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[Q] OEMs putting stock Android on their phones

Guys I've be wondering...why do OEMs always skin up their UI in a way so that it becomes disgusting to use...
Many custom ROMs sure only exists just to bring the native Android feeling like on the Nexus devices to those phones, right?
I myself own a Galaxy Note, and the day I bought it I feel its system was so crapped over with all that Touchwiz bs and Samsung Apps that nobody is going to use but still runs in the background.
So, if OEMs start building 'stock' Android firmwares and only add the essential features (like S-Pen Apps), wouldn't that be awesome for its users and for the OEM, due to not having to port everyting over once a new Android version arrives, which maybe means lower costs and faster updates?
I know that it would be making phones harder to differentiate, and marketing those would be harder, but they could make two production lines or two software versions and let the users choose which they want to update to...
Maybe I am just too naive lol, but I've been searching for a phablet with as much stock UI as possible and eventually I gave up
Any answers appreciated

This already started during Gingerbread and I think even before, back then Android looked hideous and the phone manufacturers actually did a decent job back then like HTC with it's 'Sense'. I think the manufacturers are still stuck in their old habits, and trying to differentiate themselves from competitors just like before. However Android started to look beautiful from ICS and on and most of these skins now look ugly and outdated.
I think the manufacturers have to step up their game just like google did with ICS, with either improving their skins or just remove their custom skins all together.

If you want the AOSP look, buy a nexus device or flash a ROM. You will just have to trust me when I say the masses like things the way they are. Stock Android is getting pretty good, but Sony's UI I just love, and I can see a lot of things which Sony and other OEMs bring to their skin a whole version before Google does

I for myself hate Touchwiz, but if you say so

You may dislike touchwiz UI (join the club) but the fact is Samsung has a lot of closed source features not available on stock AOSP.
As mentioned before it is just brand differentiation.
Sent from my SGH-I747

Sense is my custom skin, and I honestly don't mind Touchwiz, but stock jb or ICS is beautiful.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app

Bull_Moose said:
Sense is my custom skin, and I honestly don't mind Touchwiz, but stock jb or ICS is beautiful.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app
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While it would be nice to have the option of choosing Stock or Skin at setup, it would be difficult because their software is completely different. I personally like Stock Android and would rather not go back to any skin for that matter.

You could also just use a launcher (and de-bloat if it's an issue for you) to get a "look".
On my phone, I only use a launcher so that I can get T-Mobile's native WIFI-calling that's TW-only. I really didn't mind TW and there were some things I really liked - but the dealbreaker was lack of customisation - little changes that I wanted to make that made the phone go from good to awesome.
If you just want the look, try Apex or Nova launcher - you don't even necessarily need root.

Touchwiz ruins the Galaxy S4 for me

Disclaimer!!
This thread ain't intended to start a flame war or to bash me because you can download new diallers, contacts etc just my opinion on touchwiz after seeing various youtube video's and to see if I am not the only one who feels this way.
First of all I am a fanatic bordering on OCD when it comes to the look and feel of the OS as well as the apps which run on top of it and my biggest gripe back when I had my first android phone was that applications varied wildly in the quality of design and aesthetics and Google had a lot of work ahead of it to tidy up the UI to get it up to the standard of iOS for a uniform feel and to get developers to have a similar feel across the board for their apps.
Android is and always was a superior OS just to clear that up I am not an iOS fanboy!
Fast forward to today and Android has changed so much it blew me away all the apps now look and feel like they follow the guidelines set out by Google with the holo theme (I had a Google Nexus 720p and sold it purely because all the apps looked well out of place) and everything is very smooth with next to no lag or stutter so consider me impressed.
However this is what bugs me now, when I first got a Galaxy S II touchwiz looked good and it added some nice little touches and over all and made a very nice change to Sense which was bloated and slow now fast forward to the Galaxy S IV announcement and touchwiz now looks very dated and from what I can gather it does not follow the holo guidelines whatsoever and the enhancements are a slightly more toned down look (still cartoony like in appearance) and whites in the menu's.
So here is a breakdown of my gripes/concerns about Touchwiz on this flagship phone.
The dialler looks absolutely awful and seriously dated by todays standards
The contact list and/or contacts follows the same lines as the dialler and looks very dated
The camera icons have a fake metal look and stick out a mile
Basically Touchwiz looks way too cartoony, garish and lacks the polish and finish of the Nexus range and even the HTC One.
And last things last I appreciate that you can customise the hell out of Android with new diallers, new themes, tweaks and what not but this post is purely about the stock experience.
Aside from that Touchwiz does have some nice touches just Samsung need to bring it out of the gingerbread days and screaming and kicking into the holo days.
One last note I own a windows phone purely because of the aesthetics and all applications follow the same guidelines but there is such a lack of support I am coming back to Android at some point in the very near future.

