Database Develop

Thinking of switching, but I'm looking for 2 specific apps

I have been using Android since the G1 launched, I took one break from it about a year ago to give the Nokia N9 a try (great phone, poor battery life). I am considering switching to Windows Phone 8 (Lumia 920) after it launches. There are two apps that are really important before I make the switch though.
- LBE Security Equivalent. This is a 'firewall', but for application permissions. You can have it prompt you that application 'x' is trying to read from contact data, for instance. If something this exact isn't readily available, is there at least a network based permission firewall? Some applications are fine to use, but I don't necessarily want them to connect to the internet.
- Tasker. This is the bigger of the two that I need to have. If you're unfamiliar with it, Tasker lets you change any device settings, based on any other condition. E.g., if it's between 8am-5pm and I can see the wireless network, "Work", then put the phone on silent... if it doesn't meet those conditions put it back on loud. Very basic example, but I need something like this because it makes my life a lot easier.
I searched around and couldn't find anyone really talking about either of these options too much, can anyone help me out?

Neither one of them is possible with the current SDK, maybe when wp8 pops up.

Windows Phone does not allow any Apps to interfere with System Settings or other Apps. All Apps are sandboxed with only certain interaction points to exchange data or embed themselves into the Hubs. Having looked through the leaked SDK this is not changing with WP8, although there are additional interaction possibilities other Apps functioning as well as system settings are still off limits.
You can look at what permissions certain Apps request before installing them but the only thing youncan do then is to decode not to install them (aside from using background processing and using location data - those can be configured separately).

Removing 170 system apps for fun and profit

Long time ago, in the mid-2000s, there was such a fabulous concept as "PDA". Unfortunately, Microsoft let it slip and the concept went downhill.
Now for me it was the idea of a device that is not a phone (hence the existence of a separate "smartphone") and that is rarely online. It's bigger than "phone" and you use it to do serious stuff, not reading Twitter and ranting on Facebook.
I understand this concept is not very popular these days but this thread is for those of you security paranoids who are not risking putting your precious data online at all. But even if you are not so extreme you can safely get rid of more than 100 apps, you'll just have to experiment a little given my lists here.
Below are the apps I have removed to make my Note Edge run as smooth as ever, with battery lasting days on average use. I have been experimenting with this, gathering info about each problematic app from the internets; details and links are included below where I could find them.
What is removed: cellular/phone/messages/Qualcomm support, Samsung-only sharing/device features (quick share, direct share, beacon, TV, battery sharing, etc.), location services, Google/Samsung stuff, Dropbox/Evernote/Flipboard/other bundled stuff, backup/sync/cloud, tracking/remote management/locking (it had lots of this stuff), wearable stuff, environment sound detecting, payment/checkout, Chrome/Chromecast, Play/Samsung stores (install apps offline by APK), Car Mode, private mode, Knox, printing, S Finder, S Voice, Emergency Mode, SIM support, weather, Safety info, wizard appearing when you hard-reset the device (so all settings are set to defaults, you can customize them later anyway), Smart Remote, talkback, default video player, editing and trimming.
What is kept: all legit core functionality: external SD card, Internet (for offline browsing), Wi-Fi (but didn't try it), Bluetooth, NFC, camera and photo studio, Edge panel (Cocktailbar) features, S Pen including direct input, notes, snippets, etc., voice recorder/other tools, Easy Mode including reduced screen and side panel, Night Clock, S Health (tested pedometer, heart rate), service menus (e.g. *#0*#), ART/Dalvik runtimes work (instead of 300+ apps to optimize you get 143), USB features including MTP/debugging/adb, most native Samsung apps like Gallery and S Planner that are good. Dialing 911 seems to work which is surprising given all removed phone components.
After using this unbloated version of Kitkat 4.4.4 all apps still work fine except for some games that need Google Services Framework (however, it'll need other Google components, not just that - experiment). Not all though - Heroes 3 HD work just fine. Also note that if GSF is removed (partially or fully) while setup wizards are not you won't be able to get past the first run wizard as it will crash due to missing GSF. So either remove both or none.
I used this app to remove things. But you can probably freeze them with Titanium Backup with the same effect (except wasted disk space).
Removed apps (in alphabetic order):
Adapt Sound
AirWakeUp - this gesture drains battery like crazy, 10-15% per hour in sleep mode
AllShare FileShare Service - for playing content on other devices: http://www.shouldiremoveit.com/Samsung-AllShare-12424-program.aspx
ANT HAL Service - wearable support
ANT Radio Service
ANT+ Plugins Service
Automation Test - some say it can freeze the device, some say it's safe to remove: http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s2/general/jelly-bean-xxlsj-solution-to-battery-t2016419
AutoPreconfig - cellular stuff: http://www.w0lfdroid.com/2013/08/change-csc-samsung-galaxy-devices-s4.html
Backup
Basic Daydreams - appear when the device is locked like a screensaver (photos, etc.) instead of clock, etc.
BeaconManager
Beaming Service
Blurb Checkout
Briefing
CapabilityManagerService - Popups when headphone jack used: http://forums.androidcentral.com/sp...ng-galaxy-s3-sprint-version-stock-rooted.html
CarMode
CarModeRemote
CatchFavorites - Yahoo/Twitter stuff: http://forum.xda-developers.com/note-edge/general/themers-paradise-useful-information-t2946943
Chrome
ChromecastServerService
CloudAgent
com.android.backupconfirm
com.android.provider.partnerbookmarks
com.android.sharedstoragebackup
com.qualcom.qcom_qmi - cellular protocol: https://sigquit.wordpress.com/2012/08/20/an-introduction-to-libqmi/
com.qualcomm.interfacepermissions - seems to be safe to remove
com.sec.android.app.chromecustomizations
com.sec.android.app.sbrowsertry - probably safe to remove: http://techspooler.com/guides/remove-bloatware-apps/1868
com.sec.android.app.wfdbroker - All Share related: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1910885&page=2
com.sec.android.chromecastservice
com.sec.android.mimage.expressme
com.sec.android.minimode.res - there are no mini apps in Note, probably safe to remove
com.sec.android.pagebuddynotisvc
com.sec.android.SamsungDrmProvider
com.sec.bcservice - probably safe to remove, deals with system status (rooted, etc.): http://androidforums.com/threads/li...-de-bloat-your-boost-mobile-galaxy-s3.778877/ - http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2285894&page=2
com.sec.chromecast.remoteplayer
com.sec.enterprise.knox.attestation - this and other 4 apps are safe to remove
ConfigUpdater - Automatically updates certificates, firewall config, sms list, timezone info, said to be safe to remove: http://blog.burrowsapps.com/2014/03/what-android-apps-are-safe-to-remove.html, http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2727541
CSC - cellular stuff: https://spreadsheets.google.com/spr...1gdDJRekl4QmkyNmIzUmRvX2h3UDVkQXc&output=html, http://www.w0lfdroid.com/2013/08/change-csc-samsung-galaxy-devices-s4.html
DCMProvider - communicates with other Samsung devices: http://forums.androidcentral.com/samsung-galaxy-s5/380456-dcmprovider-what.html
DeviceTest (com.sec.factory) - service codes: http://androidforums.com/threads/all-bloatware-detailed-complet-list.871115/
DirectShareManager
Drive
Dropbox
DSMLawmo - Dedicated Security Management to remotely lock/reset/etc. the device: http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s2/help/dsmlawmo-t1863011
ELM Agent - multi-user support: http://androidforums.com/threads/elm-agent.825065/
Email
EmergencyManagerService
EmergencyProvider
Enterprise Sim Pin Service
EpsonPrintService
Evernote
Exchange Services
Favorite Contacts
Filter Installer
Filter Manager
FilterProvider
FixmoISA - some DoD stuff: http://gcn.com/articles/2013/05/29/breakdown-dod-security-controls--ios-android.aspx
Flipboard
Fused Location - location-related: https://developers.google.com/andro...android/gms/location/FusedLocationProviderApi
FWUpgrade - Upgrade client for AllShare app: http://forums.androidcentral.com/sp...ng-galaxy-s3-sprint-version-stock-rooted.html
GALAXY Apps Widget
Gmail
Google Backup Transport
Google Calendar Sync
Google Contacts Sync
Google Partner Setup
Google Play Books
Google Play Games
Google Play Movies & TV
Google Play Music
Google Play Newsstand
Google Play Services
Google Search
Google Services Framework - needed for Google apps
Google Text-to-speech Engine
Google+
Hangouts
HP Print Service Plugin
InCallUI
IndexService - S Finder-related, causes problems: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2461958
Intelligence Service - spying, Carrier IQ: http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s5/help/kill-com-samsung-android-t2811304
Keyguard wallpaper updator
KeyguardTestActivity
Kies Application BnR
KLMS Agent
Live weather
LocalFOTA
LocationServices
Maps
Market Feedback Agent
MDMApp - some remote management: http://www.samsung.com/global/business/mobile/solution/security/mobile-device-management
Mobile print
Mobile Tracker
MobilePrintSvc_CUPS
MobilePrintSvc_CUPS_Backend
My interests
My Places
Nearby devices
Nearby Service
OMACP - SMS-related: https://spreadsheets.google.com/spr...1gdDJRekl4QmkyNmIzUmRvX2h3UDVkQXc&output=html
PacProcessor - claimed to be safe to remove: http://blog.burrowsapps.com/2014/03/what-android-apps-are-safe-to-remove.html
Pay with PayPal
PEN.UP
Perso - call sound personalization: http://androidforums.com/threads/all-bloatware-detailed-complet-list.871115/
Post_T_Promo - Dropbox stuff
Power Sharing - transfer power to another Samsung device: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.samsung.android.app.powersharing&hl=en
Preconfig - cellular stuff: http://www.w0lfdroid.com/2013/08/change-csc-samsung-galaxy-devices-s4.html
Print Spooler
Private Mode Service
Quick call contacts
Quick Connect
Quick Connect Interaction Service
RCPComponents - remote control: http://forums.androidcentral.com/samsung-galaxy-s5/396488-galaxy-s5-battery-life-getting-bad.html
Remote Controls - com.fmm.dm
Remote Controls - com.fmm.ds
Remote Controls - com.sec.pcw.device
RilNotifier - Radio interface layer: http://forum.xda-developers.com/gal...rom-v9-available-changelog-op-t2037363/page93
ringtonebackup
RootPA - looks like junk: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2523379&page=4
S Finder
S Voice
Safety Assistance
Safety Information
Samsung Account
Samsung Billing
Samsung Calendar SyncAdapter
Samsung Cloud Data Relay
Samsung Cloud Quota
Samsung Contact SyncAdapter
Samsung Content Agent
Samsung Galaxy
Samsung Link Platform - communication with other devices: http://www.androidpolice.com/2014/1...sier-share-media-across-devices-computers-tv/
Samsung Link Platform Connectivity
Samsung Memo SyncAdapter
Samsung Print Service Plugin
Samsung Push Service - notifications for ChanON, etc.: http://forums.androidcentral.com/verizon-galaxy-note-2/279259-samsung-push-service-what.html, https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sec.spp.push
Samsung SBrowser SyncAdapter
Samsung setup wizard
Samsung Syncadapters
Secure UI Service - since it's from Qualcomm it's probably safe to remove
Security policy updates - automatic network updates for threat detection: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.policydm&hl=en
Service Mode RIL
Setup Wizard - since it's Google must be safe to remove
SilentLogging - some surveillance stuff: http://mobilesyrup.com/2011/10/03/s...-phone-numbers-gps-data-email-addresses-more/
SIM Toolkit
SLLibrary
Smart Remote
SmartcardManager - SIM-related, 3rd party: https://code.google.com/p/seek-for-android/wiki/SmartcardAPI
SmartcardService
SnsImageCache - social networking: https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/12265/what-is-sns-app
Software update
Software Update
Sound detectors
SoundAlive - music playback effects
Street View
SysScope - tracks system status (rooted/official/etc.)
Talkback
Tap and pay
TcpdumpService
Travel wallpaper
Trim
Video
Video clip studio
Video Player
Video Trimmer
Weather
WlanTest - said to be safe to remove
WlucTest - said to be safe to remove
wssyncmlnps
YouTube
Apps you should leave alone and why:
3DTourViewer - some camera feature: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2790808&page=231
com.android.keyguard - screen lock (PIN, pattern, etc.): https://stackoverflow.com/questions/17689842/what-the-heck-is-the-keyguard-in-android
com.qualcomm.timeservice - network date/time sync, if removed clock will be screwed on each restart
com.samsung.android.app.catchme - breaks Night Clock if removed (someone says it's Yahoo/Twitter stuff: http://forum.xda-developers.com/note-edge/general/themers-paradise-useful-information-t2946943)
Easy Settings
EasyBottomPanel
EasyOneHand
EasySidePanel - if this and/or other Easy* is removed Side Panel and Reduce Screen no more works
FlashAnnotateSvc - S Pen/screenshot related: http://www.sammobile.com/2012/11/28/n7000xxlsa-–-galaxy-note-android-4-1-2-jelly-bean-test-firmware/
Heatlh Service - S Health doesn't start w/o it
HwModuleTest - probably what appears when dialing *#0*#
LogsProvider
MyScript ResourceManager - S Pen stuff: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2469681
QuickTool - Edge ruler, flashlight, etc.: http://forum.xda-developers.com/note-edge/general/themers-paradise-useful-information-t2946943
RootPa - might be causing problems if deleted
SapaMonitor - probably okay, audio input/jack monitor: http://forums.androidcentral.com/samsung-galaxy-note-3/360445-sapamonitor-jammonitorservice.html
Service Mode - internal info window: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/20248195/open-servicemode-menu-programatically-in-android
Service mode - may be related to service menu (*#0*#): http://forum.cyanogenmod.org/topic/30459-service-mode-servicemodeappapk-on-sgs/
Tags - NFC tags
Touchwiz Easy Home - if deleted Night Clock won't show up
Wi-Fi Direct
Wi-Fi Direct share
Attached are lists of safe-to-remove apps authored by different people that I've collected from various places in general for Samsung devices (I only used this as a reference, don't know how valid it is).
There's also a screenshot with installed apps in the standard launcher - just one incomplete page.
.
Update from me 1 year after: how was the experience?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=67600207&postcount=38

