Root [Verizon] (Verizon) Ditching TouchWiz for stock ICS

[kkocka]

Previous phone: HTC Incredible (3G) running 2.3.4
New phone: Samsung Galaxy S3 (4G) running 4.0.4

I've done a lot of searching and reading on various methods to remove, or attempt to remove, TouchWiz UI in order to use stock Ice Cream Sandwich. I've seen the easy way out is to install a launcher (Launcher Pro, Apex, etc) and then to choose that launcher as default. I don't particularly care for that because I don't want to rely on a third party for my daily use, although some UI's are pretty nice, they're often prone to design flaw.

I've also seen other ways of ditching HTC Sense on other phones and TouchWiz on a Galaxy S2 simply by force stopping and clearing all data etc, but of course I'm talking about the S3 here. I realize the Galaxy S3 is SO new that there hasn't been much time to go about this without taking some kinda risk in an early root etc.

This brings up a couple of questions:

1. Is it possible right now to avoid TouchWiz and just use the stock Ice Cream Sandwich, without a launcher?
2. Do you recommend I just sit tight and be patient for a workaround?
3. Who leads the rooting world these days? Last I remember unrevoked was the way to go, but they seem to not be working on newer phones.

Lastly, coming from HTC, I'm unfamiliar with what in this phone is usual Samsung bloatware/bs as compared to Ice Cream Sandwich features. Remember I'm coming from Android 2.3.4 here. The Verizon stuff I've been able to disable, as well as a handful of I'm assuming Samsung (and not Android) stuff.

Thanks in advance for any leads!

 

[Skeeter125]

No way to avoid it without rooting and a custom rom.

 

[BigCiX]

Just try Nova or Apex launcher from the google play store.

 

[rushmore]

I think the home button needs the Wiz UI, at some level.

 

[kkocka]

Some of you missed the point in that if I wanted a launcher I wouldn't have posted to begin with. I'm aiming for the stock Ice Cream Sandwich.

From what I wanna say I read, there are a lotta similarities between some navs in this Samsung and some ICS - I could be wrong, but in any case I will likely stick with this shitwiz ui until a rooting solution is available.

For those who have rooted before, will you just find "uninstall" options in apps etc that typically aren't there? Also any help in Samsung loaded bloatware would be a great help! Thanks again.

 

[ylexot]

Rooting alone won't help you do what you want. You need to be able to put a Rom on.

 

[larry0071]

Using another launcher that replaced touch wiz is not getting you any closer to AOSP, it just replaces a launcher with another launcher.

You can't kill or otherwise remove touch wiz without simply adding a new launcher unless you are willing to go and load a customized ROM image to your phone.

If AOSP is your goal, root it and load it. If you can be more happy with an alternative launcher, choose it and load it.

Pretty simple. Sorry that you can't do what you want in any easy way.

 

[kkocka]

I don't have a problem with a custom ICS rom when everything is available and rootable. Would a major Android OS update cause me to reload the rom again?

 

[rushmore]

I am pretty sure stock ICS means no home button and display space lost to a fixed navigation bar. I would LOVE stock ICS if I could also have use of the home button and no fixed nav bar. I did not update my View to HC since did not want to lose display space on a 7" display, yet alone a 4.8".

 

[kkocka]

There isn't a home button on ICS stock? That makes zero sense. I wonder if it would override Galaxy S III's physical home button?

 

[jerofld]

I've moved the thread to the ATR for Verizon. What you're looking to do is replace TouchWiz with ICS, which would require an AOSP (or AOKP) ROM. One may not be ready, yet. I do suspect that the home button would be made to work for an AOSP ICS ROM.

But don't be surprised if such a ROM would be working and released this week. It can take a little bit for an AOSP ROM to be developed for a device.

 

[icerado]

There isn't a home button on ICS stock? That makes zero sense. I wonder if it would override Galaxy S III's physical home button?

ok...stock ICS (aka vanilla) has 3 soft keys and those are back, home, running apps...in that order. This is the build from the nexus S and the current one I'm running on my dx. I would say be patient and wait out a few weeks to see what happens with this phone. You came from an HTC, so don't expect things to be exactly the same. Sense, blur, and wiz are all different evils...however htc has and likely will always be the fastest to get roms.

Root as well as rom builds will be completely different for us. Unless we get the bootloader unlocked quickly the development community will split for the time being and anything you've ever known is out the door. So get ready to test new roms and new root methods over the next few months, or just pray someone cracks the loader early on.

 

[ylexot]

I am pretty sure stock ICS means no home button and display space lost to a fixed navigation bar. I would LOVE stock ICS if I could also have use of the home button and no fixed nav bar. I did not update my View to HC since did not want to lose display space on a 7" display, yet alone a 4.8".

You'd be wrong.

 

[rushmore]

And it would certainly not be the last.

 

[kkocka]

I suppose if I were lucky enough to just find a dead on theme to apply to a launcher, I could just trick myself into thinking I'm happy. Then I'd have to slowly convince myself the ridiculous size isn't an issue.

 

[icerado]

just an fyi root is available now if you would like to get rid of the touch-wiz launcher. I would say if you have any kind of rooting experience you could just root the phone and "freeze" the launcher with titanium backup. This will stop it from running, however from experience I would say the lower dock section will still be blocked off from app placement. I could be wrong but its worth a shot if you don't feel like waiting for roms.

