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105

Apparently Google Chrome is a necessity for the phone OS too properly work (lemmy.blahaj.zone)

submitted 7 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

63 comments fedilink hide all child comments

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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[–] [email protected] 50 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (1 children)

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.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 7 months ago (2 children)

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.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 7 months ago (1 children)

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.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 7 months ago (1 children)

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

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[–] [email protected] 30 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (1 children)

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.

[–] [email protected] 30 points 7 months ago

Sack off Xiaomi's OS and put AOSP on it, you can find ROMs here: https://xdaforums.com/f/redmi-note-11-spes-spesn.12617/

I used DivestOS on my Poco F3, however I'm not sure if there's an official version of that for your phone. crDroid is at the top of the forum page though, I used to use that, it was alright.

[–] [email protected] 27 points 7 months ago (1 children)

The links are your OS 's problem. My pixel lets me use edge as the default just fine.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 7 months ago

Same with me for Firefox.
Even the in-app browser defaults to firefox webview

[–] [email protected] 25 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (2 children)

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

[–] [email protected] 4 points 7 months ago (2 children)

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

[–] [email protected] 9 points 7 months ago (1 children)

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.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Unfortunately, not on all Xiaomi phones.

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 7 months ago

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

[–] [email protected] 14 points 7 months ago

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

[–] [email protected] 14 points 7 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.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 7 months ago (2 children)

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?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 7 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.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 7 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

[–] [email protected] 11 points 7 months ago (2 children)

You can uninstall even system apps via ADB

[–] [email protected] 6 points 7 months ago (2 children)

Only disable iirc - but it has the same effect 😊

[–] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago (2 children)

I thought ADB did remove the apps? You should be able to disable from within the OS, although I wouldn't be surprised if this function was blocked.

[–] southsamurai 5 points 7 months ago (1 children)

You can disable, or uninstall from user space, which is not the same as removing it entirely

[–] [email protected] 4 points 7 months ago

Yeah exactly. It's still effectively uninstalling the app though and should free up space. But it'll still come back if you create another user.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago (1 children)

I haven't done it in a while. You can onstall the app via another adb command again. It's another disabling than from within the OS

[–] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago

Me neither lol I just start with a ROM that doesn't have it to begin with. Hell, my phone has never even had Android System Webview - it came with Mulch instead.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 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.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (1 children)

~~What does that acronym mean?~~

[–] [email protected] 3 points 7 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.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 7 months ago (1 children)

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

[–] [email protected] 7 points 7 months ago (1 children)

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

[–] [email protected] 4 points 7 months ago

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

[–] [email protected] 8 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 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.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 7 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.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 7 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.

[–] emergencyfood 7 points 7 months ago (1 children)

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.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 7 months ago (1 children)

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 2 points 7 months ago (1 children)

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.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 7 months ago

send a request

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

[–] [email protected] 4 points 7 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.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 7 months ago (6 children)

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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[–] [email protected] 2 points 7 months ago

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

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