Great post. Thanks

so you've bought a Note Edge, disabled everything of use, and carry a separate device for calls, texts and web browsing? I'm not getting this!
Don't you use the interweb at all?? If you need a diary, just get a little black book.
I find that I can encrypt my device, use secure passwords and maintain all of the above securely in one package. Photos on SD which can be backed up to my NAS if I didnt want to keep images on google...
Sorry - really not trying to be rude but why?

bonerp said:
and carry a separate device for calls, texts and web browsing?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't. I own a cheap Philips cellphone that can only call and read/send SMS. I don't browse web while I'm away from my laptop - I read books, watch movies, play games, think about projects taking notes and making mind maps, etc. Then since you have BT you can easily share/receive stuff. GPS is also working - you just use offline maps which are better than Google's anyway (you can get routes, etc. without paying for traffic and even in the countryside).
Don't you use the interweb at all?? If you need a diary, just get a little black book.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol, and do you use your phone only for web surfing? I don't think so. There's so much you can do even without being online.
I find that I can encrypt my device, use secure passwords and maintain all of the above securely in one package.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's useless in most cases. Even secure passwords are challenging - can you really type 20 symbols or more that are sufficiently random using just soft keyboard? Won't it drive you mad after a couple dozen of times?
Besides, stock ROM includes loads of spyware. And it's not just Samsung - read about Lenovo's recent spyware "Superfish" that read all user's communications (even encrypted).

fundaprob said:
That's useless in most cases. Even secure passwords are challenging - can you really type 20 symbols or more that are sufficiently random using just soft keyboard? Won't it drive you mad after a couple dozen of times?
Besides, stock ROM includes loads of spyware. And it's not just Samsung - read about Lenovo's recent spyware "Superfish" that read all user's communications (even encrypted).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But google/the device remembers passwords. If you happen to lose it, android device manager allows you to remotely wipe it. I'm not worried about this, but if you are, doesn't knox help to further secure your use? I've never really used it.
Good on you if it worries you that much regarding keeping your life secure, but there are ways without staying offline and disconnecting yourself from the outside world.
20 yrs ago we never had all this, but now I couldn't manage my life without it.:good:

bonerp said:
But google/the device remembers passwords. If you happen to lose it, android device manager allows you to remotely wipe it. I'm not worried about this, but if you are, doesn't knox help to further secure your use? I've never really used it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Losing the device doesn't trouble me that much; what troubles me is that treats to mobile OSes are much bigger than to desktop because you have much less control over what goes in and out. Not just bad guys trying to trojan you but also manufacturers, ISPs, app writers - this is beyond the reasonable point. It's best to just keep the mobile device offline IMO. As an added benefit you see no more ads
Good on you if it worries you that much regarding keeping your life secure, but there are ways without staying offline and disconnecting yourself from the outside world.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not disconnecting myself, I'm disconnecting my smartphone only for the reasons explained above. I'm still perfectly online but only when I want it.

This is fantastic. I have a large percent of these apps frozen in TB, and you are 100% correct, not just about phones being preloaded with various degrees of spyware, but freaking redundant spyware. Of all the potential things that could affect the performance of my phone, just "no" on SO many level.
One thing I've often wondered about re: debloating. Does AdaptSound have an effect on call audio quality? I've kind of always thought that it did to some degree, and gone through the test to set it up, and keep in installed alongside Viper (of course...). What I do for battery is have a shortcut straight to sound settings on my home screen (thank you kindly Nova Prime), and switch my mixer to Viper (with the Super Quality drivers, since I do this), then when I'm not listening to music, like 97% of the time, I just switch the mixer back to AdaptSound with the shortcut and two additional taps.
Thoughts on the above strategy / any value whatsoever to AdaptSound?
Edit: I probably meant SoundAlive at least half of the time I referred to AdaptSound above.. I suppose my question appilies to both...

this is insanity. why even bother with a smartphone if youre going to remove the smarts from it and not even use it as a phone.
none of that stuff is spyware. youre removing API libraries and interconnection stuff which is necessary to actually use the phone as a smartphone.
and ironically youre removing the security layer completely which is knox. that means your phone cant isolate your private data from apps installed on it.

zurkx said:
this is insanity. why even bother with a smartphone if youre going to remove the smarts from it and not even use it as a phone.
none of that stuff is spyware. youre removing API libraries and interconnection stuff which is necessary to actually use the phone as a smartphone.
and ironically youre removing the security layer completely which is knox. that means your phone cant isolate your private data from apps installed on it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What he/she said.
Just get off the grid completely if you're that paranoid.

