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Expert advice on creating a custom ROM

Hi there,
I need some very basic advice on creating a custom Android ROM.
1. To remove unwanted apps, and possibly include a few of our own (which would appear integrated and cannot be removed)
2. If we were to create our own calendar, media or browser apps, can they override the google ones. So, upon install of susequent apps from the store; if they needed to launch the calendar for example, they would launch our custom app rather than the google version that we would have removed.
Is this a lot of work, very approx idea would be great.
Cheers

Check link in my signature...
uberdev said:
hi there,
i need some very basic advice on creating a custom android rom.
1. To remove unwanted apps, and possibly include a few of our own (which would appear integrated and cannot be removed)
2. If we were to create our own calendar, media or browser apps, can they override the google ones. So, upon install of susequent apps from the store; if they needed to launch the calendar for example, they would launch our custom app rather than the google version that we would have removed.
Is this a lot of work, very approx idea would be great.
Cheers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

lokeshsaini94 said:
Check link in my signature...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks but I am not looking to do this myself, I need someone who has already done, or has experience in the points above. I have a potential (paid) job to deliver a custom ROM and need to find expert advice, and ultimately a team of developers.
Many thanks

[Q] Remove Google from Android, especially Contact management

Hi there,
I am currently using the excellent i9100 (Galaxy S2) CM11 Linaro/Sabermod ROM created by Markox89.
With that, I use the very minimal Gapps 4.4.4, (just Google play really), maintained by BaNkS.
Very happy so far.
My question is: can I go further and eliminate Google entirely? Specifically I would like to remove Contact management away from gmail.
I would prefer a third-party cloud based contact management or possibly go to Owncloud to create my own.
Any suggestions for removing Google entirely from Android phone? (Other than preferably keeping the Play store, but that may be impossible).
Thanks!

You need root access first. and you can unsintall system apps. using a system app uninstaller.
Such as https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ljmobile.system.app

Sippay said:
You need root access first. and you can unsintall system apps. using a system app uninstaller.
Such as https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ljmobile.system.app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I appreciate your reply, but perhaps I am not totally understanding you...
Are you saying that I could uninstall all Google apps with that app? Including contact management?
I can, I believe, wipe my phone clean and just flash the custom ROM, without installing Gapps of any kind...this of course would leave me without any Google apps, including Google Play (not necessarily what I wanted).
By doing that, I believe (and correct me if I am wrong) I would be without any contact management software in the phone? Any ideas on what to use as an alternative?

Installing MIUI original apps on Cyanogenmod

Is it possible to install MIUI original apps on Cyanogenmod or any other phone/OS?
Living in China, backing up to the Mi Cloud is easier than to syncing with Google, as it does not require switching on the VPN and thus does not drain the battery waiting for a VPN connection and gets generally higher network speeds.
Also, the dialler and the messaging app have features that are handy for users in China. The messaging app automatically picks up tracking codes from courier services and can track their progress on the official website easily. It also knows which companies use which phone numbers for broadcast messages and automatically assigns logos and names to their messages.
The dialler app comes with phone number tagging. A phone number that is tagged as a scam, telemarketeer or a courier will show up as such so you have a chance to decline or accept an unknown number.
All these features are a little too handy to be missed. Can they be reinstalled now that I put Cyanogenmod on my phone, or could they even be installed on, say, a Samsung phone without MIUI?

LBE and xiaomi launcher
But in foreign countries, usefulness

coderstory said:
LBE and xiaomi launcher
But in foreign countries, usefulness
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't need LBE, I don't think much of the whole 'security' app thing on a phone. But would the Launcher bring back the dialler and the messaging? But then I can't use these apps if I decide to keep Catapult launcher?

So I wonder why, for instance, I cannot install the Xiaomi Music app onto my Cyanogenmod. It says app not installed after I download it from the Mi Appstore. Is it missing a framework or something? Or does it just check whether it's in the MIUI environment and bails if it's not?

bluppfisk said:
So I wonder why, for instance, I cannot install the Xiaomi Music app onto my Cyanogenmod. It says app not installed after I download it from the Mi Appstore. Is it missing a framework or something? Or does it just check whether it's in the MIUI environment and bails if it's not?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would say because its a system app, you have to put it to /system/priv-app via a root Explorer and change permissions to rw r r .
Or can try to put it in /system/app.
Maybe this works.

