Help New phone: can it be used without google account?

[regressist]

Hi all,

I had to buy a new phone bacause the Huawei crap I have now is loosing the lid even thoughused very little (on this later). I wait to switch it on till the other dies. I have a question: when I switch it on am I forced to connect to internet and give my account? I would like to use it only as a phone, never going to internet for now (or at least not to Play store and gmail), and installing some apps which I already have: does Android allow this? I do not remember if it was possible to skip the google account business when I bought the previous phones

Thanks in advance

 

[The_Chief]

My obvious question is: why did you buy a complex Android smartphone if you only want a cell phone? There are plenty of "dumb phones" available that only make calls.

Google owns the Android operating system - it's like getting a Windows PC but not wanting anything to do with Microsoft.

 

[regressist]

My obvious question is: why did you buy a complex Android smartphone if you only want a cell phone? There are plenty of "dumb phones" available that only make calls.

Google owns the Android operating system - it's like getting a Windows PC but not wanting anything to do with Microsoft.

Because I want all the features of a smart phone, hard disk, bluetooth, pictures, movies, etc.

 

[puppykickr]

Yes!

That is exactly what I am doing with my current daily driver.

You will, however, experience a few drawbacks- none of which are not reversable, and none of which can not be overcome.

An efficient, fast device is the final result- and worth it in my opinion.

My suggestion for starting is to place the apks of your preferred apps onto an SD card and put that card into the new device.

A firewall should be the primary concern.

Do not allow any internet connection before the firewall is set up and deployed.
Block any and all Google associated apps with the firewall.

Disable as many Google apps as possible- Play Store and Google itself, along with Chrome.
(There are many others as well.)

This will help to prevent the unwanted bloatware crap that usually gets downloaded onto new devices.

Open developers options and change the webview setting frome Chrome to Android System Webview.

Disable all stock utility apps (calculator, calendar, contacts, dialer, etc.) and replace with Simple Mobile Tools.

Use F-Droid and UpToDown to get apps.

Keep in mind that many apps require Google crap to run.

Some of these are not required for actual app use (the app may work find, but some features may not (game save, etc.).
If a 'this app requires Google blah, blah, blah' notice appears, try to skip it (often by touching 'cancel' or even just the screen).

There is much more, but let me post links to apps that I think will help.
(I need my other device for that.)

 

[regressist]

Yes!

That is exactly what I am doing with my current daily driver.


Keep in mind that many apps require Google crap to run.
......
There is much more, but let me post links to apps that I think will help.
(I need my other device for that.)

Thanks a lot for your reply, I'm very glad to hear this. I do not know if I will be able to do it, this is another story. There should be a group for this: USING ANDROID WITHOUT GOOGLE.

Only one question for now, where is the firewall? Are you talking just of the settings/apps where you do not allow access to any feature of an app?

 

[puppykickr]

FIREWALLS:
https://noroot-firewall.en.uptodown.com/android

https://f-droid.org/en/packages/eu.faircode.netguard/

BROWSER:
https://f-droid.org/en/packages/acr.browser.lightning/

F-DROID:
(get the app)
https://f-droid.org/

UPTODOWN:
(get the app)
https://en.uptodown.com/

SIMPLE MOBILE TOOLS:
(use F-Droid to get the apps)
https://www.simplemobiletools.com/

APK EXTRACTOR:
(to extract apks from apps so that you can place them onto SD card)
https://f-droid.org/en/packages/axp.tool.apkextractor/

 

[regressist]

Wonderful, thanks A LOT

 

[puppykickr]

Keep in mind that to do all this will require time (hours) and dedixation on your part.

To live without Google if you have lived with Google can be daunting.

I never really got along with them, so it was easier for me.

But contacts won't sync or transfer, so all that had to be entered manually (what fun! (sarc.)) and there are other things as well.
Things you will discover immediately and later on.

But you will have longer battery life, a faster device, and be spied on less by an information sharing giant that feeds on the blood and souls of... well, you get the point.

 

[regressist]

Yes, I may ask you some questions in the future if you do not mind

 

[puppykickr]

That is fine.
Keep in mind that each device is different, and you probably don't have mine.

Also, some apps are screwy, designed to make sure that Google crAPPS are up and running.

I have a rotten one with the misname of Wi-Fi Manager.
It does not manage Wi-Fi.
All it does is make sure that Google Play Services (the very worst Google app) is running.
If it is not, then Wi-Fi Manager will turn off your Wi-Fi service, telling you that Google Play Services is required for Wi-Fi Manager to work.

Well, Wi-Fi Manager is not needed, but cannot be disabled.

Wi-Fi Nanager may need Google Play Services to work, but the device does not need Wi-Fi Manager to work on Wi-Fi.

Things like this are why I have always disliked Google in the first place.

So right now, I have to have Google Play Services active in order for this pest Wi-Fi Manager to not shut off Wi-Fi access.

So I block Google Play Services with a firewall.

This is part of the game that we play.

Also, remember that you will now be in charge of app updates.

This is easy enough with F-Droid and UpToDown.

But beware of any over the air 'security updates'.

In my experience, these have only been 'updates' to Google apps that I do not use or want, and most often they all must be reset as I had them all over again.

Having Google detect that you are using an out of date Google app, or that some Google app has not sent them a signal from your device, can trigger a so called 'security update'. (My opinion based upon personal experience.)

'Security', as defined by Google, is spying on you more.

 

[regressist]

Thank you, very clear.
I use very few applications, most are completely disabled. I do not sync any data with google and usually do not update the apps as long as they work. I have never connected to any wifi in the last year. The only 2 or 3 times I went on internet I did it via the cellular network after having disabled all the updates, including system updates.
Maybe with the app extractor I will be able to keep most of my present functionalities and with f-droid to fill the set maybe with some good add-ons.

 

[puppykickr]

Yes.
Good luck!

As you already have limited your use so much, you have little to nothing to lose or change without Google.

 

[The_Chief]

Because I want all the features of a smart phone, hard disk, bluetooth, pictures, movies, etc.

I'm glad you got the information you need. This reply is not quite what you said in the OP about using it "only as a phone". I hope it works out for you!

 

[regressist]

Sorry, posted in error