A bit extreme but great resource, thanks! I'll pick what to do. Good stuff.
Sent from my SM-N910H using XDA Premium HD app

If what OP did is not your cup of tea, why flame him? Just take it as a resource you can use incase you missed out any 'bloat' to remove.
Hes not telling you to do it, not that you guys will listen either.
Good info @fundaprob

but freaking redundant spyware
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's right, they're not comfortable with just one or two, they want a few dozens just in case. Like FixmoISA from what I have read is aimed at DoD compliance. But why on Earth it is preinstalled at my device?! What if I buy this outside of USA at all? Do you think it's removed from foreign firmware? It's surely not. And that's just one example - there's also a bunch of SilentLogging, SLLLogging, marketing, tracker apps that are running in background. Even if you're fine with giving away your personal data to whoever is there on the other side of the wire then think about your battery life at least. Running this mess doesn't add to it you know.
Does AdaptSound have an effect on call audio quality?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Since I'm not using Edge as a phone I can't tell how it affects the mic. However, I haven't noticed any ill effect on audio/video playback. I suspect that AdaptSound is constantly running as a background service - just like any other sensor it drains the battery even when you're not using that specific feature (audio). Unlike adaptive brightness this doesn't look too useful to me so I've got rid of it.
and switch my mixer to Viper (with the Super Quality drivers, since I do this)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This may work but I wanted to avoid having to do any special actions to concerve the battery on the dialy basis. With your approach I'll be in and out switching the mixer several times a day. Not good
Besides, like I've said I see no effect of AdaptSound. Especially since 90% of the time I'm using headphones, it can hardly have any use for this.
About SoundAlive I'm not sure, I also have seen no effect of it.
if youre going to remove the smarts from it and not even use it as a phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If they would still produce PDAs I would buy them in bulk. But since they don't I'm happy to turn a smartphone into one. Seriously, have you never ended up with smartphone's battery completely drained when you most needed it?
It's not my fault that manufacturers suddenly decided that devices with screens of 3-4-5+ inches also qualify as the "phones".
none of that stuff is spyware. youre removing API libraries and interconnection stuff which is necessary to actually use the phone as a smartphone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, really. You'd do better by reading the links I've left in the list. Besides, 2/3 of the stuff has no purpose if you don't own devices that use it or features that you need, like remote locking. Otherwise there's no explanation why I am able to use every single app I have tried normally, with more than 50% of preinstalled stuff gone.
AirWakeUp - this is meant for the gesture that does drain 10-15% of the battery in sleep mode. What for do you need it if not using it?
ANT - this is meant to communicate with other devices (http://www.thisisant.com/directory/ant-radio-service). Since I have none, why do I need it?
BeaconManager, Beaming, QuickConnect, DirectShare, DCMProvider, Power Sharing - these all are meant for sharing stuff but mostly with other Samsung devices. Since I don't have any and since I can as well use Bluetooth - why do I need these?
Blurb Checkout, Pay with Paypal, Tap and Pay - these are completely off the wall for me. I'm not going to use my device as a wallet. There exist credit cards.
CarMode - I don't use it hence don't need it.
Chromecast - I don't have any TV that supports it. If at friend's I can always stick a USB drive which won't even drain the battery.
KNOX - I'm not in corporate environment, my KNOX counter is tripped and I see no use for this. Why keep it?
DSMLawmo (http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s2/help/dsmlawmo-t1863011), FixmoISA (http://gcn.com/articles/2013/05/29/breakdown-dod-security-controls--ios-android.aspx), Intelligence Service (http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s5/help/kill-com-samsung-android-t2811304), MDMApp (http://www.samsung.com/global/business/mobile/solution/security/mobile-device-management), RCPComponents (http://forums.androidcentral.com/samsung-galaxy-s5/396488-galaxy-s5-battery-life-getting-bad.html) - these are stuff to remotely mess up with your device. Whether it's you or not you can't even be sure. I'm not going to trade potential one time use of these for the possibility of spying on me 24/7.
Printing drivers - I don't even have a printer.
the list goes on
and ironically youre removing the security layer completely which is knox. that means your phone cant isolate your private data from apps installed on it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Funny thing is that these days even malware doesn't run without active Internet connection. Okay, let's say it grabs all my passwords, photos and documents. Now what? It will disappear the next time I do hard reset, with all the traces and stuff it has collected. Have you seen malware that bricks device on purpose? I think 99% of it nowadays is meant for extracting profit. Even if we take cryptolockers (which serve exactly this purpose) they only start working after obtaining the public key from the server. No connection - no key.
There's more to it than you think at first.
Just take it as a resource you can use incase you missed out any 'bloat' to remove.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly. I'm not suggesting everyone follows my steps. I'm only suggesting that you look through the lists and see that you can remove a number of obvious bloatware that you can identify after a bit of googling (which I did for you). There are also a few lists of other people I've collected that I've updated the post with.

There's no need to criticize him for doing what he wants with his phone. He just shows that it's possible, and if others want to do the same, they can. He even provided a list of all apps he could remove without breaking anything he didn't want, which is awesome.
I for instance rarely use ROMs with a lot of tweaks and extras, as I like it as stock as possible. I rarely use custom kernels, except when they're superior and minimal compared to stock. I don't lash out against those who choose to use the ROMs and kernels with more features.
If everyone were to complain about everything that didn't fit their preferences, this forum would be a mess.
zurkx said:
this is insanity. why even bother with a smartphone if youre going to remove the smarts from it and not even use it as a phone.
none of that stuff is spyware. youre removing API libraries and interconnection stuff which is necessary to actually use the phone as a smartphone.
and ironically youre removing the security layer completely which is knox. that means your phone cant isolate your private data from apps installed on it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Haha, good one.

Archiimonde said:
There's no need to criticize him for doing what he wants with his phone. He just shows that it's possible, and if others want to do the same, they can. He even provided a list of all apps he could remove without breaking anything he didn't want, which is awesome.
I for instance rarely use ROMs with a lot of tweaks and extras, as I like it as stock as possible. I rarely use custom kernels, except when they're superior and minimal compared to stock. I don't lash out against those who choose to use the ROMs and kernels with more features.
If everyone were to complain about everything that didn't fit their preferences, this forum would be a mess.
Haha, good one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
oh please. lets not enable paranoia - and illogical paranoia at that. do you really think OPs crippled phone with "spyware" removed is secure ?
While removing all the actually useful features his phone has also been stripped of basic security. he does not have a knox encrypted container which means his phone data can be accessed using the modem baseband processor and all the data copied off it. Since his phone is no longer a phone he wouldnt even see the activity. Removing "location services" APIs do nothing since the phone is going to ping the towers anyway regardless of whether it has a SIM or not and since it has no SIM it will ping *all* the towers instead of the ones it is registered to. So everyone with a basic stingray can track his location at all times. Removing the cellular control protocol disables modem control using flight mode so even in flight mode the phone would be pinging everything in sight. bravo. awesome "security". and how does OP make it even more secure ? I know .. lets strip out the basic modem key loading so your baseband modem is now open completely to anyone with a spoofed cell tower with zero encryption keys loaded on it in default factory config! woo! home run.
He might as well buy an etch a sketch instead of a phone at this point since he converted his $900 smartphone into an insecure brick. there is nothing useful to be gained by stripping out functionality while reducing security in the name of "hiding from the man" when the "man" can easily get access to anything on your phone anyway and its kept there unencrypted for easier access. My stock 910U with encrypted knox container, DoD CAC enabled and switched to flight mode is waay more secure than his stripped down insecure brick.

I think that android is perfect for those people that want to customize their phones the way they like it. that's what we're all here for and that's what the dude have done. *however* I can't feel that this wasn't done properly as the OP took the smart out of the phone. to the OP- you just own a 1990's phone now. maybe thats the way you like it but frankly I don't get why getting a 700$ phone for only calls/sms. if that's what you want i'd just get an actual old yearly 2000's phone that doesn't even have 3g, or the cheapest smartphone available today and do the same thing- just there it would make more sense(as all of the smart features are slow anyway). and as much as I agree regarding the lack of privacy these days- I'm also realistic. there are a few billions of people around the world and even more mobile phones. yes, google can locate you when you use location services. so what? if you are not a terorrist, not the NSA or anybody else gives a damn about it. there is no privacy today, and it's not necessarily worst thing possible.

OK, so we've established that different people use their devices in different ways. Moving on... take a look at the system apps on your phone. What percent percentage of them perform a function that you're aware of? How many of them provide the exact same function as other (in many cases system) apps? If either question is difficult to answer some research can be VERY illuminating.
Rather than jumping all over the OP for removing certain things due to personal preference, consider mine. I recently had 301 system apps on my phone (have begun uninstalling certain things I've just had frozen before). Of those 301 apps, I had 104 frozen. Determining the purpose of an app before ditching it, I've lost ZERO featues / functionality and hardly ever see an OOM error which happened somewhat often before debloating.
The fact is that there are pre-installed apps on your phone that are very likely just taking up space, or doing things that you would explicitly prohibit if you were aware / able to. OP has provided an excellent resource for determining to some extent what these apps are doing. What he's personally chosen to remove is a matter that's really of no concern to anyone but himself.

zurkx said:
While removing all the actually useful features his phone has also been stripped of basic security.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Now we're talking. What you are saying makes sense but to be completely sure you should provide some links or other proof that it is exactly as you describe. Because I am not sure that the following is true:
zurkx said:
Removing the cellular control protocol disables modem control using flight mode so even in flight mode the phone would be pinging everything in sight.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have just tried this: enable flight mode (side note: it's permanently on for me), go to Phone, dial 911 and then observe the screen saying "enabling radio, please wait". If what you are saying is true - i.e. if I have removed cellular controls - then (1) how it would be enabling, if no control interface is present? (2) how would it actually call the number (by this I mean that I could hear the other guy)?
Something is wrong here.
Then, you are missing another point. For some reason you are assuming that whatever I have done was done for "security". But it was not. Sure, I am eager to strip off unwanted spyware (please, don't object that Fixmo and co. produces something useful for us). But I am as well eager to remove unnecessary processes to conserve the battery and make the device run smoother. This actually happens. Attached is screenshot of the battery stats - 20 hours on battery with about 5-6 hours of active usage (1.5 hours of gaming) and limited charging while transferring stuff via USB. It virtually doesn't use the battery in sleep mode as you can see. 39% remains, that's given that the device was charged up to 60% or so in the beginning. Sounds good to me unless I interpret it wrong.
(You can also see short Mobile signal spikes - that's my 911 calls. Doesn't look like the device no more controls what happens with its cellular module, does it?)
And to be clear: I understand that it's possible to spy on probably everyone depending on who does that. But stock "spyware" spies on everyone just in case. It's not targeted, it's common. That's what I am against. Targeted spying is completely another story and not my case (bad guys use another means to get rid of it, I'm sure).
zurkx said:
My stock 910U with encrypted knox container, DoD CAC enabled and switched to flight mode is waay more secure than his stripped down insecure brick.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think it is but is it faster and has better battery life? Also, what happens once you switch off flight mode? It happily pours all the sniffed data to the other side. When you have data going not only in but out (online) you are always in catching-up position because patching broken defence by definition takes time after the breach happens (virus, etc.) and before the patch is on your device. Since defences are studied beforehand it doesn't matter how good they are because otherwise there would be no viruses whatsoever.
Now, zurkx, I don't want to offend you or anything but you sound angry and not very constructive. Try this: think of all the features I have removed/lost with my modification and write them down on one side of a piece of paper. Now think of all that remain and write on the other side. I am sure that the left list would be cluttered with "Chromecast", "Clever house", "Fitness clocks", "Mobile printing" and things like that. The other side will stay with "Awesome camera", "1080p video", "Extreme games that don't even heat up the device", etc.
Obviously, the latter is more important to me. I have no use in devices I will never own. It is imprudent to just leave them consuming CPU cycles and battery life.
tal123 said:
you just own a 1990's phone now. maybe thats the way you like it but frankly I don't get why getting a 700$ phone for only calls/sms.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Guys! I have ONLY removed cellular connectivity and various wireless stuff. I have NOT taken out the CPU, NFC, GPS or whatever. I can still watch video, use regular apps, play games and whatnot.
I do own a cellphone that can only send/receive calls and SMS and has no 3G but it costs $39, not $900. Mind you. I charge it once a month and happy with that.
No, seriously, I can't get it. Can you play World of Tanks on Nokia 3310? What are you saying man? The life doesn't end with LTE!
jazzmachine said:
What percent percentage of them perform a function that you're aware of?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
True and that also doesn't mean that you should just leave the obvious garbage take its place. Because then you can as well abandon HTTPS when using online banking, or turn off WPA2 encryption just because if they wanted to spy on you that wouldn't stop them, so why bother? Also, you never know if your laptop is not preinstalled with another "Superfish" that works around TLS so all that is useless anyway.
Hopefully it's clear that I'm ironizing.
jazzmachine said:
Determining the purpose of an app before ditching it, I've lost ZERO featues / functionality and hardly ever see an OOM error which happened somewhat often before debloating.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh heaven, somebody has got his senses. I thought something was wrong with me. Hurray.

