5 ms·

> there isn't a way to completely disable it in Android This is not true, as there is... just disable the Google app. You will need to replace the launcher wi

by buro9 3y ago

> there isn't a way to completely disable it in Android This is not true, as there is... just disable the Google app. You will need to replace the launcher with the Nova launcher in the process, and will likely replace the search box with Firefox search. But the Google app and Assistant will be totally disabled and unavailable anywhere in the Android experience. If you find a link to it, it will ask to enable which you can decline. I found this out by Google having placed me in some experiment earlier this year where my Pixel 6 Pro went from 24h battery life down to about 3h battery life. The battery was being drained by the Google app exclusively, and so without any fix or published workaround I set about disabling the Google app. Overall this has been a huge improvement, my battery under near identical usage is now closer to 36h... and the Assistant not being present I have since viewed as a bonus (at the time I thought it a negative). I believe the issue is probably now fixed, but why would I go back when this is a better experience with more battery, disabling the Google app was like upgrading my phone.

tempodox 3y ago
“just”
- valvar 3y ago
  Yes, it's very simple. Just open the app info (by long holding the app icon and pressing the little "i"), then select "disable" and confirm the dialogue. Or did you mean something else?
  - oblio 3y ago
    There are 10 comments above mentioning various gotchas.
blackoil 3y ago
This is what Competition law is primarily about if I want/have to use App X, App Y should not be forced upon me. It was the problem in Windows/IE or Android/PlayStore ... Google, Apple, MSFT are abusing "monopoly" in one area to extend their reach in other areas.
snide 3y ago
Highly recommend the above. Moving to a launcher, defaulting to Firefox (yay adblocker), and replacing the default search with Kagi creates a near distraction free experience on Android. Unfortunately the Reddit / X changes this year should remind us these sort of 3rd-party workarounds will only exist for so long. I know it's a dream, but I'm looking forward to simple Linux phones. Moving to GNOME / arch on my Desktop lets me do what I want to do and somehow, magically plays any game from Steam without a hitch.
kwanbix 3y ago
Wasn't Nova Launcher acquired by a very shady company? https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32150092 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32150092
- FireInsight 3y ago
  Lawnchair is a great alternative: https://lawnchair.app/ https://lawnchair.app/ I personally also love Kvæsitso, which is a search-based launcher kind of like KISS launcher but with a cleaner aesthetic: https://kvaesitso.mm20.de/ https://kvaesitso.mm20.de/ KISS Launcher has the better smartly ordered search, though: https://kisslauncher.com/ https://kisslauncher.com/
  - 4ggr0 3y ago
    I'm very happy with OLauncher :) Minimalistic, quasi text-based. Swipe up to show all apps and show keyboard by default for a fast search, swipe left to open firefox and swipe right for signal.
  - Geezus_42 3y ago
    I have been using Niagara for years. They have a built-in search, but it's better if you also have Sesame.
    - FireInsight 3y ago
      Almost every launcher has a built-in search feature. The difference with search-based launchers for me is having only widgets or even just plain nothing on the home screen, launching apps from a small favorites bar or by typing the first few letters of the apps name. It's honestly faster than looking at many screens full of folders of apps ever was. https://sesame.ninja/ https://sesame.ninja/ Sesame is cool, but not FOSS, and last time I tried it some years back it had some limitations for free users or didn't integrate into my launcher well or something like that.
    - kwanbix 3y ago
      Isn't Sesame also bought by the same shady company that bought Nova?
panki27 3y ago
While you're at it, why not install a custom ROM without Google Services (and use MicroG for notifications and stuff).
- barrkel 3y ago
  Generally this comes with the downside of being unable to use banking apps.
IG_Semmelweiss 3y ago
Can you build on that ? In particular, did you lose voice to text writing as a result ? This is my biggest fear.
mananaysiempre 3y ago
> just disable the Google app. Since several months ago, disabling the Google app also disables camera functionality in Google Translate (?!..), which to an expat is absolutely crippling.
- downWidOutaFite 3y ago
  I had no idea all the expats from before 10 years ago were crippled.
  - deleted 3y ago
    [deleted]
  - Rebelgecko 3y ago
    FWIW WordLens came out in 2010
deleted 3y ago
[deleted]

by buro9 3y ago

tempodox 3y ago

“just”

valvar 3y ago
Yes, it's very simple. Just open the app info (by long holding the app icon and pressing the little "i"), then select "disable" and confirm the dialogue. Or did you mean something else?
- oblio 3y ago
  There are 10 comments above mentioning various gotchas.

blackoil 3y ago

This is what Competition law is primarily about if I want/have to use App X, App Y should not be forced upon me. It was the problem in Windows/IE or Android/PlayStore ... Google, Apple, MSFT are abusing "monopoly" in one area to extend their reach in other areas.

snide 3y ago

Highly recommend the above. Moving to a launcher, defaulting to Firefox (yay adblocker), and replacing the default search with Kagi creates a near distraction free experience on Android. Unfortunately the Reddit / X changes this year should remind us these sort of 3rd-party workarounds will only exist for so long. I know it's a dream, but I'm looking forward to simple Linux phones. Moving to GNOME / arch on my Desktop lets me do what I want to do and somehow, magically plays any game from Steam without a hitch.

kwanbix 3y ago

Wasn't Nova Launcher acquired by a very shady company? https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32150092 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32150092

FireInsight 3y ago
Lawnchair is a great alternative: https://lawnchair.app/ https://lawnchair.app/ I personally also love Kvæsitso, which is a search-based launcher kind of like KISS launcher but with a cleaner aesthetic: https://kvaesitso.mm20.de/ https://kvaesitso.mm20.de/ KISS Launcher has the better smartly ordered search, though: https://kisslauncher.com/ https://kisslauncher.com/
- 4ggr0 3y ago
  I'm very happy with OLauncher :) Minimalistic, quasi text-based. Swipe up to show all apps and show keyboard by default for a fast search, swipe left to open firefox and swipe right for signal.
- Geezus_42 3y ago
  I have been using Niagara for years. They have a built-in search, but it's better if you also have Sesame.
  - FireInsight 3y ago
    Almost every launcher has a built-in search feature. The difference with search-based launchers for me is having only widgets or even just plain nothing on the home screen, launching apps from a small favorites bar or by typing the first few letters of the apps name. It's honestly faster than looking at many screens full of folders of apps ever was. https://sesame.ninja/ https://sesame.ninja/ Sesame is cool, but not FOSS, and last time I tried it some years back it had some limitations for free users or didn't integrate into my launcher well or something like that.
  - kwanbix 3y ago
    Isn't Sesame also bought by the same shady company that bought Nova?

panki27 3y ago

While you're at it, why not install a custom ROM without Google Services (and use MicroG for notifications and stuff).

barrkel 3y ago
Generally this comes with the downside of being unable to use banking apps.

IG_Semmelweiss 3y ago

Can you build on that ? In particular, did you lose voice to text writing as a result ? This is my biggest fear.

mananaysiempre 3y ago

> just disable the Google app. Since several months ago, disabling the Google app also disables camera functionality in Google Translate (?!..), which to an expat is absolutely crippling.

downWidOutaFite 3y ago
I had no idea all the expats from before 10 years ago were crippled.
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]
- Rebelgecko 3y ago
  FWIW WordLens came out in 2010

deleted 3y ago

[deleted]