Samsung always had a bunch of awful designers. They desperately need to hire better designers.

Re: Touchwiz ruins the Galaxy S4
All those complaints can be changed with simple fixes right here on XDA...

NightHawkUndead said:
All those complaints can be changed with simple fixes right here on XDA...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Definitely agree not denying that whatsoever and my complaints are purely about the design and look of Touchwiz not how to fix it

Some like it, some don't. Touchwiz UI never looks great to me, and its features (s voice, s beam, palm swipe screen capture etc) are nothing but bloats for me. However if you're gonna buy a S4 you'll have to find a way to like Touchwiz. Don't think you'll be able to flash CM or AOSP on an S4 and everything's gonna work well and great. With the lack of support and Samsung's attitude towards devs, open source development on this device is gonna be a pain.

Or you use a different launcher.

I'm riding the same boat as you mate, currently a Lumia 920 owner, came from S2 and Nexuses aren't sold in the country I live in. Samsung's totally effed it up, it looks so gingerbread :x

BoneXDA said:
Or you use a different launcher.
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Touchwiz is not just the launcher. It's the whole experience.

Livebyte said:
Touchwiz is not just the launcher. It's the whole experience.
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Couldn't of said it better myself and also nice signature, typing on a Macbook Pro Retina as we speak

Re: Touchwiz ruins the Galaxy S4
Livebyte said:
Touchwiz is not just the launcher. It's the whole experience.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly correct which is why when u change the launcher it's different because the experience changes
And you can still flash a rom anyway
PHONE SLOW CLICK ME?
1 days 2 s4​

Totally agree with you.
Amoled display on Touchwiz added insult to injury. Its oversaturated/ unrealistic colors made it look more awful.
I'm not against samsung or its nature UX, I've seen the S4 personally and its display is really gorgeous. its just that just like you, i'm not into the outdated user experience with added features from the gingerbread days.

Re: Touchwiz ruins the Galaxy S4
Have to disagree. Love the touchwiz. And absolutely love most of the things u guys call 'bloat'.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda app-developers app

NightHawkUndead said:
All those complaints can be changed with simple fixes right here on XDA...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1
Samsung has no use for OCD types....They will never be satisfied and are too infinitesimal in the millions and millions of sold product. I don;t like TW. I use Nova Problem solved.

My feelings are if you are paying for a top end flagship device then everything should ooze quality and Touchwiz is firmly stuck in the days of gingerbread and it's getting totally left behind.
Launchers can only do so much imho.

tbong777 said:
+1
Samsung has no use for OCD types....They will never be satisfied and are too infinitesimal in the millions and millions of sold product. I don;t like TW. I use Nova Problem solved.
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Nova launcher is slick.

deleted

daleski75 said:
My feelings are if you are paying for a top end flagship device then everything should ooze quality and Touchwiz is firmly stuck in the days of gingerbread and it's getting totally left behind.
Launchers can only do so much imho.
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Click to collapse
Launchers can and do COMPLETELY change the experience. They do a lot. and then even more... In fact the problem people are having with TW can be completely eradicated with a very large choice of proven launchers.
REAL Flagship devices don't become antiquated in 6 months. I think the word "flagship" in this world of Mobile devices is over used. carries to high of expectations, and is over exaggerated for a $600 all in one device. The Note 3 will be the flagship device in a few months...Then what?
For MOST the S4 WILL "ooze quality" I know a few non rooting users who cannot wait to get their upgrades and have been completely satissfied with their S3s. WE in XDA are very very tiny consumer base for Samsung. They throw a few bones to developers for their own benefit so we can beta test their new stock firmwares. But tey are not building these devices for hackers who will run Cyanogen on them or care about slightly blue tints or plastic cases and screens (which are likely to be covered with the latest Otter box and ZAGG crap)
OCD/Anal users usually don't run their devices out of the box bare as designed, like I do. So does the plastic body and slick glass really matter?