question- so if you have a phone just for calls/texts and all you wanted is a device just for games, etc- and that's why you stripped everything from your note 4 and made it just for offline apps- why not just get an ipod touch?

This is a very comprehensive list on which apps are safe to remove and which are not. And to get the list from a person who is willing to strip off this much is even better as they will tell you all the apps that are sefe to remove because they were not afraid to take them off.
Thank you for this list I am going to go through it and remove the apps that make sense for me to remove.
One question though, How much space did you free up by uninstalling all of these apps? It might be good to add the weight of each app next to them as well for easy refrence. Just a thought. Great job by the way!

zurkx said:
oh please. lets not enable paranoia - and illogical paranoia at that. do you really think OPs crippled phone with "spyware" removed is secure ?
While removing all the actually useful features his phone has also been stripped of basic security. he does not have a knox encrypted container which means his phone data can be accessed using the modem baseband processor and all the data copied off it. Since his phone is no longer a phone he wouldnt even see the activity. Removing "location services" APIs do nothing since the phone is going to ping the towers anyway regardless of whether it has a SIM or not and since it has no SIM it will ping *all* the towers instead of the ones it is registered to. So everyone with a basic stingray can track his location at all times. Removing the cellular control protocol disables modem control using flight mode so even in flight mode the phone would be pinging everything in sight. bravo. awesome "security". and how does OP make it even more secure ? I know .. lets strip out the basic modem key loading so your baseband modem is now open completely to anyone with a spoofed cell tower with zero encryption keys loaded on it in default factory config! woo! home run.
He might as well buy an etch a sketch instead of a phone at this point since he converted his $900 smartphone into an insecure brick. there is nothing useful to be gained by stripping out functionality while reducing security in the name of "hiding from the man" when the "man" can easily get access to anything on your phone anyway and its kept there unencrypted for easier access. My stock 910U with encrypted knox container, DoD CAC enabled and switched to flight mode is waay more secure than his stripped down insecure brick.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There's no need to rant. I never said the phone was more secure. You claimed that nothing of what he removed was spyware, which is wrong. I'm sure your phone is more secure. I agree with OP though that you statements make sense, but I'd also like to see some sources.
And to be clear: I understand that it's possible to spy on probably everyone depending on who does that. But stock "spyware" spies on everyone just in case. It's not targeted, it's common. That's what I am against. Targeted spying is completely another story and not my case (bad guys use another means to get rid of it, I'm sure).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is what I meant.

Stopping NlpWakeLock, NlpWakeLockCollector and RILJ

I have been trying on and off for over a year to eliminate these horrible wakelocks without disabling location services all together, and have finally found a solution.
I have tried wakelock terminator, amplify, and various other tweaks without the results I was looking for. I could only stop them by disabling location completely. Even with GPS only enabled the phone will eventually want to find its location and then if you're in a building where there is no GPS single, it will kill your battery trying to find one. So I finally stumbled across SlimLP which is an AOSP rom that has app ops baked into it. I found that if I simply modify the permissions of google play services and not allow it to use location, and also disable its ability to hold a wakelock, the nlp wakelocks (both) are gone forever. However, as soon as nlp is gone, the phone falls back to its backup plan which is RILJ to locate itself. So I then went into the phone apps permissions and disabled location and wakelock for it too. FINALLY these wakelocks are gone forever. My phone now loses 3% over 8 hours without disabling location services. There are literally 10 or less wakelocks system wide over 8 hours while I sleep, which is a huge contrast to the waking once every 25 seconds to check my location (or whatever absurd rate it was doing it). The only thing I can spot thats out of place it that google play services is registering a ton of alarms for location related stuff in better battery stats. I'm happy with this so far but feel it could be even better once I learn more.
What I really want to do is to be able to apply this to any android phone, such as my girlfriends z3. Unfortunately I can only get this to work with AOSP roms that have app ops built into them. I tried adding app ops to google based roms and even aosp roms and it doesnt work the same. If anyone could tell me what is different about roms with app ops built in, that would be great. I think we should look into this more to learn as much as possible because this affects everyone with an android phone. Thanks for reading.

seh6183 said:
I have been trying on and off for over a year to eliminate these horrible wakelocks without disabling location services all together, and have finally found a solution.
I have tried wakelock terminator, amplify, and various other tweaks without the results I was looking for. I could only stop them by disabling location completely. Even with GPS only enabled the phone will eventually want to find its location and then if you're in a building where there is no GPS single, it will kill your battery trying to find one. So I finally stumbled across SlimLP which is an AOSP rom that has app ops baked into it. I found that if I simply modify the permissions of google play services and not allow it to use location, and also disable its ability to hold a wakelock, the nlp wakelocks (both) are gone forever. However, as soon as nlp is gone, the phone falls back to its backup plan which is RILJ to locate itself. So I then went into the phone apps permissions and disabled location and wakelock for it too. FINALLY these wakelocks are gone forever. My phone now loses 3% over 8 hours without disabling location services. There are literally 10 or less wakelocks system wide over 8 hours while I sleep, which is a huge contrast to the waking once every 25 seconds to check my location (or whatever absurd rate it was doing it). The only thing I can spot thats out of place it that google play services is registering a ton of alarms for location related stuff in better battery stats. I'm happy with this so far but feel it could be even better once I learn more.
What I really want to do is to be able to apply this to any android phone, such as my girlfriends z3. Unfortunately I can only get this to work with AOSP roms that have app ops built into them. I tried adding app ops to google based roms and even aosp roms and it doesnt work the same. If anyone could tell me what is different about roms with app ops built in, that would be great. I think we should look into this more to learn as much as possible because this affects everyone with an android phone. Thanks for reading.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wrong section...you might want to try Xposed and Amplify.
EDIT: I just realized I posted wrong section. For some reason, I thought this was Android Dev. Sorry

niral7 said:
Wrong section...you might want to try Xposed and Amplify.
EDIT: I just realized I posted wrong section. For some reason, I thought this was Android Dev. Sorry
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've tried amplify as stated in the op. I'm surprised more people aren't bothered by wakelocks. I can't stand them.

seh6183 said:
I've tried amplify as stated in the op. I'm surprised more people aren't bothered by wakelocks. I can't stand them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They're necessary to some degree. Google Now and other location-based/sync programs need them to work. They just get annoying when they're fired up every minute.

niral7 said:
They're necessary to some degree. Google Now and other location-based/sync programs need them to work. They just get annoying when they're fired up every minute.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well I've disabled the wakelocks and every location service including google now still functions as normal. The only benefit is me gaining 50% of my battery back. I just need to figure out what is so special about AOSP ROMs that have app ops baked in so I can apply these techniques to other phones.

So the App Ops Xposed module doesn't work the same way?

hayzooos said:
So the App Ops Xposed module doesn't work the same way?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It works exactly the same except for some odd reason the wakelocks won't stop when you start disabling google play services and phone. It will disable other things without any problems. I'm thinking that maybe SlimLp has a different google play services app with different permissions or something. I'm not exactly sure what it is yet but I'm still looking into it on a daily basis. All I know is that 9000 wakelocks at the end of the day from google play services is UNACCEPTABLE and pisses me off. So I set out to find a way to stop them.

seh6183 said:
It works exactly the same except for some odd reason the wakelocks won't stop when you start disabling google play services and phone. It will disable other things without any problems. I'm thinking that maybe SlimLp has a different google play services app with different permissions or something. I'm not exactly sure what it is yet but I'm still looking into it on a daily basis. All I know is that 9000 wakelocks at the end of the day from google play services is UNACCEPTABLE and pisses me off. So I set out to find a way to stop them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Glad you found a way to stop them and more so you decided to post your way to stop them here.

seh6183 said:
It works exactly the same except for some odd reason the wakelocks won't stop when you start disabling google play services and phone. It will disable other things without any problems. I'm thinking that maybe SlimLp has a different google play services app with different permissions or something. I'm not exactly sure what it is yet but I'm still looking into it on a daily basis. All I know is that 9000 wakelocks at the end of the day from google play services is UNACCEPTABLE and pisses me off. So I set out to find a way to stop them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Cataclysm Rom also has a App Ops. So I assume i can get same improvements as you do?
Or am I wrong and thinking the opposite direction?

