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Apparently Google Chrome is a necessity for the phone OS too properly work (self.android)

submitted 11 months ago by Floshie to c/android@lemmy.world

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RedMi Note 11. Just received it for Christmas and boy was I crying the first time I booted it. 1 Gb of bloatware must most importantly: impossible to uninstall chrome.

That is ok if any other browser can co-exist beside it... Boy was I wrong again. Some links from apps don't even care about my default browser, they just open chrome cause hell yeah.

This is sickening me, Google is beginning to really disgust me. Someday I'll root this mf to get rid of ALL the bloatware

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[-] BearOfaTime@lemm.ee 51 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

Disable all that crap with the Universal Android Debloater

You've also discovered one reason why I root - to ensure the only things that run are those I choose to run.

Chrome isn't required. The web view engine is, and even that can be replaced.

Edit: oh, Xaiomi. 'Nuff said. There are certain brands to avoid because of either bloatware or the customizations of the OS make debloating difficult, and rooting or flashing difficult to impossible. Samsung is another.

It's these issues that keep me on devices that are a little older, ones with well-documented root/flashing processes.

[-] FutileRecipe@lemmy.world 4 points 11 months ago

It's these issues that keep me on devices that are a little older, ones with well-documented root/flashing processes.

Just grab a Pixel, even the newest one. Those have the best documented alternate OS support, bonus points if you use GrapheneOS. Granted, rooting is frowned upon there as they're more about security.

[-] Nyanix@lemmy.ca 13 points 11 months ago

While I agree Pixel and GrapheneOS rock, it's a hilarious solution contextually. OP was gifted a phone for Christmas, and your solution is to get rid of the gift, assume they have expendable income, and suggest dropping $700 on a new phone so they can immediately void its warranty.

[-] FutileRecipe@lemmy.world 7 points 11 months ago

OP was gifted a phone for Christmas, and your solution is...

Except I wasn't replying to OP. I was replying to someone who said (and I quoted them) they only use older phones due to proven flashing support, so I was saying they don't have to for the Pixel reason. I wasn't suggesting OP do this if they don't want.

...suggest dropping $700 on a new phone so they can immediately void its warranty.

Where does it say that unlocking the bootloader and flashing an alternate OS voids the warranty? I've done it with every Nexus/Pixel I've had, and have traded them all in for credit...and even sent two in for warranty repair which Google honored.

A quick search (link below) said it doesn't necessarily void the warranty...unless what you did breaks the device and they deem it your fault. And with how good rhe flashing process is on Pixels, I feel you'd have to try and actively break it. Please don't spread unverified rumors (unless you have an official source, which I'd like) and potentially scare people away needlessly.

https://support.google.com/pixelphone/thread/94497368/will-unlocking-bootloader-custom-rom-void-my-pixel-warranty

[-] BearOfaTime@lemm.ee 2 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

Yea that warranty BS always irks me.

First, no it doesn't void warranty.

Second, so what if it did? How many phones has anyone sent back for warranty? I've had (let me count) about 13 individual phones since 2009. Many being duplicates of my daily driver, almost all bought second hand, so I paid no more than $120 for a phone, and as little as $50.

The number I've sent in for warranty:0. The number I've broken: probably 3 (I remember breaking one specifically, and I know I've borked the flash on a couple, but those were old and no longer of any value).

I bet most people have spent as much on a couple phones as I've spent on all my phones. And I always have a hot spare waiting at home, fully configured, all I have to do is swap the sim and I'm up and running. And OS upgrades never take out my production phone, my spare gets it first, I verify everything works, at my leisure, then switch.

Buying two Pixel 5's I'll still be well under the price of the newest Pixel. I'm a serious power user - I move gobs of files with my phone, it's always on, I'm remoting into stuff all the time (ssh and RDP), have a bunch of automation going on, I could use the most powerful available today, unlike most people who just use SMS, facecrack, and WhatsApp.

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[-] TrickDacy@lemmy.world 34 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

I am puzzled by this because I run stock Android (not rooted) and have been using Firefox with chrome completely disabled for months now without issue. This is not a Google issue.

[-] juli@programming.dev 28 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

Xiaomi/ Redmi is responsible for what you can install and what not.