Does it have the same heat problems that it have with MIUI multilanguage (aka development) version at least? I'm installing stable version right now to test if the heat and throttle in heavy graphics games is still a problem.
L.E. Sorry (very) wrong thread.

bluppfisk said:
Is it possible to install MIUI original apps on Cyanogenmod or any other phone/OS?
Living in China, backing up to the Mi Cloud is easier than to syncing with Google, as it does not require switching on the VPN and thus does not drain the battery waiting for a VPN connection and gets generally higher network speeds.
Also, the dialler and the messaging app have features that are handy for users in China. The messaging app automatically picks up tracking codes from courier services and can track their progress on the official website easily. It also knows which companies use which phone numbers for broadcast messages and automatically assigns logos and names to their messages.
The dialler app comes with phone number tagging. A phone number that is tagged as a scam, telemarketeer or a courier will show up as such so you have a chance to decline or accept an unknown number.
All these features are a little too handy to be missed. Can they be reinstalled now that I put Cyanogenmod on my phone, or could they even be installed on, say, a Samsung phone without MIUI?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You could always try to look at miui forum for your needs. They have this launcher but if I remember correctly I think there is one more app that brings more of MIUI on any other phone. I dont remember it now. Start diging there, maybe you get what you need.

Try this camera mates:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=62516972

rob rich said:
I would say because its a system app, you have to put it to /system/priv-app via a root Explorer and change permissions to rw r r .
Or can try to put it in /system/app.
Maybe this works.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This worked :good:

might be u interested
https://forum.xda-developers.com/xi...ui-framework-features-cloud-services-t3701010

What is LBE?
What is LBE for install miui apks in cm roms?

[ZIP]Replace Stock Samsung Apps with Google Apps

*DISCONTINUED*
Google's apps trump Samsung's in my opinion, so I wanted to make a flashable zip to replace (replace, not just add google apps) Samsung's stock apps with Google's.
I am installing these as user apps, not system. If you would prefer them installed as system let me know (I thought you would like to be able to delete the ones you don't want)
Just flash in custom recovery or in flashfire (Mount system in flashfire)
Please post or PM me with problems or app requests!!
Note * I'm not responsible for any damage to your phone, such as bootloops.
Changelog:
[V1.2] -
Note - No longer in BETA!
Uninstalls:
Samsung Contacts (the phone app)
Samsung Gallery (you'll have to install Google photos manually for now)
Samsung Messages
Samsung Clock
Samsung internet
Samsung calendar
Installs:
Google calculator
Google calendar
Google Clock
Google contacts
Google messages
Google dialer (The Phone App)
Google Pixel Launcher
Pixel pill widget - not from google
[V1.3] -
All from 1.2 +
Uninstalls:
Samsung Calculator
Samsung Memo
Installs:
Google Keep
Google Photos
-----------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------Download--------------------------------
[V1.2] -
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bygh6W_e2Fo5dy02emotd3ZGdEE/view?usp=drivesdk
[V1.3] -
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bygh6W_e2Fo5b2JlZUZVSUQ2Yzg/view?usp=drivesdk
Huge thanks to @kevp75 for getting it to work, as well as @billdauterive23 for testing

The thing that would be great is dialer + contact+ messages apps , that are way quicker and lightweight than Google ones

robhug said:
The thing that would be great is dialer + contact+ messages apps , that are way quicker and lightweight than Google ones
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Will be working on it soon, I've had problems in the past with uninstalling Samsung's phone, so you might have to just disable that. All the others I should be able to remove no problem

Craz Basics said:
Will be working on it soon, I've had problems in the past with uninstalling Samsung's phone, so you might have to just disable that. All the others I should be able to remove no problem
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
there's 2 apks for it. i think you need to keep incallui... (i dont remember the other one, but that one can get deleted/replaced)

kevp75 said:
there's 2 apks for it. i think you need to keep incallui... (i dont remember the other one, but that one can get deleted/replaced)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Got it, the incallui is phone v2.1.39.
Edit: You leave the phone apps alone. You actually delete samsung contacts app

Yeah i had trouble using package disabler pro for that

Updated link - Mount system in flashfire... let me know if it works or not
Edit: Updated again (July 20th)

Nice part about these as well... we don't have to rely on Samsung's App store to get themes... all google's apps are substratum friendly.
I have/had a rom out for the LG G4, i basically replaced all LG stock apps with either the Google version or the Sony Xperia version for this very reason... theme-ability without the need for a stock based theme store
Kudos mate!

