Hi I'm trying to decide which custom ROM to use to get off Google's grid on my smartphone.
I wonder which and how custom Android ROMs are better able to deliver privacy? To better evaluate that, I guess you need to seperate exactly which Google services monitor details on a typical ROM. Also, which of those services, if any, are used in popular custom ROMs like Cyanogen, anything AOSP /K/ MIUI etc. To prevent over-analysis, the bottom line is about finding a custom ROM that uses as few Google services as possible.
Do any of the above custom ROMs use more or fewer Google services? Is there is still a base of Google services which report back to Google regardless of it being custom? Is there any ROM built from the ground up (of Android open source)?
I hope this thread can find like-minded, respectful people and no critics, trolls, *****ness or 'noob' talk.
SharpnShiny said:
Hi I'm trying to decide which custom ROM to use to get off Google's grid on my smartphone.
I wonder which and how custom Android ROMs are better able to deliver privacy? To better evaluate that, I guess you need to seperate exactly which Google services monitor details on a typical ROM. Also, which of those services, if any, are used in popular custom ROMs like Cyanogen, anything AOSP /K/ MIUI etc. To prevent over-analysis, the bottom line is about finding a custom ROM that uses as few Google services as possible.
Do any of the above custom ROMs use more or fewer Google services? Is there is still a base of Google services which report back to Google regardless of it being custom? Is there any ROM built from the ground up (of Android open source)?
I hope this thread can find like-minded, respectful people and no critics, trolls, *****ness or 'noob' talk.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am in exactly the same boat. I'm beginning my search on how to do this with my Nexus 7. That's how I got here. I am a noob and I did watch the "Noob Video". Hilarious! Any info I can find, I will post back here.
Related
Tonight i showed installing CyanogenMod on my Galaxy S4 live at a cryptoparty.
After reboot, the device showed up with exactly all that Google bull**** i wanted to get rid of - and i still can't uninstall it!
I really wonder:
Where is that ROM project that claims to allow for a Google-free experience?
I mean a real FOSS ecosystem. One that can be secured from sinister interests.
Those CyanogenMod guys, however, have ultimately lost my trust tonight.
Any hints, out there?
blausand said:
Tonight i showed installing CyanogenMod on my Galaxy S4 live at a cryptoparty.
After reboot, the device showed up with exactly all that Google bull**** i wanted to get rid of - and i still can't uninstall it!
I really wonder:
Where is that ROM project that claims to allow for a Google-free experience?
I mean a real FOSS ecosystem. One that can be secured from sinister interests.
Those CyanogenMod guys, however, have ultimately lost my trust tonight.
Any hints, out there?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why would CyanogenMod have lost your trust? CM does not come with proprietary Gapps included. What is in the package is very clear and spelled out. But the % of people that prefer their phone sprinkled with Google goodness far outweigh the % of people who feel the need to be so secure that they have to partially neuter the functionality of the phone in some form or another. Anyway, you can check out the NoGapps project here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/sho...tmctr=(not provided)&__utmv=-&__utmk=34876962
Is CM11 just missing a switch to keep the GApps of the former ROM or drop them?
es0tericcha0s said:
Why would CyanogenMod have lost your trust? CM does not come with proprietary Gapps included.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, then explain what i find in my Harddrive: (see attachment).
I haven't figured out yet why these GApps persistently stay on my phone no matter how often i wipe /cache and /system and reinstall CM, but i do guess something has changed in their policy.
Maybe it's just a missing switch that should ask me if i want to keep them or drop them?
What bothers me even more, is that i can't uninstall GApps. I can just deactivate them, where what i seek is pure absence of code. Operating virginity fu(king system.
And what makes me lose trust in CM is that, coming with the commercialisation, this windows installer comes up with this clean black box window that just says "downloading" or "installing" for ages, leaving me without any clue about what is currently transferred - and in what direction.
"Theoretically, the CyanogenMod installer could easily have uploaded literally every bit of my private data off my phone within that time."I guess everybody would feel a lot better if the installer eats the good old .zip i feed it, or at least reports which one it is downloading and at what bandwidth or percentage.
es0tericcha0s said:
Anyway, you can check out the NoGapps project…
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for that, man. It's so refreshing to learn about these little steps in the right direction. Will definitely support them!