Their OS is horrible. You can't even use another launcher. I'd give it back or sell it or install linux if that's possible

[-] Floshie 5 points 11 months ago

Sadly I'm not in a position where I can sell it back

[-] programmer_belch@lemmy.dbzer0.com 10 points 11 months ago

You can install custom roms into Xiaomi phones, I recommend LinageOS or /e/OS if you want a degoogled experience. If its not for you, the latter isn't really user friendly as some google apps like maps wont really work.

[-] machinin@lemmy.world 5 points 11 months ago

Unfortunately, not on all Xiaomi phones.

[-] programmer_belch@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 11 months ago

It is still worth a try

[-] juli@programming.dev 3 points 11 months ago

Talk to them/ explain the situation

[-] dept@lemmy.sdf.org 2 points 11 months ago

i mean you CAN use another launcher but you can't use swipe gestures at the same time.

[-] helenslunch@feddit.nl 16 points 11 months ago

That's not Google, that's Xiaomi, and possibly your cell carrier. Google phones only come with Google bloatware.

[-] limecool@lemmy.ml 15 points 11 months ago

These are miui shenanigans. You can disable chrome in settings and set different browsers as default on most other Roms like oneui, stock android, realmeui, etc. Last time I used miui, I decided never again.

[-] Matriks404@lemmy.world 13 points 11 months ago

I don't think I ever seen an Android app launching Chrome if it's not a default browser. Are you sure they are not launching built-in WebView?

[-] Floshie 4 points 11 months ago

Nope I'm sure. It is the steam app when I want to access their website and that they redirect me to their app. I'm not logged in but the app offers me to click on a link to open the website and launches chrome.

Same shit with Spotify, cannot use "login with Facebook" in firefox, automatically redirects to chrome although I changed the default browser.

[-] bitwolf@lemmy.one 3 points 11 months ago

Last time I checked, the Google Home Feed is hard coded to use Chrome webview.

Everyone else still works as expected with chrome though

[-] GamerBoy705@lemmy.world 11 points 11 months ago

You can uninstall even system apps via ADB

[-] juli@programming.dev 8 points 11 months ago

Only disable iirc - but it has the same effect 😊

[-] GamerBoy705@lemmy.world 2 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

You can uninstall the app for the user, which achieves 99% of the same effect.

For my case though, on an older Samsung phone running Android 11, I was able to just use the uninstall command (not just for the user) for most bloat apps. Only a couple or so apps refused to be uninstalled entirely. It may not still be valid but it is possible.

[-] jabathekek@sopuli.xyz 2 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

~~What does that acronym mean?~~

[-] woohoo@reddthat.com 3 points 11 months ago

Android Debug Bridge.

It's used automatically when programming android apps on your PC (it'll send the development app to the phone and tell the phone to run it), but you can also use it to run commands on the phone that it normally wouldn't allow, and can sometimes unbrick a dead phone.

It can't fix everything, but it gives you a lot more control over the phone than you'd get otherwise.

[-] moitoi@lemmy.dbzer0.com 10 points 11 months ago

Xiaomi and subbrands are nice with custom roms. Otherwise, it's not usable.

[-] alphacyberranger@lemmy.world 7 points 11 months ago

It's all fun until HyperOS comes and shits on everyone.

[-] moitoi@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 11 months ago

Yup! I don't know how many changed rom. I don't think it was that many people compare to the sales.

[-] dragnucs@lemmy.ml 9 points 11 months ago

Just root it it. In waiting to unlock the bootloader, you can disable unwanted apps either via ADB or simply from the application manager.

[-] krigo666@lemmy.world 9 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

My Note 11 sits in a drawer waiting for a new ROM, probably Pixel Experience. Had it for 6 months, upgraded it to MIUI 14 and got so much fed up with the intrusiveness of the Xiaomi apps that I decided I had enough. Just to change the ringtone to a sound file I had to install a 3rd party app?! Default Xiaomi app wouldn't give me option, kept pushing to use their sounds and download more with the Mi account... eff that! Kept trying to open web links with Mi Navigator, etc... got really fed up to the point I won't buy another Xiaomi phone again. Experience got really worse from MIUI 12 I had in my Poco F1 to MIUI 14, really doing everything to bind you to their ecosystem. No, thank you!

