-08-22 skrev Jim Jackson <jj@franjam.org.uk>:
>>>>
>>>> Fossify Apps => Phone, messages, contacts, calendar, filemanager,
>>>>        gallery, voice recorder, notes.
>>>>
>>> I have started to test Fossify Apss on an old phone. Mixed results:
>>>
>>> File manager works fine.
>>>
>>> Music player don't play bog standard mp3 of moderate bit rate. It
>>> does not find them when I tell it to look and if I manually makes
>>> it play I get 'unknown error' type of message.
>>>
>> Follow up.
>>
>> The Fossify Music Player plays mp3 files if they are placed in the Music
>> folder. I had created a new Audio Book folder.
>>
>> Now I want to make it play the chapters in order -- not alphabetical
>> order...
> 
>    That's normally done by giving the MP3 files names starting with the
> track number, i.e.
> 
> 01 Sharazan.mp3
> 02 Canzone Blu.mp3
> 03 Arrivederci a Bahia.mp3
> etc..
> 
>    Any sensible music player will play those songs in track order.
> 
>    N.B. Most CD-ripping programs will do this automatically, but for
> MP3 files from other sources, you may have to do the naming 'manually'.

It can be done by using a file.m3u that contains in play order all the songs.

#EXTM3U
#EXTINF:54,01/ - Pietro Locatelli - SkyFM: Mostly Classical - Concerto Grosso in D Major, Op. 1, No. 9 , mvmt. II. Largo (Capella Istropolitana, Jaroslav Krecek)
Classical\0000 -- Pietro Locatelli - Concerto Grosso in D Major, Op. 1, No. 9 , mvmt. II. Largo (Capella Istropolitana, Jaroslav Krecek).mp3
#EXTINF:211,01/ - Gypsy Kings - SkyFM: Classical & Flamenco Guitar - Tierra Gitana
Guitar\0000 -- Gypsy Kings - Tierra Gitana.mp3
#EXTINF:222,01/ - Era - SkyFM: Vocal New Age - Enae Volare Mezzo
NewAge\0000 -- Era - Enae Volare Mezzo.mp3
#EXTINF:5,01/ - SkyFM: Solo Piano - SKY.FM Radio TSTAG 60 ADWTAG 63000 START=0
Piano\0000 -- - SKY.FM Radio TSTAG_60 ADWTAG_63000_START=0.mp3
#EXTINF:5,01/ - SkyFM: Romantica - SKY.FM Radio TSTAG 60 ADWTAG 63000 START=0
Romantica\0000 -- - SKY.FM Radio TSTAG_60 ADWTAG_63000_START=0.mp3
...

-- 
Cheers, Carlos.

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#150276

Marion <marion@facts.com> ha scritto:
> 
>  Google Play Services ==> Micro-G (signature issues on non-rooted phones)
>  
It seems dangerous. Removing google play services from the system
 could get you (me) into troubles before you (me) could replace it
 with micro-g or any similar. I'm still facing a boot loop on a
 non-rooted magic os 9. What's most crazy it's google play
 services wasn't enabled on the device and everything was running
 smoothly... until Canta removed it.
 

> 
> Anything else to replace Google on a phone that has no Google Account
> set up on the phone?

> 
Google voice search or speach-to-text ==> https://github.com/woheller69/whisperIMEplus

-- 
Qihe

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#150279

On Sat, 23 Aug 2025 01:04:17 +0200 (GMT+02:00), Qihe wrote :


>>  Google Play Services ==> Micro-G (signature issues on non-rooted phones)
>>  
> It seems dangerous. Removing google play services from the system
>  could get you (me) into troubles before you (me) could replace it
>  with micro-g or any similar. I'm still facing a boot loop on a
>  non-rooted magic os 9. What's most crazy it's google play
>  services wasn't enabled on the device and everything was running
>  smoothly... until Canta removed it.

Thank you for that additional information about the most important of
Google packages which needs to be replaced, IMHO, for better privacy.

Every time we cover this most critical of all questions in the Android
newsgroup, together we learn more so thank you for bringing that up.

As you're aware, microG is an open-source re-implementation of Google Play
Services. However, it won't work on my unrooted Samsung because it needs
signature spoofing support for apps believe that it's the official
Google-signed package.