I much prefer to just download the roms myself vs. using an installer. That would eliminate the "What is it doing??" issue. http://download.cyanogenmod.org/ - I didn't know which version of the S4 you have, so couldn't be more specific. The only time Gapps should be persistent across wipes (though shouldn't happen if you wipe the system...) is when the Gapps you are using also includes a script to save the Gapps across updates. Look in your /system/etc/init.d folder and see if you have any scripts in there you don't recognize or say something about Gapps. CM does come with a few of the open source Google apps included like Voice Search and such. But you can uninstall the apps that you do not want with a file manager that has root access or a system app remover app like this: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.jumobile.manager.systemapp You can also remove unwanted apps BEFORE you install if you have the rom zip on your PC combined with a PC app like 7zip that will allow you to open as an archive (regularly unzipping with break the signature of the rom) and deleting the apps from /system/app before you flash.
Keep in mind that disabling will typically be better than uninstalling the app because the end result is the same : not in the app drawer, not able to run, can't use CPU processes, etc. but if you do decide you need it, it is easy to enable, reboot, and use the app again. Removing the apps from /system does not give your phone more usable space for other apps or anything like that since the apps we install get put into /data/app not /system/app whose partitions are already set. Now, you can throw apps from /data/app into /system/app and save some space like that, but you have to give those apps the right permissions as well as some do not like to update properly when there.
Other alternatives include seeing if there is a solid AOSP build for your version of the S4 and use the NoGapps project, or to learn how to dev yourself.
Currently, CyanogenMod helps google to maintain a trap
Again i appreciate your words, es0tericcha0s.
As described before, these scripts work for Google, making their Apps happily survive any attempts to really wipe my own phone.
Today's stock ROMs contain bloatware and spyware, which every proprietary component with root privileges must be considered to be.
Rather than saving memory or improving performance, my goal is to teach to as many "normal" people as possible an easy way to setup trustible alternatives.
I know everything can be accomplished in a root shell, but the way out of this observation hell must be prepared for the masses now.
Starting with Dominik Schürmann's article about An Android without Google i will continue focussing on Replicant.
"As soon as Cyanogen and his team offer a simple exit door to the trap they currently help Google to maintain, i shall be in peace with them again."
blausand said:
Again i appreciate your words, es0tericcha0s.
As described before, these scripts work for Google, making their Apps happily survive any attempts to really wipe my own phone.
Today's stock ROMs contain bloatware and spyware, which every proprietary component with root privileges must be considered to be.
Rather than saving memory or improving performance, my goal is to teach to as many "normal" people as possible an easy way to setup trustible alternatives.
I know everything can be accomplished in a root shell, but the way out of this observation hell must be prepared for the masses now.
Starting with Dominik Schürmann's article about An Android without Google i will continue focussing on Replicant.
"As soon as Cyanogen and his team offer a simple exit door to the trap they currently help Google to maintain, i shall be in peace with them again."
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But I'm certain that the scripts that keep the apps are from the developers, and not Google themselves since they aren't the ones who bundle the Gapps for our use with roms, and that script to keep them across flashing is helpful to more people as is often requested to make it easier to update the rom without a complete reflash.
Ah, I forgot about the Replicant program. I had seen it pop up before but couldn't remember the name. I do a lot of android modding at my shop and it's just something that no one ever asks me to do, so never really bothered to get that far into it. People who know about it are typically gonna be able to do it themselves and the ones that don't know often are not the type of people wanting to relearn how to use their phone. I just weigh the pros and cons for Google's oversight of my phone vs not using some of my favorite Google apps easily like Maps and Gmail and the pros of Google win every time, for me. Luckily there are alternatives though as that is what keeps things moving along. I triple boot with Ubuntu Touch and FireFox OS on my Nexus 5, so it's not like I am against alternatives at all.
You could go full out security geek style and rock this: http://www.theverge.com/2014/2/24/5441642/blackphone-silent-circle-geeksphone-pre-order-launch
Peace after all. A short apology.
Since i tampered quite a bit about cyanogenMod in this thread, i should at least tell how i finally got rid of GApps.
I installed OmniROM just to learn that it's wizard leads me into even wilder Google service agreements than CM did.
(So, unfortunately, i haven't seen and felt it at all )
After that, just out of sheer curiousity, i went into the "advanced" menu of the ClockworkMod bootloader. Surprisingly, the wellknown "clear dalvik cache" was hidden there. So i did and also installed CM over, restarted, earned an endless loop in the Cyanogen Account wizard, did "wipe data /reset", installed CM once more, and finally rebootet into a virgin CM that seemingly didn't contain any GApps anymore.