Zwambo said:
Cataclysm Rom also has a App Ops. So I assume i can get same improvements as you do?
Or am I wrong and thinking the opposite direction?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It should work yes. Go into google play services from apps, its in settings, then click modify, then disable location and wake lock. Do the same for phone. There are two phone apps and a dialer making it confusing. You'll want to disable the location and wakelock setting on the phone app which has the location toggle. The other phone app doesn't have a location toggle and you'll know that's not the right one.
After doing this, if you monitor with wake lock detector, you'll see that both NLP wakelocks are stopped completely instead of the 1000 an hour like usual. Same goes for RILJ. Google play services is still generating thousands of alarms each day for location related stuff and I have found a way to fix that as well but it needs more testing.
To put it simply, when my phone goes to sleep, that exactly what I want it to do, not appear as if its asleep and constantly check my location so that it can better offer me ads and places of interest near by.

Doesn't the Phone app NEED to be able to keep the phone awake, so that it doesn't go to sleep mid-call?

setspeed said:
Doesn't the Phone app NEED to be able to keep the phone awake, so that it doesn't go to sleep mid-call?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It has no effect on the function of the phone at all except to eliminate the RILJ wakelock. I'm pretty sure this wakelock is the phones radio trying to triangulate your position using cell towers but not sure.

All solutions I've seen or heard about untill now are just workarounds, and I found an elegant solution that allows geoloc to be on all the time.
I detailed it in a battery thread because of the savings it can offer : it consist of an app that replaces nlp with a local db : http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=59184505
I didn't try out with all google goeloc services but maps didn't seem to bother...

Gentaz said:
All solutions I've seen or heard about untill now are just workarounds, and I found an elegant solution that allows geoloc to be on all the time.
I detailed it in a battery thread because of the savings it can offer : it consist of an app that replaces nlp with a local db : http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=59184505
I didn't try out with all google goeloc services but maps didn't seem to bother...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My solution has zero impact on location services as well. You're saying that your method totally stops NLP wakelocks and if you were to open maps, it would lock your location precisely?

seh6183 said:
It should work yes. Go into google play services from apps, its in settings, then click modify, then disable location and wake lock. Do the same for phone. There are two phone apps and a dialer making it confusing. You'll want to disable the location and wakelock setting on the phone app which has the location toggle. The other phone app doesn't have a location toggle and you'll know that's not the right one.
After doing this, if you monitor with wake lock detector, you'll see that both NLP wakelocks are stopped completely instead of the 1000 an hour like usual. Same goes for RILJ. Google play services is still generating thousands of alarms each day for location related stuff and I have found a way to fix that as well but it needs more testing.
To put it simply, when my phone goes to sleep, that exactly what I want it to do, not appear as if its asleep and constantly check my location so that it can better offer me ads and places of interest near by.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thx a million!
Will look in to those settings from the phone apps and google play services. Love it when the app ops is included in the ROM!

seh6183 said:
My solution has zero impact on location services as well. You're saying that your method totally stops NLP wakelocks and if you were to open maps, it would lock your location precisely?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The fact that the gapps have a mind of their own is not big news, but alternatives exists to avoid dealing with them☺
I didn't say it will stop any wakelock (and I don't want to) : on the contrary, it consist of replacing the stock nlp with a more evolved one that allows to switch to a local db which is far less battery consuming for several reasons.
I didn't say it was "gps precise" either : it will locate you at the nearest antenna if you try a gps app like maps (did you actually read my link ?). Most of the time it has between 500m and 1500m (about a mile) uncertainty reported by the apps.
It just provides precise enough geoloc services for 95% of the apps you're using, even with your screen off like weather, loc. based profile mangers, local news, traffic, job/dating app or whatever... Granted : it won't compete with gps for you navigation or atronomy app but that's the 5% left when you'll switch the gps on ?
There should be a reason why you have so much wakelocks that does not involve blocking calls from a middleware as an answer.

Gentaz said:
The fact that the gapps have a mind of their own is not big news, but alternatives exists to avoid dealing with them
I didn't say it will stop any wakelock (and I don't want to) : on the contrary, it consist of replacing the stock nlp with a more evolved one that allows to switch to a local db which is far less battery consuming for several reasons.
I didn't say it was "gps precise" either : it will locate you at the nearest antenna if you try a gps app like maps (did you actually read my link ?). Most of the time it has between 500m and 1500m (about a mile) uncertainty reported by the apps.
It just provides precise enough geoloc services for 95% of the apps you're using, even with your screen off like weather, loc. based profile mangers, local news, traffic, job/dating app or whatever... Granted : it won't compete with gps for you navigation or atronomy app but that's the 5% left when you'll switch the gps on
There should be a reason why you have so much wakelocks that does not involve blocking calls from a middleware as an answer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If its crippling the phones ability to locate itself accurately then I am not interested as occasionally navigation is important to me. Also of it doesn't stop wakelocks then I am certainly not interested. The way that you word things makes it very difficult to get your point across I might add. I had a hard time following your post.

What I did to get zero battery drain with GPS set on high accuracy:
- Download Disable Service from Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=cn.wq.disableservice&hl=nl
- Go to System, then Google Play Services and disable everything that has something to do with 'Wear' and 'Fitness' since I don't use any of these features (for me these gave me wakelocks, but I'm not sure if this is the case for everyone), so: BrokeredFitnessService, WearableControlService, WearableService and WearableSyncService.
- Download LBE Security Master (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1422479) for its permission manager.
- Disable any location permission of all your apps that you don't want to use GPS (and other permissions to save more battery, but that's another topic).
I have to say I have Google Now disabled, and of course my phone is rooted to be able to use these apps. I run stock rom with stock kernel, and my battery is great with GPS enabled constantly.

seh6183 said:
If its crippling the phones ability to locate itself accurately then I am not interested as occasionally navigation is important to me. Also of it doesn't stop wakelocks then I am certainly not interested. The way that you word things makes it very difficult to get your point across I might add. I had a hard time following your post.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I guess you missinterpreted what I said : just enable gps when you need navigation... Gsm based location accuracy is ok for all the rest.
- wakelock issues either came from the way the phone is set up or an uncommon situation causing this (bug, bloat, bad network or gps reception...) : blocking them is not a solution, it's a workaround and, if I undestood you correctly, is only valid for some cases and is fastidious/maintenance intensive. There are already many nexus 5 and other threads dealing with those issues anyway and It would be easier to just disable geoloc when screen is off.
- I suggested a solution less battery draining for 95% of goeloc based needs and is valid for most android phones and roms as long as you have root, not yet another a nlp/wakelock blocking "trick".
It's ok if your girlfriend doesn't mind having her z3 flashed with an ASOP ops enabled rom and learn to block the wakelocks of the new apps she installs, but I prefer not having to explain mine what a wakelock is ☺
- It doesnt cripple your phone at all, it extends its possibilities by adding a gsm based backend to the location provider : your phone was already doing the same except it had to go to a google hosted database to match your location to your antenna or ip when it is set to use network based location.

Gentaz said:
I guess you missinterpreted what I said : just enable gps when you need navigation... Gsm based location accuracy is ok for the all the rest.
- wakelock issues either came from the way the phone is set up or an uncommon situation causing this (bug, bloat, bad network or gps reception...) : blocking them is not a solution, it's a workaround and, if I undestood you correctly, is only valid for some cases and is fastidious/maintenance intensive. There are already many nexus 5 and other threads dealing with those issues anyway and It would be easier to just disable geoloc when screen is off.
- I suggested a solution less battery draining for 95% of goeloc based needs and is valid for most android phones and roms as long as you have root, not yet another a nlp/wakelock blocking "trick".
It's ok if your girlfriend doesn't mind having her z3 flashed with an ASOP ops enabled rom and learn to block the wakelocks of the new apps she's installing, but I prefer not having to explain mine what a wakelock is
- It doesnt cripple your phone at all, it extends its possibilities by adding a gsm based backend to the location provider : your phone was already doing the same except it had to go to a google hosted database to match your location to yourantenna or ip when it is set to use network based location.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your solution is very interesting for sure and something I will try, but my gut feeling is that google play services is still going to look for my location just as often, waking the phone, even though it's communicating with a different database.
Also I'm not sure if you're suggesting that my phone specifically is having NLP wakelocks because it is broken or setup incorrectly, but if so that is totally inaccurate. All android phones are suffering from this wakelock whether the user is aware of it or not. The only ones not having NLP wakelocks are the ones who have disabled location services or somehow turned off the wakelock like I have.

[GUIDE] Stop Google Play Services Wakelocks (AppMeasurement, net_scheduler, etc.)