Hence, on non-rooted devices, microG is usually only used in limited
contexts (e.g., inside a sandboxed environment, or as a special build for
Huawei devices) rather than as a full system replacement. Full replacement
is generally only safe on ROMs designed for it, which mine isn't.

The danger isn't inherent to microG itself though. The danger, as I
understand it, is that removing a core system package without the OS being
prepared for it can break the device.

However, it can be done in certain sandboxed environments (e.g.,
Shelter/Island) or on devices without Play Services (Huawei, some
de-Googled ROMs). I've tried them myself, but so far I've failed.

This does not touch the system partition, so it carries far less risk. Apps
can be pointed to microG in that isolated space, but most of the system
still uses Play Services.

However, replacing Play Services entirely only works safely on ROMs built
for signature spoofing or with a spoofing patch applied. On non-rooted
Android like mine is, this is not supported.

My main point is only that people sometimes hear "use microG" and assume
it's always a direct swap. On a non-rooted stock ROM, a full swap is
technically blocked and risky. Using microG in a sandbox is much safer, but
it's a different setup and doesn't replace Play Services system-wide.

However, when I tried it, I failed. Sigh.

>> Anything else to replace Google on a phone that has no Google Account
>> set up on the phone?
>> 
> Google voice search or speach-to-text ==> 
> https://github.com/woheller69/whisperIMEplus

I like it! 
Nobody has suggested WhisperIME+ before (at least based on my memory).

WhisperIME+ looks like a solid privacy-friendly swap for Google's voice
input as it's an offline speech-to-text (STT) keyboard based on OpenAI's
Whisper model. 

Running a search, it seems nothing gets sent to Google's servers. 

That's key as is the ability to work offline as a standalone app or as your
system-wide voice input method, and even translate languages into English.

I'll add it to the list.
 <https://github.com/woheller69/whisperIMEplus>
 <https://github.com/woheller69/whisperIMEplus/releases/tag/V1.3>

Drat! Is there only source code available? 
I wish I had a tutorial of how to compile source for Android APK creation.

I'll have to write it first. :)

Anyone else have favorite replacements for other Google services?

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#150281

On Sat, 23 Aug 2025 02:28:04 -0000 (UTC), Marion wrote :


> I'll add it to the list.
>  <https://github.com/woheller69/whisperIMEplus>
>  <https://github.com/woheller69/whisperIMEplus/releases/tag/V1.3>
> 
> Drat! Is there only source code available? 
> I wish I had a tutorial of how to compile source for Android APK creation.

Aurgh. I spent hours starting from scratch to build the 
Whisper APK on my Windows PC, and I don't like the tool.

It doesn't work well at all, even though both Samsung 
and Google voice to text keyboards work just fine.

Anyway, maybe someone else can test out Whisper for
the team as it may just be my Android is locked down
too much for Whisper to stand a chance of working.

 From: Marion <marion@facts.com>
 Newsgroups: alt.comp.os.windows-10,comp.mobile.android,alt.comp.os.windows-11
 Subject: Tutorial: Build your first Android APK on Windows from Github WhisperIME source code
 Date: Sat, 23 Aug 2025 09:23:09 -0000 (UTC)
 Message-ID: <108c19t$1o40$1@nnrp.usenet.blueworldhosting.com>

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#150282

Marion <marion@facts.com> ha scritto:
> 
>> I'll add it to the list.
>>  <https://github.com/woheller69/whisperIMEplus>
>>  <https://github.com/woheller69/whisperIMEplus/releases/tag/V1.3>
>> 
>> Drat! Is there only source code available? 
>
The package is available on f-droid.
https://f-droid.org/packages/org.woheller69.whisperplus


> 
> 
> Aurgh. I spent hours starting from scratch to build the 
> Whisper APK on my Windows PC, and I don't like the tool.
> 
> It doesn't work well at all, even though both Samsung 
> and Google voice to text keyboards work just fine.
> 

> 
What do you mean exactly by doesn't work well at all? (I've just
 noticed it's a bit slow and you need to speak "loud and clear")
 
 Did you try the f-droid version too?