Have anyone tried it on the S8+ port rom? I don't know if it will crash the system in some point

Flewoutthecuckoonut said:
Have anyone tried it on the S8+ port rom? I don't know if it will crash the system in some point
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As long as they didn't change the package names... if they did it shouldn't mess anything up (like a brick/bootloop) it just won't uninstall the Samsung apps.

robhug said:
The thing that would be great is dialer + contact+ messages apps , that are way quicker and lightweight than Google ones
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Done

Hey,
Could I am trying to build the Google Stock apps on my own, currently having some trouble building the apps
with Android Studio, getting errors like "No resource found that matches the given name "Theme.AppCompat.Light"
how did you overcome those problems?
Thanks!

greyergandalf said:
Hey,
Could I am trying to build the Google Stock apps on my own, currently having some trouble building the apps
with Android Studio, getting errors like "No resource found that matches the given name "Theme.AppCompat.Light"
how did you overcome those problems?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did not use android studio, sorry man.

Craz Basics said:
I did not use android studio, sorry man.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I acctualy dont mind which IDE I will use.

greyergandalf said:
I acctualy dont mind which IDE I will use.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I mean I didn't use anything, just notepad++ to update the script and I placed the apps in data/app.

Craz Basics said:
I mean I didn't use anything, just notepad++ to update the script and I placed the apps in data/app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How did you build the apps from source?

greyergandalf said:
How did you build the apps from source?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I didn't, I just used the apk files I downloaded.

Could you make it into system and not a uninstallable app? Also, can you remove the Samsung Calculator when it is installed? I don't like two calculators on my phone, thanks!!

KawaiiBear said:
Could you make it into system and not a uninstallable app? Also, can you remove the Samsung Calculator when it is installed? I don't like two calculators on my phone, thanks!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Will work on it, pc down right now so might be a little.

Dumbing down phone as much as possible with Custom ROM

Hello.
I plan to turn my phone as "dumb" as possible, leaving only apps that are absolutely necessary and practical, essentially making my phone as minimalistic, simple and distraction free while at the same time maximizing the hurdle to install new apps due to the lack of willpower aswell as the general battery life.
I have the POCO F1 with LineageOS 19.1, root is currently enabled via Magisk.
I considered just buying a regular dumb phone, but unfortunately I do not feel they are worth it; plus I'd want to still use Spotify.
I'd greatly appreciate ideas/solutions for this particular project. Thank you in advance!

EnigmaticLife said:
Hello.
I plan to turn my phone as "dumb" as possible, leaving only apps that are absolutely necessary and practical, essentially making my phone as minimalistic, simple and distraction free while at the same time maximizing the hurdle to install new apps due to the lack of willpower aswell as the general battery life.
I have the POCO F1 with LineageOS 19.1, root is currently enabled via Magisk.
I considered just buying a regular dumb phone, but unfortunately I do not feel they are worth it; plus I'd want to still use Spotify.
I'd greatly appreciate ideas/solutions for this particular project. Thank you in advance!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What you'd like to do isn't really "dumbing down" XD - it is simply making a "barebones Android" phone with only the apps/functions you need without usual bloat that comes preinstalled on the new devices. This is in fact something a lot of people on XDA are passionate about, as it helps optimize for space, speed, battery life and privacy.
For the Android phone to be considered usable in modern day and age, it needs a handful of apps:
Dialer
SMS messenger
Contacts
File manager
Gallery
Clock
Calendar
Calculator
Web browser
Camera
Installing vanilla LineageOS rom (or any other rom with no GoogleApps) will give you this default Android experience. For 99% of tasks that do not involve Google this is enough.
However, most people want something more than just a dialer, and so phone manufacturers pre-install some other stuff for them: Google (play store, chrome, maps, drive, mail), Payment (Samsung Pay), Gallery/Music apps, social media apps, fancy wallpapers etc. This is what makes the phone "smart" for you, I guess?
In case you want to cut it down further, you can use adb to remove certain apps from this list. This includes certain system apps too, like unnecessary fonts or accessibility services (web search is your friend here). Theoretically the phone can serve as a GSM calling brick only with the following:
Dialer
SMS messenger
Contacts
But then you'd be doing the hardware a misservice - why lug around Octa-core 8GB RAM 4000mAh HD TFT6.1" 999GB device if you could achieve the same with a Nokia 1100 or 3310? These are still being sold
UPDATE: Just saw your additions about Spotify. If you only want to use the phone for Calling/Web browsing/YouTube/Spotify, go with the "Install No GApps LineageOS -> Sideload apps you need and nothing else".
Word of WARNING though: a lot of popular messaging/steraming/quality of life (maps) apps APSOLUTELY DEPEND on google ecosystem (i.e. GApps like google play, google play services and google services framework).
WITHOUT GOOGLE THESE APPS WILL LIKELY CRASH or won't work as intended. I.e. Whatsapp will not give you "New message" notifications and will not ring UNLESS you have it open in your face right when the call comes in. Delivery/Ride sharing apps that need google maps will not show you the map. Facebook messenger will has the same problem as Whatsapp. List of risks is far too long, and you will need to have an idea of whether the app requires google and whatsnot.
Therefore Make absolutely sure that barebones phone is what you want. If it is, a lot of apps that reliably work with the barebones setups can be found on Fdroid.
Despite having "dumb" in the name, this procedure requires one to be amazingly smart about it
To conclude, you have the following ways of achieving this:
1. Install no-Gapps (i.e. "vanilla") lineageOs, delete what you wont need, sideload .apk of apps you are after
2. Install stock android rom, then Degoogle and Debloat it. Guides for your particular model can be found here on XDA
3. Install SlimROM, a custom Android distro whose developers had the same idea as you did, i.e. optimized for simplicity.