So, in fact i thank everybody who contributes to a better smart phone experience and of course the community behind what is now venturing as "CyanogenMod". Always remember:
"Don't be evil!"
blausand said:
Since i tampered quite a bit about cyanogenMod in this thread, i should at least tell how i finally got rid of GApps.
I installed OmniROM just to learn that it's wizard leads me into even wilder Google service agreements than CM did.
(So, unfortunately, i haven't seen and felt it at all )
After that, just out of sheer curiousity, i went into the "advanced" menu of the ClockworkMod bootloader. Surprisingly, the wellknown "clear dalvik cache" was hidden there. So i did and also installed CM over, restarted, earned an endless loop in the Cyanogen Account wizard, did "wipe data /reset", installed CM once more, and finally rebootet into a virgin CM that seemingly didn't contain any GApps anymore.
So, in fact i thank everybody who contributes to a better smart phone experience and of course the community behind what is now venturing as "CyanogenMod". Always remember:
"Don't be evil!"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just another reason I prefer TWRP recovery as it has the dalvik cache in the regular Wipe menu.
If you don't want any Google stuff on your phone don't have an android or flash a completely different os, cyanogen, omni or just about any ROM in this forum will be based off Google. You can probably flash pure Debian but that won't do you much good if you want to use it as a phone. So youre stuck with hoping someone ported Firefox os or Jolla or Ubuntu touch or whatever.
Your other option would be getting something akin to pdroid or imbed some framework spoofing, some of which may be done for you if you look into your device forum.
But compiling about cyanogen or any other custom ROM is silly as not one of them claim to be Google free or even suggest it, and not installing gapps won't mean there is no Google 'stuff' as its still running android
Best of luck in your endeavors
Sent from my Nexus 4 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Android withour Google: Pdroid permission control.
demkantor said:
If you don't want any Google stuff on your phone don't have an android or flash a completely different os, cyanogen, omni or just about any ROM in this forum will be based off Google. (...)
Your other option would be getting something akin to pdroid or imbed some framework spoofing (...)
But compiling about cyanogen or any other custom ROM is silly as not one of them claim to be Google free or even suggest it, and not installing gapps won't mean there is no Google 'stuff' as its still running android
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for commenting.
I was thinking that Google's initial contribution to android is both open source and promised to stay away from google's servers. Am i wrong with that?
I've never tried Pdroid. To be honest, the approach shows clearly how conceptually failing the whole perrmission system of android is. And since it is so crucial to the architecture of android, i guess in the next 2 years the real long term killer mobile OS will appear.
I'm also writing this because cyanogenMod is driving me crazy with some bugs and shortcomings, and today i checked the Replicant website and nothing has changed since march.
http://www.cnet.com/news/firefox-os...web-gaming/?part=propeller&subj=news&tag=link
Maybe Firefox OS will become what you want, my guess is that a couple more years and it will work out the kinks and those with a dislike of apple Google and Microsoft will have another choice. Well also jolla looks promising
Sent from my Nexus 4 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Hello everybody
I wanna ask if someone has tried using LOS 7.1.2 or generally any other android rom without Gapps and google services
is MicroG really a good alternative for Gservices?
is battery life better? what are the most common problems with going away from google's way?
I tried searching for answers but to no avail unfortunately (or answers were really old)
U may can't use some features such as finding location and restoring contacts
I added a ss all of this features which may u won't use. Cuz those are connected to Google's services'
A system without GAPPS is totally fine and there are always many alternatives to compensate the loss and even can bring somewhat benefits to the handset.
Without GAPPS, your phone will have a significant better battery life than those who has the package installed.
Hope this explanation solved your problems once and for all.
Hey,
Will rooting and extensive debloating Android be sufficient to stay away from google and tracking or is it neccessary to use a custom Rom (Lineage?).
Unfortunately there is no custom Rom for Samsung Xcover 4s yet.
I'm aware, that stock Lineage also will not be sufficient, but I ask myself if I get the manufaturers ROM almost as reticent as Lineage.
Maybe someone asked himself this question before and can give me a hint.
Thx
If your aim is to stay away from Google tracking, then you would have to remove Google play services completely. Make sure you know the cons of that - many apps depend on Play Services and would no longer function on your phone. If you are okay with that, debloating should be sufficient.
In future, if you decide to install a custom ROM, it is always better to go for official builds.