Touchwiz came a long way since gingerbread. It's only downfall is that it's still choppy in very few areas (like widgets tab). Other than that, I'd rather have it then Sense (which comes with features you can't disable, at Touchwiz gives you the option to disable features you don't want) or stock android which is bare-boned and lacks features.

Just wait for custom roms.
They will bring new life to the s4.
TingTingin said:
Exactly correct which is why when u change the launcher it's different because the experience changes
And you can still flash a rom anyway
PHONE SLOW CLICK ME?
1 days 2 s4​
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Click to collapse
​

So RUN AOSP in it, or run a Touchwiz run de-touchiwzed.

Galaxy Note III Google Edition

This is my dream. Galaxy Note III or Note II with Google quick updates, like Nexus devices. Maybe some kind of petition to Samsung or Google will contribute for this?
Galaxy S4 Google Edition:
http://reviews.cnet.com/smartphones/samsung-galaxy-s4-google/4505-6452_7-35761621.html

I can barely see this making sense on the S4, but I really don't think it'd make sense with the Galaxy Note series. If you strip away Touchwiz, you're left with a big screen, powerful hardware, and a S-pen that would have absolutely zero integration with the OS. I love stock Android, but being the Note is heavily centered around the S-pen, and S-pen is so deeply entrenched in Touchwiz, this is one case where I think I'd rather have Touchwiz.

Elsydeon said:
I can barely see this making sense on the S4, but I really don't think it'd make sense with the Galaxy Note series. If you strip away Touchwiz, you're left with a big screen, powerful hardware, and a S-pen that would have absolutely zero integration with the OS. I love stock Android, but being the Note is heavily centered around the S-pen, and S-pen is so deeply entrenched in Touchwiz, this is one case where I think I'd rather have Touchwiz.
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One of the reason I use Note series devices is S Pen. It perfectly and 100% works with CyanogenMod ROMs, why this will not work with official Google ROM??? For now I'm not using any of Samsung apps, and I find that Quill is perfect replacement for S Note. And there are many cool apps for just drawing like Drawing Pad, Doodledroid, AirBrush and others. Also Handrite is nice app. Besides Android 4.x and above have full support for wacom pen.

anonymous572 said:
One of the reason I use Note series devices is S Pen. It perfectly and 100% works with CyanogenMod ROMs, why this will not work with official Google ROM??? For now I'm not using any of Samsung apps, and I find that Quill is perfect replacement for S Note. And there are many cool apps for just drawing like Drawing Pad, Doodledroid, AirBrush and others. Besides Android 4.x and above have full support for wacom pen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Because SPen is native in touchwiz framework.. Not just in 3rd party spps that support a stylus. In TW it works in any browser on the keyboard in any app and the button can be set for lots of thing. Note with out at least option for TW is dumb. Any I have never used my note for "art".
How many ROMs have you actually used?
Sent from my TF300T using Tapatalk 2

TigerDNA said:
Because SPen is native in touchwiz framework.. Not just in 3rd party spps that support a stylus. In TW it works in any browser on the keyboard in any app and the button can be set for lots of thing. Note with out at least option for TW is dumb. Any I have never used my note for "art".
How many ROMs have you actually used?
Sent from my TF300T using Tapatalk 2
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Click to collapse
Android itself support wacom stylus actions. It will fully work at clean Android as well as TW.
I used many different ROMs at Note and Note 2. CM\Paranoid\TW stock and custom and many others. My current ROM is in my signature.