Update 09.12.17: The methods below may not fully work on the latest OS versions. There is an ongoing discussion in the last pages so I hope it gets cleared out eventually, sadly I've been busy with my studies and haven't touched my phone since initially making this thread (it's on OOS 4.0.2). I write this just to make sure I don't waste your time accidentally, so please check the latest replies if you're on newer OS versions.
Hello everybody,
*the undermentioned methods and app(s) require root*
I have asked you guys in the AKT thread if you would like to see a small tutorial on how to stop the constant "com.google.android.gms/.measurement.PackageMeasurementService" and "net_scheduler" wakelocks that might or might not be responsible for the device waiting longer than it should before dozing off.
Please keep in mind that this method does work for me, and might or might not work for you, as everybody uses different things/apps so in case you see unwanted behavior, just revert back and sigh that the method has failed you.
I am not responsible for any hardware-/software damage that may occur upon using these settings.
So, now that we've got all the generic stuff out of the way, first few words about why this might bother you:
1) You don't like your device doing stuff you didn't make it do.
2) You want to minimize wakelocks
3) You're here because you just saw the two beforementioned wakelocks and already decided you want to get rid of them.
So, regarding the first one, all I can say is I got the method from this reddit post , which briefly explains which services are doing the waking and what they are. Starting with "At the heart of Firebase is Firebase Analytics, a free and unlimited analytics solution. .." got me raising an eyebrow, as I don't like handling control of my device to other people, without me even knowing.
UPDATE: I have merged the two approaches into just using one app and making the changes on a global level, so you can just do them in like 5 minutes and forget about it, but in case you have problems with disabling package measurement you can also check the hidden text just below for instructions using another app, which was basically "the old way".
So to get rid of the "snooping", as already described in that post, you need to download MyAndroidTools.
Disclaimer: Disabling some services/receivers may "crash" the app. I found it is normal, just go back to where you were and check if you managed to disable the thing you wanted, if yes, then it was successful.
1. Open the app
2. Click on the top left to open the panel, click on Broadcast Receiver.
3. On the menu that opens go to the right column named System. Click search on the top right, type "Play" and choose the Google Play Services option.
4. In the search bar there type at least "ana" and disable the two found results with the names "AnalyticsReceiver" and "AnalyticsSamplerReceiver"
5. Hit x and search again for at least "meas". You will see three results with the names "AppMeasurementInstallReferrerReceiver", "AppMeasurementReceiver" and "PackageMeasurementReceiver*". Disable all three.
****Update 15.02.17*** Apparently this one resets every once in a while, I blame this again on Google's efforts to have their spying on, but anyways. Go to services->system->Google Play Services->search "meas"->disable both "AppMeasurementService" and "MeasurementBrokerService". The third one (PackageMeasurementService) will restart too so don't bother. This should do the trick though.
6. There was discussion about "Campaign Tracking" . I only found it in the same System menu, in Android Pay, by searching at least "cam" you get the result "CampaignTrackingReceiver". Disable it if you feel you want to. I don't use Android Pay and cannot say if it breaks something there, but otherwise have it disabled and haven't noticed any problems so far.
7. Search for Google Play Store in System. In that option, search for at least "app" and disable "AppMeasurementReceiver". Hit x and search for at least "fir", then disable the two results with names "FirebaseInstanceIdInternalReceiver" and "FirebaseInstanceIdReceiver"
8. Done. All the setttings are now global for any sort of app measurements, as far as I know.
This is the "old way" of dealing with app measurement. If you have done the steps above just ignore (hide) this part and continue with disabling net_scheduler below.
So to get rid of the "snooping", as already described in that post, you need to download Root Package Disabler or equivalent alternative.
ATTENTION: As per the last version of the app, I see there might be a bug which reverts some settings when you use the search bar, so please try and find the services by hand in stead of searching, as it is more reliable.
1. Open the app
2. Start with the left-most pane, e.g. "Installed". There you can see all your installed apps
3. Click on the first app on the list, it will display a small menu. Apps that use services will have the bottom-left option named "SERVICES" available, click there. This will take you to the services list that this app uses.
4. Click on the searching icon on the top-right in order to filter the services we need disabling.
5. Write at least "appm" . If the AppMeasurementService is used by this app, it will now be displayed.
6. Tick that off (the switch will turn gray)
7. Hit x, and search again for at least "fireb". This will display all services that use the Firebase SDK. You may also check under the name of the service and see the word is contained in the "executable name", so it might not always have "an official" name that states Firebase, but still use one of their "executables" (sorry for lack of detail)
7.1 Check for any other services that have "analytics" in their description, although I haven't checked if this stops something useful, but I doubt it.
8. When you're done with the current app, it will no longer call these services and cause wakelocks as long as the services remain stopped. To my experience the settings stay after reboot, it's just the above mentioned bug you have to keep in mind since it happened to me now while making the guide, and I know it came with the latest update.
9. Go back to the installed pane and maybe tick on the star next to the app in question. It will be added to the "favourite" list where you can have all those apps and don't bother to search them again if needed.
10. Repeat from step 1 for the next app and go through all your apps. If not you will still get calls to this service from the apps that still have these services on. Also a reminder here, you have to remember and check every new app you install, as most apps do have the service enabled.
11. After you're done with all apps in "Installed", check out bloatware (I think I haven't found anything there, but it's worth checking).
12. "System" apps that I know have some of those services: Calendar, (probably) Chrome (I have that disabled so dunno), Drive, Duo, Gboard, Google Play Services, Google Play Store, Google VR Services.
Here are two pictures how an app's services list looks like, and one with some of the services disabled:
all services on
some services off
After doing these steps, you should charge your battery to 90% to reset the battery statistics and you should see that the "com.google.android.gms/.measurement.PackageMeasurementService" wakelock no longer occurs (or stays really, really low, and not thousands like before). If you still have it after all this, then you probably have an app you haven't disabled the services for.
The second approach will get rid of the "net_scheduler" wakelock. Thanks to @denon480 for the idea, it's post #34 in this thread It involves installing (again) MyAndroidTools or equivalent alternative.
1. Open the app
2. Click on the top left corner to open the menu panel.
3. Click on Broadcast Receiver
4. Navigate to the System pane
5. Click on search on the top right. Search for Google Play Services. Click on them when they show up
6. In the search top right, write at least "sche" and you will see the two receivers responsible for the "net_scheduler" wakelock, "SchedulerInternalReceiver" and "SchedulerReceiver" . Here's a picture how it looks
7. Switch the first one off. The app will quit, don't worry.
8. Go back to where you were (steps 1 to 6) . You will see that you indeed managed to swtich that receiver off.
9. Switch the second one off. The app will quit, again no worries.
10. Check if you managed to switch the second one as well. After that you're done!
I hope I could help you guys out. I know there is nothing fancy in these methods but felt a thread might be useful as I saw a good number of requests when I mentioned it in the AKT thread.
Also sorry for misleading the guys I already told it was going to be a short guide, I honestly thought it would take way less words than it did. But I think it is for the better.
Have fun.

* Reserved *

Going through this guide, I was able to get the services disabled through root package disabler, bit my android tools kept force closing for some reason.
*edit* uninstalled, rebooted, reinstalled, and was able to get the app to stay open, and got them disabled. I'm curious to see what my wake locks are going to look like tomorrow. This is pretty much the nougat answer to amplify, huh? =)

MeggaMortY said:
* Reserved *
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think Everything is fine or?

tzbigworm said:
Going through this guide, I was able to get the services disabled through root package disabler, bit my android tools kept force closing for some reason.
*edit* uninstalled, rebooted, reinstalled, and was able to get the app to stay open, and got them disabled. I'm curious to see what my wake locks are going to look like tomorrow. This is pretty much the nougat answer to amplify, huh? =)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hope it gets rid of those for you too. If I remember correctly I noticed the problem since Nougat, but then again I've been on Android since only a few months, coming from a big pause. Last time I was around we were rocking the HTC HD2 and had to deal with very different problems.
1+3_FA said:
I think Everything is fine or?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup looks great.

MeggaMortY said:
Hope it gets rid of those for you too. If I remember correctly I noticed the problem since Nougat, but then again I've been on Android since only a few months, coming from a big pause. Last time I was around we were rocking the HTC HD2 and had to deal with very different problems.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Crazy how much of a beast that phone was. People forget it's actually a windows phone, Android was put on it so much lol!

Thanks for the tips. Works great!

Thank you for your awesome work!
I have two more questions:
1. What about CampaignTrackingService? Could we disable this one as well?
2. In MyAndroidTools under Broadcast Receiver there are lots of receivers like AppMeasurementReceiver or FirebaseInstanceIdReceiver. They also need to be disabled or disabling the corresponding service is sufficient?
Thank you very much

youknownothing said:
Thank you for your awesome work!
I have two more questions:
1. What about CampaignTrackingService? Could we disable this one as well?
2. In MyAndroidTools under Broadcast Receiver there are lots of receivers like AppMeasurementReceiver or FirebaseInstanceIdReceiver. They also need to be disabled or disabling the corresponding service is sufficient?
Thank you very much
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. I initally disabled that in a few apps and didn't have problems System-wide or with the apps. So you can give it a go and in case of apps not functioning you can revert those back.
2. No for now it's okay to just use the Package Disabler for that. Like I said both apps have similiar functionality, there's probably a way to find the right service/receiver and disable it globally from MyAndroidTools, then we won't need the Package Disabler. But since it did work for me and I don't install new apps more than like once a week, I just didn't bother figuring it out. I can only say that disabling certain services/activities in MyAndroidTools can brake functionality or even bootloop your device, so be very careful in case you wanna find out if it's possible.

MeggaMortY said:
1. I initally disabled that in a few apps and didn't have problems System-wide or with the apps. So you can give it a go and in case of apps not functioning you can revert those back.
2. No for now it's okay to just use the Package Disabler for that. Like I said both apps have similiar functionality, there's probably a way to find the right service/receiver and disable it globally from MyAndroidTools, then we won't need the Package Disabler. But since it did work for me and I don't install new apps more than like once a week, I just didn't bother figuring it out. I can only say that disabling certain services/activities in MyAndroidTools can brake functionality or even bootloop your device, so be very careful in case you wanna find out if it's possible.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for your quick response. I'll give it a try, if anything goes wrong I'll let you know.
Is there any difference between Package Disabler and Disable Service app? I've tried the former, but it was really buggy. Scrolling was so glitchy and with lots of stutters that I've accidentally disabled few services. So I've used Disable Service with success. Now I only wonder whether both apps have the same functionality. Do you happen to know that?
Thanks in advance

youknownothing said:
Thank you for your quick response. I'll give it a try, if anything goes wrong I'll let you know.
Is there any difference between Package Disabler and Disable Service app? I've tried the former, but it was really buggy. Scrolling was so glitchy and with lots of stutters that I've accidentally disabled few services. So I've used Disable Service with success. Now I only wonder whether both apps have the same functionality. Do you happen to know that?
Thanks in advance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Assuming you're disabling services, which we are lol (should've been more obvious for me too I guess), I'd say you should be fine, and even say maybe the same goes for just using MyAndroidTools, just scroll through the Service menu in Table Third-Party and you'll see the same settings you applied with the other app/Package Disabler. I guess I was lazy to realize that since I liked I can favourite the apps I need to keep an eye on in the Package Disabler.
So all in all you should be okay, but even better you may try and just use MyAndroidTools for both. I have some exams coming so I won't be able to test those things but will make sure to update the tutorial if indeed that turns out to be right (for the app you suggested or even just MyAndroidTools).
Give a shout in case you find out something more. And thanks for the info

Followed the guide, thanks for this like said before kind of amplify for nougat. But as I was disabling net.schedule I noticed "my android tool" can do the fire base and app activity. Under service activity and press <...>

I suppose that this two methods doesn't compromise any function of the device right? For example loosing notifications or similar
Sent from my OnePlus 3

Mr.Jay said:
I suppose that this two methods doesn't compromise any function of the device right? For example loosing notifications or similar
Sent from my OnePlus 3
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Like mentioned, it works fine for me, and probably depends on personal usage. I don't use Google Pay for example, and Chrome, and Google Music.... but besides those I haven't had problems anyway.