Wrichik Basu said:
If your aim is to stay away from Google tracking, then you would have to remove Google play services completely. Make sure you know the cons of that - many apps depend on Play Services and would no longer function on your phone. If you are okay with that, debloating should be sufficient.
In future, if you decide to install a custom ROM, it is always better to go for official builds.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thx. That sounds promising, I expected Google and other Bloatware to be as deep in Android system that there would be no way to stay on stock rom.
I'd prefer custom Rom, but waterproof and removable battery are rare features today in combination I guess. Xcover 4s would satisfy my hardware needs, but hoping for custom Rom on Samsung with Exynos probably is hopless, right?
Oh man, I hate to trade-off. And my actual phone (Xperia ZR) is dying slowly and annoying with more and more problems
I'm wondering what people think is the best ROM (no gapps) for this phone today, and how that's likely to evolve over time.
Do any ROMs stand out in terms of features, performance, or battery life? Are there any ROMs that have significant problems?
Are any ROMs "official", or likely to be? Should that be a concern or factor?
Also I'm looking to set this up no gapps, so micro-g integration is a factor. It seems like the Magisk module should work well enough with most ROMs, but I'm new to this part.
Bump. Anyone…?
"Best" is such a personal thing that I can only tell you that I'm using Resurrection Remix and am extremely pleased; lots of customization, stability, Slim Recents, and no Gapps are what make it perfect for me.
It's the first ROM I tried on this phone, and it works so well for me that I'm not (currently) considering trying something else...although my curiosity and general nature (see my sig) may lead me to trying out a different ROM...eventually, maybe.
- Resurrection Remix has a long history, but who knows for sure about developement for this phone?
- Feels nice and snappy to use, but I have no Gapps and I've only installed a few (5 or 6) apps.
- Battery life is great, for me, I don't use my phone much and go 3-4 days with still 80% left.
- Not interested in Google or microG, so can't speak to that.
TiTiB said:
"Best" is such a personal thing
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Certainly there's allowance for people to describe what they consider best.
TiTiB said:
I'm using Resurrection Remix and am extremely pleased
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So far I'm liking RR, but IIUC there's no plans for that to be official for this phone.
Previously, I loved CR-Droid, but on this phone it's missing a lot. IIUC, there's a plan to make that official, but I haven't seen any progress for a few months.
TiTiB said:
Not interested in Google or microG, so can't speak to that
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm curious, how does that work? I'm new to de-Googled phones, and I thought microG was kind of necessary to get most apps working. It certainly seems important for apps that use location, eg weather and mapping.
go vegan said:
Certainly there's allowance for people to describe what they consider best.
So far I'm liking RR, but IIUC there's no plans for that to be official for this phone.
Previously, I loved CR-Droid, but on this phone it's missing a lot. IIUC, there's a plan to make that official, but I haven't seen any progress for a few months.
I'm curious, how does that work? I'm new to de-Googled phones, and I thought microG was kind of necessary to get most apps working. It certainly seems important for apps that use location, eg weather and mapping.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I do my best to never allow anything to know my location. I use Open Street Maps in offline mode for maps, my weather app uses my zipcode, etc.
I'm totally ungoogled on my phone. F-droid apps only.
EDIIT: Preemptive correction. Not true about F-droid apps only, or even FOSS only. Obviously Brave Browser, for instance, is neither.
TiTiB said:
I do my best to never allow anything to know my location. I use Open Street Maps in offline mode for maps, my weather app uses my zipcode, etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've been using this - https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.tobykurien.webapps/
If I want a "web app" to have access to my location, I can permit that on an as-needed basis.
I'm also migrating towards weather apps from F-Droid - https://search.f-droid.org/?q=weather&lang=en
TiTiB said:
I'm totally ungoogled on my phone. F-droid apps only.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not there yet, but I think I'm on my way. Location (via microG/NLP) is handy for lots of things, especially when I have control over it.
I'm new to de-Googled phones. Can you point me to resources about the pros and cons of microG? I was under the impression that it's kind of necessary for notifications and location services…? But maybe if you don't need/want notifications and location services, then there's no need for it?
go vegan said:
I've been using this - https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.tobykurien.webapps/
If I want a "web app" to have access to my location, I can permit that on an as-needed basis.
I'm also migrating towards weather apps from F-Droid - https://search.f-droid.org/?q=weather&lang=en
I'm not there yet, but I think I'm on my way. Location (via microG/NLP) is handy for lots of things, especially when I have control over it.