-- 
Qihe

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#150285

On Sat, 23 Aug 2025 12:37:11 +0200 (GMT+02:00), Qihe wrote :


> What do you mean exactly by doesn't work well at all? (I've just
>  noticed it's a bit slow and you need to speak "loud and clear")
>  
>  Did you try the f-droid version too?

Aurgh. My bad. I didn't even know it was on F-Droid.
I went to the Github repo and saw that it was only avail as source.

So I built it last night, but it took me about five hours.
I had never built a professional APK before in my life.

So I made a billion mistakes. 
Plus I spent half that time writing up the tutorial for others.

It's how I'm wired to be very helpful - much more so than most are.
Anyway, I didn't know it was on F-Droid so I'll try that later.

The way it didn't work was it "looked like" it was working.
But nothing came out of my speech. It wiggled the purple bar as I spoke, so
it certainly "heard" me, but no text resulted from my speaking to it.

Note that Samsung & Google & OpenBoard STT works fine so it's not that I'm
not pressing the right buttons. You just hit the mic & start talking.

However, I'm not sure if you have to physically hold down the mic button in
WhisperIME or if you can just tap the button once like you do with others.

Do you?

If so, that sucks (IMHO).
Anyway, I went to bed angry at the damn tool for sucking so badly.
I deleted it out of frustrated spite. 

However, I'll test out the F-Droid version.
But can you let me know if we have to HOLD the mic button down?

If so, that stinks.
If not, it's just my build that was bad (or my locked-down phone).

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#150288

On Sat, 23 Aug 2025 16:49:14 -0000 (UTC), Marion wrote :


> But can you let me know if we have to HOLD the mic button down?

Aurgh. I didn't know GPLv3 Whisper+ was on F-Droid.
So it turns out that I didn't need to build the MIT WhisperIME from src.
Sigh. Lesson learned.

I only figured out today that they're similar but different though.
 A. WhisperIME is the original MIT IME that runs Whisper offline.
 B. Whisper+ is a GPLv3 fork that plays much better with Android
    a. Works as both a keyboard and a standalone voice input app.
    b. Can be set as the default voice input system-wide.
    c. Is better integrated & has language translation 

Anyway, the F-Droid Whisper+ worked on my Android phone.
At least the F-Droid version worked to type my speech into text.

You do have to hold the mic button down though. 
Which sucks (IMHO).

Here's what the F-Droid description says about Whisper+:
 <https://f-droid.org/packages/org.woheller69.whisperplus>
 Whisper+ is an input method editor (IME) with voice recognition.
 It can work as standalone app and also in HeliBoard.
 It needs to download the Whisper models from Hugging Face.
 Voice recognition works completely offline.
 It can translate any supported language to English.
 To get the most out of Whisper+:
  Press and hold the button while speaking
  Pause briefly before starting to speak
  Speak clearly, loudly, and at a moderate pace
  Please note that there is a limit of 30s for each recording

Overall, the advantage I see that it has over the HeliBoard or OpenBoard 
I already use is that it can offline translate languages, which is nice.

I installed it on my Android.
 <https://f-droid.org/repo/org.woheller69.whisperplus_13.apk>
 Name: 20250822_f-droid_org.woheller69.whisperplus_13.apk
 Size: 36437963 bytes (34 MiB)
 SHA256: 60036DFF1FD39B846FA886B00D7C5877C44284F7A674233B280971F425E731DC

The "Download Model/Install Model" is different on the F-Droid version than
it was on my build from the Github source code in that it needed a browser
(which I have a trapdoor to catch any app which tries to call a browser).
 <https://huggingface.co/DocWolle/whisperOnnx/blob/main/whisper_small_int8.zip>
  Name: 20250822_f-droid_whisper_small_int8.zip
  Size: 242722488 bytes (231 MiB)
  SHA256: 97AC121610693E8C9ADAEF9C6DB9066EF0CBEBBA53CA6E47F6D1541068CA19E3

Since my Android is mirrored on Windows all the time, I downloaded it on
Windows, but it wasn't clear if Android Whisper wants the zip or extracted.
 a. Download Model => it downloads the zip file
 b. Install Model => it took the zip file
 c. Start => brings you to "Keyboard list and default" settings
 d. Whisper+Voice input = turn this button on

OK. So it worked this time. It's slow as a dog though.
Much slower than anything else I've ever used.
And it keeps reverting back to being unset as the default STT.