Totesnochill said:
What you'd like to do isn't really "dumbing down" XD - it is simply making a "barebones Android" phone with only the apps/functions you need without usual bloat that comes preinstalled on the new devices. This is in fact something a lot of people on XDA are passionate about, as it helps optimize for space, speed, battery life and privacy.
For the Android phone to be considered usable in modern day and age, it needs a handful of apps:
Dialer
SMS messenger
Contacts
File manager
Gallery
Clock
Calendar
Calculator
Web browser
Camera
Installing vanilla LineageOS rom (or any other rom with no GoogleApps) will give you this default Android experience. For 99% of tasks that do not involve Google this is enough.
However, most people want something more than just a dialer, and so phone manufacturers pre-install some other stuff for them: Google (play store, chrome, maps, drive, mail), Payment (Samsung Pay), Gallery/Music apps, social media apps, fancy wallpapers etc. This is what makes the phone "smart" for you, I guess?
In case you want to cut it down further, you can use adb to remove certain apps from this list. This includes certain system apps too, like unnecessary fonts or accessibility services (web search is your friend here). Theoretically the phone can serve as a GSM calling brick only with the following:
Dialer
SMS messenger
Contacts
But then you'd be doing the hardware a misservice - why lug around Octa-core 8GB RAM 4000mAh HD TFT6.1" 999GB device if you could achieve the same with a Nokia 1100 or 3310? These are still being sold
UPDATE: Just saw your additions about Spotify. If you only want to use the phone for Calling/Web browsing/YouTube/Spotify, go with the "Install No GApps LineageOS -> Sideload apps you need and nothing else".
Word of WARNING though: a lot of popular messaging/steraming/quality of life (maps) apps APSOLUTELY DEPEND on google ecosystem (i.e. GApps like google play, google play services and google services framework).
WITHOUT GOOGLE THESE APPS WILL LIKELY CRASH or won't work as intended. I.e. Whatsapp will not give you "New message" notifications and will not ring UNLESS you have it open in your face right when the call comes in. Delivery/Ride sharing apps that need google maps will not show you the map. Facebook messenger will has the same problem as Whatsapp. List of risks is far too long, and you will need to have an idea of whether the app requires google and whatsnot.
Therefore Make absolutely sure that barebones phone is what you want. If it is, a lot of apps that reliably work with the barebones setups can be found on Fdroid.
Despite having "dumb" in the name, this procedure requires one to be amazingly smart about it
To conclude, you have the following ways of achieving this:
1. Install no-Gapps (i.e. "vanilla") lineageOs, delete what you wont need, sideload .apk of apps you are after
2. Install stock android rom, then Degoogle and Debloat it. Guides for your particular model can be found here on XDA
3. Install SlimROM, a custom Android distro whose developers had the same idea as you did, i.e. optimized for simplicity.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is really interesting. I am thinking of trying to do this with a Google pixel 4a. Would I be able to do the lineage OS with that? I haven't found other threads that speak on this topic, am I right? Thinking that I would like to customize exactly what apps I have on the phone etc.

LineageOS for Google Pixel 4a exists:
LineageOS Downloads
download.lineageos.org