Not really interested in AOSP ROM on Note devices - that's a downgrade as far as I'm concerned. For full functionality, it's de-bloated touchwiz based ROMs for me.

tuxonhtc said:
Not really interested in AOSP ROM on Note devices - that's a downgrade as far as I'm concerned. For full functionality, it's de-bloated touchwiz based ROMs for me.
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There are AOSP ROMS which do have S-Pen functionality. Try those. Eg. Liquid Smooth 2.4

I would better buying a nexus series phone rather than ruining my note 2 or 3. The samsung phones looks best with samsung adons. I used to hate touchwiz and only started using it since note 2 because of integrated features. So I will never have auch wish.
sent from: The New S-Pen

sanke1 said:
There are AOSP ROMS which do have S-Pen functionality. Try those. Eg. Liquid Smooth 2.4
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Do you, or anyone else, know if it's possible to get stock camera functions (like recording in high speed and slowmotion) in aosp-based roms?
Skickat från min GT-N7100 via Tapatalk 2

sanke1 said:
There are AOSP ROMS which do have S-Pen functionality. Try those. Eg. Liquid Smooth 2.4
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Click to collapse
Yeah not exactly. Those that are dependent on touchwiz framework (eg. screenshot, airview) are not available on any AOSP ROM. S Pen is functional on most ROMs, AOSP or otherwise, that's besides the point - hence the "full functionality" part.

tuxonhtc said:
Yeah not exactly. Those that are dependent on touchwiz framework (eg. screenshot, airview) are not available on any AOSP ROM. S Pen is functional on most ROMs, AOSP or otherwise, that's besides the point - hence the "full functionality" part.
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Click to collapse
True but now with the S4 around we could say it more a Touchwiz feature than a S Pen feature, things like pressure sensitivity work well with apps that offer compatibility. To be fair, would still use a custom rom, even when it ships with stock hehe. So yeah, can do that now already.
What would be great are the revealed sources of some prop hardware modules.

anonymous572 said:
This is my dream. Galaxy Note III or Note II with Google quick updates, like Nexus devices. Maybe some kind of petition to Samsung or Google will contribute for this?
Galaxy S4 Google Edition:
http://reviews.cnet.com/smartphones/samsung-galaxy-s4-google/4505-6452_7-35761621.html
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I do hope that they will put out a "Google Edition" too but I will most definitely NOT buy it.
I DO like VERY MUCH Samsung added mods, apps, services, widgets, settings and personalizations (minus the launcher which I replace with Nova Launcher Prime).
I deactivate, of course, the few things which I don't use so they don't affect me in the slightest. I would have to do the same even on a "stock Android" for a few things anyway, so no gain/loss here.
The reason I want a Note III "Google Edition" to exist is very simple: if I keep a Note III for longer than it gets official Samsung updates and a major new version of Android with killer features comes out I can always flash the stock Android ROM! :victory:
Or, for example, it could still be getting updates but not for the new Android versions. It has happened with my old Galaxy S: in the end it was still being updated (heck, it is STILL getting new ROMs!!) but it never got ICS, the new ROMs are still GB based.
So both things may in fact happen. I kept my OG Note for 15 months, for example, which is a not so short time in the smartphone and mobile operating systems world...

Fine, a Note 3 Google edition.
Better even (for me) a 5,9 inch superfast phone without pen and gimmicks.
First thing I do is install Nova so I can reach all my apps from the homepage and disable as much unwanted / unneeded stuff as I can. (My S2 looks the same as my Note 2 now) and use (g) mail, g calendar, news apps, browser(s) nav progs, FB, and some utils.
But I am not a S penner.
I just have the note for size and speed. No pen or touchwiz needed.
Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda premium

Omg shut up samsung, take my money and give me note3 nexus edition & it would be nice if its golden and active edition. Ill jiust wait for this every year now and then
_____________________
Via GT-N71OO using XDA_Elite_App

That idea of having a Google Edition I see as a downgrade compared to TW with Spen embedded in functionality almost everywhere, I just love the Spen, and make such an extensive use as I find it impossible now to do without it. As for a bigger screen, if they could manage to fit a bigger one on an size identical as GN2 that might be very tempting, if they decide to manage extra battery with a thinner body they already have my money, otherwise even if gn3 would be around by the time my gn2 will get broken, bcs it will, I would be buying again a gn2 if Samsung updates would continue.
Oh, I forgot, a plastic unbreakable screen, please that is just bs, unless the battery is flexible, the motherboard, etc etc, but who in their right mind would want to sell an indestructible device. Octa core, dodeca core, 24 core, lol, that is all bs to me, a Google edition 64 bit I would consider a real upgrade. But that might be some years away, maybe when GN5 would be around.
Peace.
Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk 2

I would buy a N3 Google Edition as soon as I possibly could. I love the options and no nonsense approach that AOSP has. Over the last couple versions, Nexus devices have always been a step down in the hardware compared to other Android devices.