So I really do not like it at all. 
But maybe I need to get used to it.

The fact is says it does translations might be useful to some people.

But as for me, I think I'll test it for a few days only as I already have
perfectly good offline speech-to-text keyboard mics on my Android phone.

 

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#150283

Marion <marion@facts.com> ha scritto:
> 
> [...] the most important of
> Google packages which needs to be replaced, IMHO, for better privacy.
> 
You're right. It comes with several trackers embedded.

>

> 
> The danger isn't inherent to microG itself though. The danger, as I
> understand it, is that removing a core system package without the OS being
> prepared for it can break the device.
> 
You're right, I did it so (on a huawei device) and it was a great
 mistake that I wish to solve doing a firmware update in safe mode
 ...if I just get the right file to upload (customer care doesn't
 help at all).

> However, it can be done in certain sandboxed environments (e.g.,
> Shelter/Island) or on devices without Play Services (Huawei, some
> de-Googled ROMs). I've tried them myself, but so far I've failed.
> 
Huawei? Their magic os doesn't like  google play services removal.

> 
> However, replacing Play Services entirely only works safely on ROMs built
> for signature spoofing or with a spoofing patch applied. On non-rooted
> Android like mine is, this is not supported.
> 

> 
Do you mean that updating a spoofing patch  on a non-rooted magic
 os won't work? 


-- 
Qihe

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#150297

On Sat, 23 Aug 2025 13:30:32 +0200 (GMT+02:00), Qihe wrote :


>> [...] the most important of
>> Google packages which needs to be replaced, IMHO, for better privacy.
>> 
> You're right. It comes with several trackers embedded.
> 
>>
>> 
>> The danger isn't inherent to microG itself though. The danger, as I
>> understand it, is that removing a core system package without the OS being
>> prepared for it can break the device.
>> 
> You're right, I did it so (on a huawei device) and it was a great
>  mistake that I wish to solve doing a firmware update in safe mode
>  ...if I just get the right file to upload (customer care doesn't
>  help at all).
> 
>> However, it can be done in certain sandboxed environments (e.g.,
>> Shelter/Island) or on devices without Play Services (Huawei, some
>> de-Googled ROMs). I've tried them myself, but so far I've failed.
>> 
> Huawei? Their magic os doesn't like  google play services removal.
> 
>> 
>> However, replacing Play Services entirely only works safely on ROMs built
>> for signature spoofing or with a spoofing patch applied. On non-rooted
>> Android like mine is, this is not supported.
>> 
> Do you mean that updating a spoofing patch  on a non-rooted magic
>  os won't work?

Yes. Apparently on Huawei's MagicOS (or similar non-rooted Android systems)
applying a spoofing patch isn't feasible. AFAIK, signature spoofing
typically requires root access or a custom ROM that explicitly supports it
(like /e/, LineageOS with microG, or CalyxOS). Without that, the system
won't allow apps like microG to impersonate Google Play Services, which is
essential for compatibility with many apps.

In your case where you apparently removed Play Services and are facing
issues, a firmware update might help restore stability - but as you said,
getting the right file from Huawei can be a challenge. If you're stuck, you
might consider checking XDA forums or community-maintained repositories for
your device model. Just be cautious with unofficial firmware to avoid
bricking the device. I bricked two Samsungs before I gave up rooting them.

Also, if you're experimenting with sandboxing tools like Shelter or Island,
they can help isolate apps from trackers, but they won't replace Play
Services functionality. They're more about privacy compartmentalization
than full de-Googling. Again, I tried this, and mostly failed at it.

Sigh.

