Huawei without Google

[Jet Cash]

I really have a lot of problems trying to disable Google apps and Microsoft stuff. The new Google free phones from Huawei have a massive appeal for me, but it doesn't look as if we can get them in the UK for a reasonable price.

Do any of you guys want to be Google free on your phones?

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[MysteryMiner]

You will replace Google and NSA spyware with chinese spyware. And chinese spyware is of lower quality, it means some 3rd party can get unauthorized access to it.

[UserU]

^ Pretty much this. It depends on who you want to be spied by, either by China or the US.

Basically data is the current gold mine now. You want convenience, that comes at the expense of security. There's no in-between.

[Cnut237]

You will replace Google and NSA spyware with chinese spyware. And chinese spyware is of lower quality, it means some 3rd party can get unauthorized access to it.

As opposed to authorised access? When Google was questioned by senators, Susan Molinari (VP for Policy) admitted that Google lets app developers access Gmail inboxes and read through users' personal mail. In one example, a third party marketing company called Return Path read literally thousands of unredacted personal emails. This is a bit over a year old, and Google said they would tighten things up, but tech companies say a lot of stuff and tend to ride ahead of the law... does anyone seriously think that a company that provides services "for free" is really not one where users and their data are being monetised?

^ Pretty much this. It depends on who you want to be spied by, either by China or the US.

Basically data is the current gold mine now. You want convenience, that comes at the expense of security. There's no in-between.

Absolutely true, I agree 100%. Personally, as a westerner living in a western country, I would rather be spied upon by China than the US/UK/Five Eyes. If I lived in China, the opposite would be true and I'd be trying to ditch my Huawei instead.

[20kevin20]

I wish I could go completely Google free, but my options would then be limited. One big issue for me was that WhatsApp really is a need and I believe there's no point in going for a fully free experience where you're off Apple/Google/Microsoft/whatever other company's track if the experience will not really be fully free. I believe WhatsApp doesn't even work if you remove absolutely everything related to Google from your Android phone, but I may be wrong.

Anyways, the point I was trying to make is, although I'd really like going for a fully free experience, there are apps I can't find an open-sourced version of so I still have to use some close-sourced apps.. yes, removing everything Huawei/Google related off your phone and having only a few close-sourced apps you really need is better than leaving all default stuff inside your phone. But I guess you get my point..

If you want to go off their radar as much as possible, you're going to go through a big headache. You'll probably just then find out how many apps you're using are not open-source and there's no alternative versions of them. You can't use social media either, and your communication with others will have to go through some app like Signal.

You can use a Replicant-supported phone and get their OS on it (or buy one from Technoethical), this is the best fully-free OS I have found yet. Other alternatives I have seen are CopperheadOS (I wanted to install it on my older Nexus but I have never tried it, apparently it isn't supported anymore for Nexus; keep in mind it only supports a few phone models) and LineageOS.

Removing all Huawei or Google apps and services will also remove the app store. You can then opt for F-Droid and get open-source apps off their store. Good luck!

[MysteryMiner]

WhatsApp does not require Google or any of it's services. Install WhatsApp APK by sideloading from Whatsapp website and you are good to go.

[20kevin20]

WhatsApp does not require Google or any of it's services. Install WhatsApp APK by sideloading from Whatsapp website and you are good to go.

But it's owned by Facebook, so removing all Google apps & services to sideload WhatsApp makes no sense imo..

[UserU]

WhatsApp does not require Google or any of it's services. Install WhatsApp APK by sideloading from Whatsapp website and you are good to go.

It's owned by Facebook though. And you know FB handling its social media and stuff.

[Jet Cash]

Wow - so many merits for anti-Chinese sentiments.

I don't really care if people are spying on me. What does annoy me is that the big players are constantly messing with my settings, and installing rubbish apps that I don't want, and won't use. I don't want things like Alexa, Cortana, Facebook, Twotter (sic) and all the other trivial nonsense that goes on at the moment. I don't want crappy music superimposed on my surfing either.

It also annoys me when my searches are modified to push products just after I have bought something. Computers used to be tools, but now they are self-driving devices, and we are just passengers in our journeys on the net.

[Cnut237]

Wow - so many merits for anti-Chinese sentiments.

Hey! I'm not meriting anti-Chinese stuff, I'm meriting people who are complaining that everyone surveils us. The Chinese state may be bad, but it's Facebook that's my mortal enemy. There, I've said it.

I don't really care if people are spying on me.

... And if you edit this so it says "I really care if people are spying on me", then I'll merit you, too. Go on. Do it. One word to delete.


Seriously though, the monetising of us poor users is getting absurd now, and it's really impacting our experience. It's not just nefarious behind-the-scenes behavioural analysis and nudging us to act (or indeed vote) in a certain way, it's now right out in the open and in our faces.

I had a rant about it a while ago.

I think you're in the UK, same as me, so we're both supposedly protected by GDPR and particularly the 'active consent' element. But websites are treating the law with open contempt. You can click once to 'accept all' cookies and trackers, but have to make many many clicks through different sub-menus to opt out - the exact opposite of how it is legally supposed to work. Anyway, I'm ranting again, sorry. Have a look at the thread if you're interested. But please, do care about these companies spying on us. They're not just subverting the web, they're subverting democracy.