OP I think you're missing the point. A Honda Accord can drive on dirt roads but doing so won't let you experience all the car has to offer. Yes, the SPen WILL work perfectly fine with out TW but not having TW will cause a loss of functionality, period.

TigerDNA said:
OP I think you're missing the point. A Honda Accord can drive on dirt roads but doing so won't let you experience all the car has to offer. Yes, the SPen WILL work perfectly fine with out TW but not having TW will cause a loss of functionality, period.
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TouchWiz is a loss of functionality, speed and stability of normal Android ROM. There is no problem to port all S Pen features to clean Android ROM from Google.

The only reason I've not migrated to other custom ROMs is beacuse of the Spen integration in Touchwiz. I really dont like TouchWiz but i do use it.

anonymous572 said:
TouchWiz is a loss of functionality, speed and stability of normal Android ROM. There is no problem to port all S Pen features to clean Android ROM from Google.
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Click to collapse
What functionality are you referring to exactly, that Touchwiz lacks and AOSP has? I have had next to no lags on most Touchwiz ROMs - and they're stable too. Obviously stock, unrooted is a touch laggy (i.e. notification lag, but that's it), but it's no issue once you switch to a good touchwiz based ROM.

Samsungs Next Launcher/UI

Hopefully Samsung are working on a new UI/Launcher as im not a massive fan of TouchWiz and the lack of settings in the launcher. Does anyone know if we'll ever get a new "official" launcher update from Samsung on out Note 3's?

For some reason, I am realizing now that I love the feel of this nova+touchwiz launcher now.

Vanilla Android: Why so prefered?

I'm a big fan of the Samsung TouchWiz version of Android (never used AOSP), and that gets me thinking. Why is it that people diss Samsung for having a bad UI when vanilla Android/AOSP has nothing special at all? I don't really like the Google search bar that pops up when holding down the Home button. I just disable the app. Who really needs it when you have Chrome on android? But my main question: Why does the vanilla version of Android get so much more praise than custom versions?

I used to only be a touchwiz fan, now only cm and aosp, it's just lighter, less complicated, and it's pure and android, sometimes I'll use my wife's s5 and it's just so much extra nonsense on it, just my opinion.
Sent from my MotoG3 using Tapatalk

sometimes I'll use my wife's s5 and it's just so much extra nonsense on it, just my opinion.
Click to expand...
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I don't see any real difference between TouchWiz and AOSP, aside from different UI, more features and some bloatware. Now, LG's Android UX has very noticeable differences (an old LG G - Something.). Because I've never dealt with any Android AOSP version, I've never noticed performance differences. My Note 5 runs smoothly for me, and no doubt your S5 should too.

...Does anyone else care to view this...?

KSword007 said:
I'm a big fan of the Samsung TouchWiz version of Android (never used AOSP), and that gets me thinking. Why is it that people diss Samsung for having a bad UI when vanilla Android/AOSP has nothing special at all? I don't really like the Google search bar that pops up when holding down the Home button. I just disable the app. Who really needs it when you have Chrome on android? But my main question: Why does the vanilla version of Android get so much more praise than custom versions?
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It is preferred because it comes with no bloat, its clean, smooth and fast, simple.

no bloat, its clean, smooth and fast, simple.
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Click to collapse
Touchwiz Marshmallow can run just as smooth as AOSP. And the term "bloatware" has become generalized to pre-installed software that users would rather disable or uninstall. By the way, multi-tasking for releases of stock Android has only just come out, while Samsung has had that since Lollipop, I believe.

KSword007 said:
Touchwiz Marshmallow can run just as smooth as AOSP. And the term "bloatware" has become generalized to pre-installed software that users would rather disable or uninstall. By the way, multi-tasking for releases of stock Android has only just come out, while Samsung has had that since Lollipop, I believe.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Bloat actually refers to the software installed by manufacturers and carriers, including their UI(such as Sense or Touchwiz). Vanilla has none, its only straight Google Android with no extras.