 

[liteon163]

Wait until a stable AOSP ROM comes out. Try fooling yourself with Apex or Nova until then; you might just like one of them enough you won't feel the need to root. Well, not right away anyway. ;-)

 

[ylexot]

BTW, what is so great about the stock ICS launcher that makes you want it over Apex/Nova/Go?

 

[jackdubl]

I usually go stock ICS as well, but as far as skins go, I'm finding this Touchwiz version to be the best skin I have ever seen. Sooo much better than Sense. I think I like it. Just wish I could customize some parts, like the status bar toggles

 

[Metfanant]

we wont be getting a completely stock version of ICS or JB until they can get around the bootloader issue with the VZW version...

 

[kboss375]

I look forward to throwing a stock rom on once they become available. I really thought about getting the nexus, or waiting for the new ones, but I went with the newer hardware instead. Now I'm just banking on some stock roms come into play!

 

[kkocka]

BTW, what is so great about the stock ICS launcher that makes you want it over Apex/Nova/Go?

Honestly its because I think Android/Google has their priorities in the wrong order: ship phones with stock Android, and if the consumer doesn't like it, use a manufacturer or fan-provided UI/skin. Instead, things are backwards and I once again have an otherwise great phone but have to use a shittified OS version. Its like shipping Windows XP with WindowsBlinds (dating myself here) when somebody doesn't like the particular skin of icons, windows, etc. My opinion only.

I also hate all the optional-but-not-really-optional software and bloatware that manufacturers provide that are native to that particular UI.

As it turns out, I really like Ice Cream Sandwich's UI, much more than TouchWiz. In the end, if I can use ICS as it was intended to be used then I can be happy, be it launcher or root & rom.

What I'm curious about though, is that if I were to root now, would I regret it when Jellybean is available? Does it mean rerooting again with each new release of the OS?


(side note: I am "stuck" with the Galaxy S3 because my Droid Inc was going to complete shit, and driving me absolutely crazy. If I were able to afford more waiting time -and believe me I was otherwise happy with my DInc- I would have selected a native ICS phone)

 

[Metfanant]

Honestly its because I think Android/Google has their priorities in the wrong order: ship phones with stock Android, and if the consumer doesn't like it, use a manufacturer or fan-provided UI/skin. Instead, things are backwards and I once again have an otherwise great phone but have to use a shittified OS version. Its like shipping Windows XP with WindowsBlinds (dating myself here) when somebody doesn't like the particular skin of icons, windows, etc. My opinion only.

blame Google for not forcing OEM's to use Vanilla or not forcing them to make their UI's optional...

of course if Google takes this route its possible none of the OEMs adopt Android and it fails immediately...

I also hate all the optional-but-not-really-optional software and bloatware that manufacturers provide that are native to that particular UI.

i do not think any of the OEMs put this stuff there to make the phones worse...and for many people they probably do make things better...there are lots of things that UI skins introduce that improve on AOSP...

As it turns out, I really like Ice Cream Sandwich's UI, much more than TouchWiz. In the end, if I can use ICS as it was intended to be used then I can be happy, be it launcher or root & rom.

agree here...not a fan of TouchWiz at all really...couple things here and there i like...but as a whole? No...

oddly enough I think the OEM that has gotten things the most "right" recently is Motorola...i think GingerBlur was a great improvement over the blur of the past...and i think their UI for ICS is very good...very close to AOSP...

What I'm curious about though, is that if I were to root now, would I regret it when Jellybean is available? Does it mean rerooting again with each new release of the OS?

depends on how you handle things...

The S3 is a new device so things are not always smooth yet...but as time goes on, everything gets easier and easier to do and the devs get used to things..

this is how rooted users usually handle OTA updates...

if you have a custom ROM installed...the OTA update will fail because it will look for the stock ROM and not find it...so simply what you do to keep root is...

1. wait until the devs figure out root...flash the new version and then wait for your favorite ROM to be updated...

2. wait for your favorite ROM to be updated to the new OS and flash that instead

but a rooted user should NEVER just blindly take the OTA update because 99 times out of 100 you will lose root (unless the OEM is an idiot and didn't block the existing root exploit)...

(side note: I am "stuck" with the Galaxy S3 because my Droid Inc was going to complete shit, and driving me absolutely crazy. If I were able to afford more waiting time -and believe me I was otherwise happy with my DInc- I would have selected a native ICS phone)

then why didn;t you get a GNex? as that is the ONLY "native" ICS phone as you put it...

 

[ylexot]

depends on how you handle things...

The S3 is a new device so things are not always smooth yet...but as time goes on, everything gets easier and easier to do and the devs get used to things..

this is how rooted users usually handle OTA updates...

if you have a custom ROM installed...the OTA update will fail because it will look for the stock ROM and not find it...so simply what you do to keep root is...

1. wait until the devs figure out root...flash the new version and then wait for your favorite ROM to be updated...

2. wait for your favorite ROM to be updated to the new OS and flash that instead

but a rooted user should NEVER just blindly take the OTA update because 99 times out of 100 you will lose root (unless the OEM is an idiot and didn't block the existing root exploit)...

There is also OTA Rootkeeper, but I'd definitely wait for someone else to see if it works for an update. I doubt it would work going from ICS to JB simply because it is a huge update and will likely replace just about everything.

 

[CyHawk]

I look forward to throwing a stock rom on once they become available. I really thought about getting the nexus, or waiting for the new ones, but I went with the newer hardware instead. Now I'm just banking on some stock roms come into play!

+1

So far, I'm happy with the S3. I do miss some root features.