[Jet Cash]

... And if you edit this so it says "I really care if people are spying on me", then I'll merit you, too.

I really don't care if people are spying on me. I suspect I'm a bit of an exhibitionist. I am annoyed by the manipulation of search results and the way sites like YouTube push things that don't interest me based on a misunderstanding of some of my posting and searches. One possibly amusing example is happening at the moment. Because I have been discussing and searching about hard drive problems, YouTube has started to suggest videos about erectile dysfunction. I'm not sure Viagra will help maintain hard drives in my computer.

btw - If a site blocks access until I agree to an EU cookie policy, I just quit the site.

[Cnut237]

Because I have been discussing and searching about hard drive problems, YouTube has started to suggest videos about erectile dysfunction.

I've had something similar. The suggestions, not the dysfunction.
We're having our kitchen renovated, and were discussing lighting - actually discussing vocally; we had sent no texts nor made any phone or computer searches. We don't have Amazon Echo or Google Home or any of that crap.
... And then my wife went on her phone and was suddenly bombarded with ads for kitchen lights.

I'm not sure Viagra will help maintain hard drives in my computer.

Actually, I think it will. Try to run your OS from a floppy, and it will be a disaster. Sorry

[20kevin20]

I am not anti-Chinese either. I'm not against any race, I'm only against the way some corporations/govs spy on us.

If my post in this thread wasn't helpful for you (I don't see why having a fully-free OS would be a problem at all) and you only wish phones didn't have sideloaded apps, then have you thought about going for an Android One phone such as the Pixel? If that isn't enough and you don't want YouTube, Play Music, Chrome etc on the phone you can go for flashing a custom ROM without the G-Apps on it.

[DaCryptoRaccoon]

What we need is a Qubes OS for phones that is open source and modular in design with selective installing of modules say you don't want any camera software install or you don't want your GPS module to be enabled bluetooth or other services a block based module OS would be perfect and give the end users full control over what is on the phone and what is not.

Cyagenmod used to be the go to solution but again it had it's downfalls I really think the first person who can create a module based OS for phoned that allows the user to build there own spec OS will be a massive hit.

[Jet Cash]

I'm not sure why the Anglophone empire is so stressed about China. Maybe Tony Blair's Schwarzman Scholarship isn't working. My only problem with China is that their restaurants can't cook decent English fish and chips. Roll on the time when we can chuck the French out of our fishing grounds, and we can reduce the price of this traditional meal.

The current government and corporate control of the Internet and our computer is so over the top and disruptive, that a cleaner Chinese variant would be like a breath of Spring, and who cares if Huawei has left a backdoor there. The current system seem to have the whole of the back wall removed.

[CristianOff]

Hi,

This is the Burkina Faso spying software. We don't have enough money to produce software to steal your sensitive data and sell it for
millions. Instead, please just tell us your name, age, orientation, address, political views, last time you insured your car & with which company,
a list of last things you purchased in the past 6 months and a photo of yourself.








On a more serious side, it's interesting how you can choose for google to not collect information about yourself, BUT if you ever agree by mistake
 with an app downloaded on your android phone to share your information, google will have direct access to everything
I am still researching if this applies to Apple too.

[pakhitheboss]

Perhaps you are in love with huawei or you are literally pissed of with Google. I am not sure how globally this brilliant copy cat will survive without the cooperation of google.

Already Chinese companies are known for their illegal activities but, hey! We are do much dependent on them.

[Jet Cash]

I'm pissed off with Google, Apple and Microsoft for a variety of reasons.  I use a cheap  smartphobne all the time, and it is great. I use very few apps, and Google doesn't like that, and it keeps trying to change my settings, and sending me stupid messages. I won't be moving to 5G for quite some time, if ever. There are alternatives appearing that may be better for me,

We know that the Five Eyes alliance has backdoors into all phones and computers, and that is more of a concern for me than the Chinese government, if it is true that they will be using Huawei with open source software. The whole issue is rubbish anyway. Most computers and phones use Chinese chips, and the so called health service use Chinese manufactured drugs, that should be more of a concern.

I need a second phone, so I will be watching the market,and I'll probably buy a Huawei phone when a suitable one appears.

[paxmao]

My life is so boring, that I would like to sincerely apologize to any poor corporate spy or last-row underpaid bureaucrat that may currently be reading my email, messages or phone conversations. Sorry mate, is just that boring - not hiding nuting my.

I do not have payment methods installed in phones or computers.

[Carlton Banks]

I don't really care if people are spying on me.

ok

We know that the Five Eyes alliance has backdoors into all phones and computers

if you don't care about people spying on you, then backdoors into your hardware are irrelevant

that is more of a concern for me than the Chinese government, if it is true that they will be using Huawei with open source software.

hmmm, the Chinese government openly design software and infrastructure that spies on people in China. What difference does it make if western corporations are surruptitiously surveillance software in Google phones, and that Huawei are openly publishing their software, and their intentions as to how they will use the data they collect? Is your answer "Huawei want to collect my data to use it to give them power over my life, but they're honest abusers as they informed me beforehand"?