Disabled everything that is said to do in this thread and it worked great while I was at home while on wifi. I had drain of .5% an hour at times. However today while at work and on LTE, drain went up to 2.6% an hour, plus wakelocks from play services was waking up the device on average over 3 times a minute. When I looked into it further there was one service under play services where all the alarms were coming from. I do have a screenshot of this. Anyone have any insight to this? For the record, I do keep location off on my device.
Edit: I wonder f it comes from moving around a lot, as I'm always on the move as I manage a restaurant. Its not really a major drain, but still makes me wonder.

NJGSII said:
Disabled everything that is said to do in this thread and it worked great while I was at home while on wifi. I had drain of .5% an hour at times. However today while at work and on LTE, drain went up to 2.6% an hour, plus wakelocks from play services was waking up the device on average over 3 times a minute. When I looked into it further there was one service under play services where all the alarms were coming from. I do have a screenshot of this. Anyone have any insight to this? For the record, I do keep location off on my device.
Edit: I wonder f it comes from moving around a lot, as I'm always on the move as I manage a restaurant. Its not really a major drain, but still makes me wonder.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you disabled location history in the Google App? The problem is this guide fixes only one concrete aspect of the whole "Google stalking experience" shenanigans. Please check for the thing I mentioned and also in Settings -> Backup & Reset, make sure Back up my data is off if you haven't logged in an account and intend to use that - these two things were also draining battery for me when I was on the go as far as I can remember.
LMcR92 said:
Followed the guide, thanks for this like said before kind of amplify for nougat. But as I was disabling net.schedule I noticed "my android tool" can do the fire base and app activity. Under service activity and press <...>
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did some checking on that list and am currently testing a way to only use MyAndroidTools for the whole aproach. If it turns out to be working the whole guide would get reduced to like 10 clicks, since the settings are global. I'll post more info after a day or so to make sure it is working, but as for now I see promising results.

Anyone used Franco's Servicely app to do this?

Up, I have updated the guide to just using MyAndroidTools and disabling the receivers on a global scale. So now you just have to do it once and (hopefully) forget about it.

MeggaMortY said:
Up, I have updated the guide to just using MyAndroidTools and disabling the receivers on a global scale. So now you just have to do it once and (hopefully) forget about it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Will Doing like #1 post notifications from Gmail?

techusthad said:
Will Doing like #1 post notifications from Gmail?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't know what you mean by #1 - disabling the AppMeasurement stuff, e.g. first set of instructions? I haven't had problems with Gmail and I use it with two accounts on there.

How To Guide Stop vivo spyware with app ops

I've tried everything possible to stop vivos spyware, namely cim.vivo.pushservice and com.vivo.abe (plus maybe some others but the main one clearly is push service - whatever you do interacting with your phone shortly after push service tries (because I blocked it's internet access with Adguard) to contact some Chinese servers.
Edit: For app ops to work reliably you need to debloat com.vivo.devicereg first. Also remove com.vivo.abe and other apps for best results first - see here for list: https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/...al-battery-drain.4544851/page-5#post-88459025
You cannot debloat it, you cannot freeze it, there is no normal way to remove it from starting as you cannot simply restrict it from running as it runs on user 1000.
However what you can do, though only with app ops is to simply remove it access to any system content by providing fake zero content (ignore). Actual denying is also not possible.
I'm attaching a screenshot on how to set it up and I don't know which actual setting works, but something does work because for the first time I'm using this device it's not trying to connect to the internet anymore. This should also substantially improve battery life.
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
You need to activate system and system framework apps to show it. By default they are hidden.
It's quite crazy how many times different vivo apps access location and contacts. Well enough other apps are pretty annoying in accessing fine location so app ops is a great tool to cut down on requests by apps (yes usually a power manager would restrict the apps a bit, but as we have to remove vivo.pem to receive notifications app ops is the answer)
If you setup an island with islands app, it's pretty crazy how fast the vivo system starts requesting access to loads of stuff. Maybe because I forbid internet access to the vivo spyware it kept on going crazy? Well clearly by default this system send everything, and yeah really everything straight to Chinese servers when it comes to location, contacts, messages, phone log, system settings and so on. You cannot even deny this but it's great that android now provides the ignore function which will return empty information instead.
This one is especially terrifying. I guess the service gathers all the data it gives to push service to send to China... Put it on ignore straight away.
App ops is available on Google play, installation needs shizuku too which is a bit complicated and needs restarting after reboot of system. However most settings should survive a reboot (I have to try and monitor this), best make a backup and yeah totally worth it to buy the full version. There is no single other app that I tried which worked and the auto restore feature is only available in full version. Also some more other stuff.
I'm thinking if I should remove all accounts and try the device owner mode. Clearly this will be the first thing I will do on any new phone or hard reset. Put shizuku as owner so it can autostart
App Ops - Permission manager - Apps on Google Play
Manage app permission with App Ops (require root or adb)
play.google.com
Edit/Update.
Vivo using system user 1000 is problematic because somehow you cannot set some/many permissions per app but only per user. It's hard to see when this applies and when not.
So both of this apps which are core parts of the spyware armada will share/influence the android system permission on location. Clearly debloat would be better but impossible without root.
You cannot directly set it here - and that's the problem. It's even not possible in the log to tell which user 1000 app requested location as somehow it will always show android system...

Some things I do not know yet - because I didn't use it long enough.
Does Vivo rotten oranges tries to overwrite the settings? MIUI seemingly does and there is a restore mode especially for it.
Some reviews mention that the backup/import option does not work for System apps. I don't know if this was fixed or not (seems to have been okay 2-3 years ago - maybe downgrade if that is so).
Do you need the app? No you could do this manually or even write a batch as its all app ops set commands. But that would be way way more complicated than using the app (and the free version does most things already).
I hope by seeing the body sensors log I managed to eliminate the offending apps like Phone that accessed them and cause the phone to lose battery while on the go like crazy.
Which apps should you set to ignore everything?
Well foremost those that we would all like to uninstall and remove but cannot.
com.vivo.abe, push notifications service, com.android.phone (and use a different dialler app instead - the default phone must be spyware infused to the top as it becomes active all of the time without being in use and replaced in my case with google phone already), the numbermark stuff, vivo locationservices,
Youtube Revanced - Fine Location - should you use it. I don't know why it keeps on requesting this all the time. Put it on ignore or Deny to save battery (seems to be a bit badly programmed)
Multi Device Connectivity (don't know what this thing does, but it requests loads of data/wakeups and so on - maybe part of the spyware suite? For Sure remove it from Fine Location)
AiEnginge,Aiservices.
Controversial: Should you remove location access to Android System? I think it can save battery but not sure if some apps break some functionality?
com.vivo.devicereg (this one is quite active too - I'm not sure if we should put everything on ignore here too).
And yeah - I'm 99.99% positive the China Spyware is tracking your location 100% of the time. So it's not only some metadata, contacts, call data, messages, clipboard content and app filtering - but also your location. Now is this collected by Vivo for its own good, or for the Chinese government? I don't care I don't want either and I pretty much thing the way it works is several services gathering all that data - and most like vivo push notifications (haha fitting name) pushing this info to Chinese servers.
And yeah - seeing how many access rights are given to various system apps is not normal! I compared this to my Huawei P30 Pro and Galaxy S7 and both have much much less permissions given (a bit problematic as earlier Android versions aren't so detailled). Plus without app ops you don't even know about this! The stock permission management just hides all the system framework apps so you never know!

BTW - If you identify any app that requests a lot of stuff like location or contacts and you do not know why it should - try to debloat it because that's always the better solution. com.vivo.multinlp - Vivo Location Services can be debloated.
Same for Multi Device Connectivity: com.vivo.connbase
The rest of the apps above (except phone which breaks functionality if debloated) - cannot be debloated. So that's when you use App Ops instead. It's always safer using app ops vs fully uninstalling/disabling an app from a standpoint about breaking something. However for battery use most likely uninstalling via adb is the better solution. I decided to remove those two apps, but a more conservative approach is to simply remove their access to sensitive data.
Someone knows why google play services needs access to body sensors?
I'm attaching my current profile - not sure if you can import it without having the same debloat level as on my phone (which is pretty extensive - I have 77 apps uninstalled and 11 disabled. Yeah and most of that are services/system apps (very few a pre installed user apps).
Need to remove the txt ending on the backup to import.
Oh I think the reviews are right, the backup doesn't include settings for system apps. That a bummer. Kinda makes the backup/import function useless.
Now it clearly would make more sense if one could create a huge bash/batch file to do all of these app ops commands. I clearly don't know how to do that simply? Yeah finding out what changed is possible with dumpsys....

Battery life improved loads on first try, but then somehow I managed to destroy the Bluetooth connection by removing permissions somewhere too much. Also I had the phone in vibration mode overnight which kills all notifications and is like airplane mode light.
It's really horrible software design by vivo that vibration mode kills all notifications with screen off.
The only thing to achieve actual vibration mode is turning volume down to 0. I really cannot get who can program such a lousy thing.

I don't know why but location is constantly requested by something and I highly doubt it's actually android system!