Got a Moto G23 really cheap, with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage, and despite the Google shit I'm happy. One of the best phones for the price you can get. Was 152€ delivered, decent performance and screen, only gripe I have with it is the brightness control under certain lighting conditions (eg, under a street lamp it tends to get dark if the phone is not exactly perpendicular to the light). Pratically stock Android, I can deal with the Google crap. Installed alternative apps for calendar, SMS, etc, working great now.

[-] machinin@lemmy.world 8 points 11 months ago

There are settings to ensure that apps, especially Google apps, respect your default browser. I think you have to go into each of the apps settings to make sure it uses the default browser.

Depending on your device, you may also be able to install a different Rom on the device. Check out XDA forums. You'll have to unlock the bootloader first. You'll need to download software from Xiaomi to do that.

A different Rom will make the device significantly better.

[-] Someology@lemmy.world 8 points 11 months ago

One of the first things I do on a new Samsung phone is disable Chrome and install Firefox. You've just saved me from ever buying a Redmi.

[-] emergencyfood@sh.itjust.works 7 points 11 months ago

If you are using the default OS (MIUI), you can install another browser (from Play Store or F-Droid) and then disable Chrome by adb. Other apps will then be forced to send their links to your new browser.

Xiaomi also allows you to install your own OS and/or root your phone, but that isn't necessary.

[-] eager_eagle@lemmy.world 8 points 11 months ago

Xiaomi also allows you to install your own OS and/or root your phone

Side note that I can't recommend a Xiaomi to users who want a custom ROM.

I have a Poco X3 and they gatekeep the bootloader making you create a Mi account, add your phone number to it, download a Windows-only app to unlock it, have an internet connection through US servers (according to reports from other users), and I still wasn't able to link the device to unlock the bootloader for unknown reasons.

I just got a Pixel after that.

[-] emergencyfood@sh.itjust.works 2 points 11 months ago

I believe you officially have to create a Mi Account, send a request and wait for seven days. According to friends who did it here (India), the rest is not required.

But also, for many devices, you can do it unofficially. This is what I did.

[-] eager_eagle@lemmy.world 2 points 11 months ago

send a request

yes, that part was failing without an explanation for me and other users.

[-] stoly@lemmy.world 7 points 11 months ago

I don't understand why this would surprise someone. Are they complaining that Safari is built in to iPhones and can't be removed?

There are some FOSS phones out there if you want one...

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[-] imkali@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 11 months ago

Not sure if the Note 11 is the one that shares a model with the POCO X4 Pro or not, but if it is you can root it with Magisk and uninstall system apps with that. That's what I did with my X4 Pro.

[-] cupcakezealot 2 points 11 months ago

gmail wont even work if you disable chrome because of chrome custom tabs which is absurd

[-] lseif@sopuli.xyz 1 points 11 months ago

obligatory 'consider grapheneos'

[-] dustyData@lemmy.world 10 points 11 months ago

Graphene only works on certain pixel phones. They have no plans of supporting anything else and expects people to buy a phone to install graphene on, not the other way around

[-] lseif@sopuli.xyz 2 points 11 months ago

thats why i said 'consider', not 'definitely use'

the device support is a security limitation, with pixel phones being one of the only phones that support bootloader locking/unlocking. dont blame GOS, blame hardware manufacturers.

grapheneos is not for everyone, but it is CERTAINLY worth looking into, especially if you already jabe a pixel or are getting a new phone anyway.

any degoogled rom is better than stock android. (im not just here to shill GOS, i simply prefer it)

[-] dustyData@lemmy.world 6 points 11 months ago

And OP was very explicit that they didn't purchase the phone, it was given to them and they have no say on returning or changing it. And given that it is one of the cheap mid tiers Redmi, they don't sound like they have pixel money. So, good suggestion in any other case, but useless and unactionable here.

[-] redditor_chatter44@sh.itjust.works 1 points 11 months ago

Chrome is a "necessity" to work

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this post was submitted on 04 Jan 2024

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