I'm new to de-Googled phones. Can you point me to resources about the pros and cons of microG? I was under the impression that it's kind of necessary for notifications and location services…? But maybe if you don't need/want notifications and location services, then there's no need for it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Haven't had interest in microG in years, and don't have any info about what is or is not required for location or notifications. I have no need for either. I use my phone for calls, texts, and, very rarely, web access via Brave, Bromite, or Fennec—that's it. If need to look at a map, I have it already downloaded is OSM.
TiTiB said:
I use my phone for calls, texts, and, very rarely, web access via Brave, Bromite, or Fennec—that's it. If need to look at a map, I have it already downloaded is OSM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use a dumb-phone for calls and texts. I use a smart-phone as a pocket-size portable computer.
Which custom rom did you end up trying? Im also on the same boat as you in terms of wanting to degoogle. I just successfully unlocked the bootloader and rooted the device via magisk. Now I'm trying to figure out the next step in getting rid of gapps and having microG in place of play services. The user fulalas created a debloat magisk module, and if that removes core gapps I'm wondering if implementing that and then installing microG will be the solution for me
Hi, I have an old GT-i9300 phone that I was going to lend to someone going on holiday. They wanted a phone that they would not be worried about if it grew legs and walked off, so old and slow was fine.
They wanted to use it for:
google maps,
google translate,
google photos,
gmail,
chrome
And all was going well until i was testing google maps and after a few days i started getting annoying popups informing me that android 4.3 or older are no longer supported. And then said person requested support for a pile of other apps.
So I have no choice but to install a custom rom as android 8 or higher is now required.
I have come here seeking your wisdom and knowledge in finding a custom rom for android 8 or later that is stable enough for daily use, has working wifi, NFC, data roaming and camera.
Please help
stonefisher
stonefisher1 said:
Hi, I have an old GT-i9300 phone that I was going to lend to someone going on holiday. They wanted a phone that they would not be worried about if it grew legs and walked off, so old and slow was fine.
They wanted to use it for:
google maps,
google translate,
google photos,
gmail,
chrome
And all was going well until i was testing google maps and after a few days i started getting annoying popups informing me that android 4.3 or older are no longer supported. And then said person requested support for a pile of other apps.
So I have no choice but to install a custom rom as android 8 or higher is now required.
I have come here seeking your wisdom and knowledge in finding a custom rom for android 8 or later that is stable enough for daily use, has working wifi, NFC, data roaming and camera.
Please help
stonefisher
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ive tried a couple of roms in the past days. they all have some kind of little issues. especially the higher android versions from 8-12 are quite buggy.
what i can recommend is:
1. resurrection remix 5.8.5 android 7: https://sourceforge.net/projects/resurrectionremix/files/i9300/ and https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/rom-7-1-2_r2-i9300-ressurrection-remix-n-5-8-3-official.3270121/ (for reference)
2. lineage os 14.1 android 7 by mibo: https://github.com/Mibo5354/i9300_builds/releases
this one i tried today and it looks to be the best overall one so far:
3. lineage os 16.1 android 9: https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/...-16-0-by-team-infusion-beta-20-08-19.3940142/
this one may also be a good one:
4. lineage os 15.1 anroid 8: https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/...-15-1-for-galaxy-s3-by-team-infusion.3941516/
if you want to look further go from here:
List of Best Custom ROM for Samsung Galaxy S3 [Updated]
Do you want to Install any Custom ROM for Samsung Galaxy S3 device? then you are at the right place. Here we will list all the Custom
www.getdroidtips.com
if you want gps navigation take mapfactor navigator with open street maps. google maps, translator and mail you can use via browser, as browser take opera gx, it has adblocker and antiminer built in. play store you dont need just take the apks. i never install gapps. photo / gallery is available in all roms by default.
but if you want gapps you have to chose a specific package for the respective roms, like opengapps for arm.
The Open GApps Project
OpenGApps.org offers information and pre-built packages of The Open GApps Project. The Open GApps Project is an open-source effort to script the automatic generation of up-to-date Google Apps packages. All Android versions and platforms supported.
opengapps.org
Thanks i will look into these, any update on your findings?
stonefisher1 said:
Thanks i will look into these, any update on your findings?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ive been using this (https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/...-16-0-by-team-infusion-beta-20-08-19.3940142/) now for quite a long time and its really, really good. my favorite of all mods i tried. the next closest recommendation is resurrection remix.