Sadly Vivo system like MIUI seems to reset the restrictions all the time. So you need shizuku running all the time to restore the settings..
Especially com.vivo.abe restores it's permissions several times daily and as soon as that happens battery life goes **** again in idle and spyware starts working again...
It's super frustrating but essentially this phone had rubbish software that isn't fixable. It can be improved as many settings aren't reset but the spyware tries everything it can to restore itself overwriting system settings all the time.
Oh and push notifications also sends out data to fixed IP addresses in China that cannot be prevented.
Location is accessed like crazy by all the spyware.
Thats the main killer because it's permanently checking location if you don't disable location system wide.
At least down from 15.000 requests to 9000 thanks to app ops.

Hi @extremecarver, any updates on this? I appreciated what you have done so far to investigate this issue.
The problem I'm facing right now is, the idle drain is too much for me. With plane mode on during 6 hour night, it lost 3%. With normal 3g-4g signal (no data), it drains about 1% per hour, sometimes 2%. That means if I go to work and let my phone sit there for a whole day without touching anything, then it will lose 8%-16%. That's crazy numbers.
I also found that, googlemap (with gps+4g) can kill battery very quickly. Usually, I drive to work in 30 mins and it drops 6%, i.e, 1% per 5 mins. With the same use, the s22 ultra drops just under 3%.
And if I use the phone normally such as web browsing, facebook, instagram, tiktok, even taking photos then it drains very very normally as other phones do.
I have the s22 ultra and I can say that the battery on s22 ultra is much better than vivo. It's understandable because it has been optimized for a year now. With the s22 ultra and with the same using pattern, I can easily get 8 hours SoT, while the vivo can barely get it to 5-6 hours.
Pretty sad because this x90 pro+ camera is better than the s22 ultra in many aspects, easier to hold in hand (s22 ultra is too hard to reach the edge of the phone and too heavy) although I don't like both curve screens. I don't have many problems with the notifications because I mainly use messenger and gmail and that's all.
So hopefully, someone can find out the way to fix those excessive battery drain or Vivo can release some updates to solve this problem in the future.

Dear All,
i'm not sure if mine could be a good solution or not but i'm using nextdns service and it basically blocks all or almost all vivo and others brand spyware without installing any apps.
it's very quick and easy to activate, just enable dns privato in network settings and write your dns resolver url.
i hope it could be helpful.

lemonade747 said:
Hi @extremecarver, any updates on this? I appreciated what you have done so far to investigate this issue.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes by removing virtually any rights on any app/service that I don't think needs it - I could solve the battery drain.
However now I cannot use the telephone to make calls (passive receving calls still works), and I seem not to be able to update to the new trial software because it isn't found.
Now the problem with App Ops is - I cannot quickly return all rights to update the software - as the backup/import function does not work with system apps.
This phone is just one thing, Crap, crap, crap, crap, crap. Not a single day I don't want to use a hammer and trash it. It's simpy virtually impossible to fix the crapware/spyware of this phone.
Svask89 said:
Dear All,
i'm not sure if mine could be a good solution or not but i'm using nextdns service and it basically blocks all or almost all vivo and others brand spyware without installing any apps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No it doesn't - it can only block apps, not even some system services - and only if they connect to a website, not if they connect to an IP address!
I have written about stopping spyware with DNS services already - this stops some sending of data - but doesn't help at all when it comes to battery drain. There will still be 20.000 events or so per day (which is a crazy amount) of the china spyware logging your location (and yeah mostly high accuracy, not low accuracy), trying to connect to chinese servers and other problems that you can only discover via Shizuku.
And NextDNS is not the right solution at all. I think even Adguard is a bit more efficient for this. The best one is Rething DNS+ - it's the only app that can block all system services (but then you cannot use another app for ad filtering like Adaware/Adguard).

This menu is not accessible via settings... But it exists
Needs to be accesses via activity launcher.
Actually private DNS exists too but is hidden by Vivo like so many other privacy related settings.. this OS is so rotten they try to hide everything that improves privacy...
Likely everything you write with Vivo secure keyboard has preferential upload to China servers
(This last one is sarcasm without proof, but don't believe anything this OS tells you about privacy because logs tell you it's lying)
Some more stuff of which a lot is hidden and not accessible
Go f**k standard vivo settings menu. The only problem is the real android settings menu is missing the search function. But it's feature complete (except the stuff Vivo really removed from Android which isn't too much.. mostly they just removed it from the settings menu)

This phone is a absolute garbage. Seems vivo blocks shizuku after some days of using it.
Found a Chinese tutorial on bilibili on what to do to solve it but that doesn't work anymore either.
Now vivo Push notifications spyware tries to send again notifications at a rate of 10-20 every second...
Basically the phone is a brick now, draining battery faster and faster with pushware and Abe having restored their permissions...
Also I cannot use ADB Appcontrol anymore - as it doesn't get permission (removing/restoring permission for ACBBridge didnt help).
I also activated Force Activity Resizeable in the developer options but that didn't change a thing... ( I think this only applies to apps that cannot get the pairing code via notifications and need the code entered in splitscreen - as if you switch screen the code is renewed)

'This phone is just one thing, Crap, crap, crap, crap, crap. Not a single day I don't want to use a hammer and trash it. It's simpy virtually impossible to fix the crapware/spyware of this phone.'
Patiently waiting

extremecarver said:
This phone is a absolute garbage. Seems vivo blocks shizuku after some days of using it.
Found a Chinese tutorial on bilibili on what to do to solve it but that doesn't work anymore either.
Now vivo Push notifications spyware tries to send again notifications at a rate of 10-20 every second...
Basically the phone is a brick now, draining battery faster and faster with pushware and Abe having restored their permissions...
View attachment 5873093
Also I cannot use ADB Appcontrol anymore - as it doesn't get permission (removing/restoring permission for ACBBridge didnt help).
I also activated Force Activity Resizeable in the developer options but that didn't change a thing... ( I think this only applies to apps that cannot get the pairing code via notifications and need the code entered in splitscreen - as if you switch screen the code is renewed)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you Vivo, keep doing it to his phone

Any updates on this @extremecarver?
I'm using this and what I see so far is the battery drain cut down to around 5% overnight (6 hours). With plane mode ON, it lost about 3% in 6 hours, not too bad for me. However, when put it there on my desk when I'm working (with 4g signal covered, no data), for 8 hours it sucked around 10%, and with wifi on that number is around 20%. My old Huawei Mate 20 and S22U can do even better than this (just around 5% without wifi, and 10-15% with wifi).
In addition, I also found that the battery drain when using GPS on this phone is too much for me. Just 1 hour and it sucked about 12% with 4G data ON.

Yes - in order to really cut the battery drain you need to remove much more permissions. The problem is that Vivo restores them - you could try to restrict that but modifying "modify restricted settings/ files" or something similar - but maybe that is how I locked myself out.
You can go into the "keep awake" and "run in background" and put ignore on everything you think that is not absolutely needed. Android 12 and above should not use this keep awake but Vivo apparently does.
Then you culd restrict body sensor data to more apps/services.
But yes as long as there is no way to really remove vivo.abe and vivo push notifications the battery drain is not fixable. Then of course the modem sucks - and uses way too much power. That one is either hardware rubbish or software mess up. I rather guess a rubbish modem.
The worst is battery drain while outdoors doing sports without being in airplane mode even if you disable any access to body sensors for all apps normally (use "device Info" app for this to actually get to all services, then app ops for removing even more.

extremecarver said:
Yes - in order to really cut the battery drain you need to remove much more permissions. The problem is that Vivo restores them - you could try to restrict that but modifying "modify restricted settings/ files" or something similar - but maybe that is how I locked myself out.
You can go into the wake something section and remove everything you think that is not needed. Android 12 and above should not use this - but Vivo apparently does.
Then you culd restrict body sensor data to more apps/services.
But yes as long as there is no way to really remove vivo.abe and vivo push notifications the battery drain is not fixable. Then of course the modem sucks - and uses way too much power. That one is either hardware rubbish or software mess up. I rather guess a rubbish modem.
The worst is battery drain while outdoors doing sports without being in airplane mode even if you disable any access to body sensors for all apps normally (use "device Info" app for this to actually get to all services, then app ops for removing even more.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The phone is good overall, camera, design, performance, but the battery drain is destroying those good points. Not sure if vivo will fix this in the future or not, but my S22U did take more than 6 months to get some first stable updates, and it's super stable right now at 1 year.

Well I cannot call any phone good if it's basic functions like notifications and spyware are rubbish like hell - causing battery drain without end. And yeah - without root you can make it a bit better but cannot fix it. With root if would be quite doable (as long as Vivo doesn't introduce any killswitch like disabling stuff once vivo.abe or push notification service is uninstalled). Root for running adb commands would be enough. But vivo actively disabled this by making many apps removable only for user 1000.

ok so it seems no way to fix the rubbish battery life.
this thread convinced me to sell the phone for a s23 ultra, the battery life differences are huge given only the 300mah battery.
Very good phone ruined by battery life, I don't even care at this point about camera and other specs, I expected good battery life from a sd gen 2 with 4700 mah but i was clearly wrong.
My 1st and last vivo phone, too bad i'll lose tons of money now because is vivo is a no name here.

You lose tons of money everywhere as soon as you cannot return a Vivo phone anymore...
Btw, can someone show what permissions are on Android system by default?
I wonder if I'm missing some (screenshot from device info):
I never directly removed a permission from Android system, but I removed permissions from apps running as well on system.uid user, and sometimes they interact, sometimes they don't. Vivo really messed up the permissions because it's not possible to cleanly change permissions.
If you see the permissions given to push notifications it's anyhow clear than restricting any permissions to vivo apps to stop them to spy on you is like fighting windmills, because push notifications just about has any permission imaginable even after removing some with app ops. Here are the permissions left over from push notifications after removing any possible with app ops app.

Found the error why I couldn't access adb anymore. Shell system app somehow had all rights removed. Fixed it by exporting the apk and reinstalling it. Not locked out anymore and can use app ops again...
Strange thing though - on reboot shell went missing again. Not sure what the crap deletes shell on reboot. I'm pretty sure that's some kind of vivo killswitch if you remove rights via app ops commands from it's spyware.