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#150317

Marion <marion@facts.com> wrote:
> 
> [...]
> a firmware update might help restore stability - but as you said,
> getting the right file from Huawei can be a challenge. If you're stuck, you
> might consider checking XDA forums or community-maintained repositories for
> your device model. Just be cautious with unofficial firmware to avoid
> bricking the device. I bricked two Samsungs before I gave up rooting them.
> 
Thanks for sharing. If I could only get adb "authorised" it will
 be easier to fix it... 
The command "adb  devices" detects the "brick" while it's on
 "update mode via usb" (by pressing Power+volume up) ...but it's
 "unauthorised".  
I guess the device's name here isn't "Honor" but "Dis-Honor"!
;-)

-- 
Qihe

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#150321

On Tue, 26 Aug 2025 01:43:31 +0200 (GMT+02:00), Qihe wrote :


>> a firmware update might help restore stability - but as you said,
>> getting the right file from Huawei can be a challenge. If you're stuck, you
>> might consider checking XDA forums or community-maintained repositories for
>> your device model. Just be cautious with unofficial firmware to avoid
>> bricking the device. I bricked two Samsungs before I gave up rooting them.
>> 
> Thanks for sharing. If I could only get adb "authorised" it will
>  be easier to fix it... 
> The command "adb  devices" detects the "brick" while it's on
>  "update mode via usb" (by pressing Power+volume up) ...but it's
>  "unauthorised".  
> I guess the device's name here isn't "Honor" but "Dis-Honor"!
> ;-)

I hear ya. I feel ya. I've been there. Done that. It sucks. I agree.

I bricked my Samsung Galaxy A32-5G to a similar point, trying to root it.
 *How to un-freeze an unresponsive Samsung Galaxy A32 5G*
 *with reboot, reset, factory reset, odin mode, download mode,*
 *android recovery mode & debug mode*
<https://xdaforums.com/t/how-to-un-freeze-an-unresponsive-samsung-galaxy-a32-5g-with-reboot-reset-factory-reset-odin-mode-download-mode-android-recovery-mode-debug-mode.4526629/>

I didn't know at the time that the USA Samsungs are essentially unrootable.
 *Is my almost-3-year-old T-Mobile (network unlocked)*
 *Samsung Galaxy SM-A326U bootloader still unlockable*
 *(and hence is my SM-A326U still unrootable)?*
 <http://xdaforums.com/t/is-my-almost-3-year-old-t-mobile-network-unlocked-samsung-galaxy-sm-a326u-bootloader-still-unlockable-and-hence-is-my-sm-a326u-still-unrootable.4638955/>

Thanks for pitching in on suggestions for 1:1 Google app replacements.
The more we replace that comes from Google, the more private we can be.

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#150329

Qihe, 2025-08-23 01:04:

> Marion <marion@facts.com> ha scritto:
>>
>>  Google Play Services ==> Micro-G (signature issues on non-rooted phones)
>>  
> It seems dangerous. Removing google play services from the system
>  could get you (me) into troubles before you (me) could replace it
>  with micro-g or any similar. I'm still facing a boot loop on a
>  non-rooted magic os 9. What's most crazy it's google play
>  services wasn't enabled on the device and everything was running
>  smoothly... until Canta removed it.

The idea is not to remove it! Micro-G is for ROMs which don't have
Google Play Services at all, like LineageOS.


-- 
Arno Welzel
https://arnowelzel.de

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#150287

On Fri, 22 Aug 2025 20:07:00 -0000 (UTC), Marion wrote:

> What would you modify in this list of best 1:1 Google app replacements?

>  Gmail app ==> FairEmail

Thunderbird for Android

>  Chrome browser ==> Ungoogled Chromium/Bromite

Mozilla Firefox; yes, I realize you can argue about the Google funding.

>  Messages ==> PulsSMS (last known good version)

So not this one?

<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=xyz.klinker.messenger&hl=en>

>  Pixel Launcher ==> Nova (last known good version)

I don't know why, but I've never experimented with these things.

>  Google search ==> DDG search

Can't you use Startpage.com? Google results, but not through Google.

-- 
s|b

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#150296

On Sat, 23 Aug 2025 19:39:44 +0200, s|b wrote :


>> What would you modify in this list of best 1:1 Google app replacements?
> 
>>  Gmail app ==> FairEmail
> 
> Thunderbird for Android

Thanks for adding this, as Thunderbird has been getting better now that K9
morphed into it - although I haven't tested the latest versions of TB/K9.
 
>>  Chrome browser ==> Ungoogled Chromium/Bromite
> 
> Mozilla Firefox; yes, I realize you can argue about the Google funding.

Thanks for suggesting a Mozilla browser to combat Google's Chrome.
Too bad LibreFox or MullVad aren't on Android but "Mull" is on Android.

To get the latest you need the Divestos Repo for F-Droid though.
 <https://divestos.org/fdroid/official?fingerprint=E4BE8D6ABFA4D9D4FEEF03CDDA7FF62A73FD64B75566F6DD4E5E577550BE8467>

Apparently the old name for Mull is still in the package name of Fennec 
 <https://f-droid.org/packages/org.mozilla.fennec_fdroid/>

>>  Messages ==> PulsSMS (last known good version)
> 
> So not this one?
> 
> <https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=xyz.klinker.messenger&hl=en>

Long ago I tested every single free ad-free SMS/MMS app for Android.
The open-source PulseSMS app, by the Klinker Brothers, won handily.

Last known good version of Pulse SMS 5.4.6.2816 by Luke & Jake Klinker 
  <https://tinyurl.com/pulsesms>

The devil (Maple Media) bought PulseSMS in October 2020 though.

The last known good version still works fine as I use it every single day.
 PulseSMS by Klinker Bros <xyz.klinker.messenger> 5.4.6.2816version 
 Size: 23847875 bytes (22 MiB)
 SHA256: F83E0264EFEDF98773D22B658B932A023F4CE912C11FA5F8094AE322346944FF

One issue though is we need to replace RCS where Google has a stranglehold.

>>  Pixel Launcher ==> Nova (last known good version)
> 
> I don't know why, but I've never experimented with these things.

Long ago I tested every single free ad-free launcher for Android.
Nova, by TeslaCoil won handily.

Nova is fantastic, but a different devil bought them too!

Branch, a mobile analytics and deep-linking company acquired Nova Launcher
on July 19, 2022, but the last known good version works fine on my phone.

Last known good version of Nova free/adfree launcher 7.0.57 by TeslaCoil
  <https://tinyurl.com/nova-launcher>

>>  Google search ==> DDG search
> 
> Can't you use Startpage.com? Google results, but not through Google.

Good ideas. I think most of the privacy-aware search engines should work.

Personally, I don't do searches on a phone, as I don't use a web browser if
I can help it, but I figured a lot of people must be using Google Search
package (which I long ago removed from my non-rootable USA Galaxy).

It seems DuckDuckGo, Quant, Ecosia (& StartPage, MetaGer, SwissCows) are
often suggested but, unfortunately, StartPage, MetaGer & Swisscows don't
have dedicated apps for Android - so I didn't want to suggest them.

Of course, with a one-tap shortcut, you can fake a dedicated app for them.
SO replacing Google's search engine app is perhaps the easiest privacy win.

Thanks for thinking about the problem set, where too many people don't
think, but when we pitch our ideas together, we all benefit from teamwork.

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#150299

On 24/08/2025 04:28, Marion wrote:
> On Sat, 23 Aug 2025 19:39:44 +0200, s|b wrote :
> 
> 
>>> What would you modify in this list of best 1:1 Google app replacements?
>>
>>>   Gmail app ==> FairEmail
>>
>> Thunderbird for Android
> 
> Thanks for adding this, as Thunderbird has been getting better now that K9
> morphed into it - although I haven't tested the latest versions of TB/K9.

But with no NNTP client - and it won't have one according to Mozilla. So 
it's not Thunderbird as we've known it for 20+ years. I believe that the 
correct name is "Thunderbird Mobile" 
(<https://www.thunderbird.net/en-US/mobile/>).

I'll be staying with FairEmail, even though I've used desktop TB for 10 
years.

> It seems DuckDuckGo, Quant, Ecosia (& StartPage, MetaGer, SwissCows) are
> often suggested but, unfortunately, StartPage, MetaGer & Swisscows don't
> have dedicated apps for Android - so I didn't want to suggest them.

I can't comment about MetaGer and Swisscows, but as for StartPage:
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.startpage.app&hl=en_GB>
In fact, a reminder about the app pops up every time I go to 
www.startpage.com when I use FF on my mobile!

-- 
Jeff

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