?Vanilla? Android Petition to Google

[bas.androiddev]

Android users come in all flavors and have a variety of things that they love and hate about their phones, there is no ?one size fits all? solution. Some people absolutely love the HTC Sense UI and can?t bear the thought of being without it, while some dislike it and despise the thought of being forced to use it on their own phone. Some of the biggest attractions of the Android platform are the choices and variety that is available to suit each individual preference.

This is an attempt to drum up support for a mass petition to Google to change the system.
- Google shall enforce manufacturers to redesign their UI modifications for Android to enable the user to enable or disable the UI at will. UI modifications should be optional. Some people love their UI modifications, so they should have the ability to keep them. Some people hate UI modifications, they should be able to disable them and enjoy stock Android. UI creation needs to be a thriving Android market category where people can experience any modifications they please, or disable/uninstall them at will. A UI on a phone should not be a roadblock preventing the owner from receiving vital Android over-the-air updates in a timely manner.
- Google shall enforce carriers to allow the customer to uninstall any bloat-ware that comes pre-installed on Android phones. I understand marketing and subsidies, but this phone belongs to me and I reserve the right to pick and choose my applications. I do not object to the Nascar apps, Sprint Football apps, QIK apps, and the dozen other apps that come pre-installed on my phone, but I do object to not being able to uninstall them. When I bought an HP desktop computer it came with all kinds of pre-installed apps that I may or may not use. After using and judging each, I was able to uninstall the ones I did not want. I wish to have the same freedom for my smart phone without rooting.

Some Android fans and detractors claim that the Android market is fractured. I believe that this can be resolved simply by Google being more forceful about their creation and not bending to the will of carriers and manufacturers. The Android platform has serious potential but is currently being subverted and undermined.

If you are a fan of rooting phones this petition probably doesn?t interest you, and I empathize since I?ve resorted to rooting and running Cyanogen Mod. I prefer not to, I want stock Android without the hassle, and I want the freedom of having a smart phone out of the box that is completely customizable to my preferences, without rooting and modding. I desperately want what was once the original plan for the Nexus line of phones from Google, but I want that option on all Android smart phones, if only Google would protect their creation.

I would already own an Android tablet, but none so far are ?pure? enough. I refuse to buy one until an option presents itself which is vanilla Android only. I refuse to be forever locked into a specific version of Android OS because a manufacturer wants to force me to use their UI.

I?d like to see the Android Central users and administrators get behind this petition and get the ball rolling so we can present something to Google that isn?t from just one guy.

 

[Moscow Desire]

This isn't a Google issue.

It's whomever you bought your device from.They all put their "skins" on, to seperate one device from another.

To give everybody complete freedom, would be tech support hell, not to mention your device would eventually cost more than you make in a year to recuperate the cost's.

Again, fracture. Talk to the carriers and manufacturers.

If you wish for stock android, then don't root and rom. Simple. Nobody told you to do it.

If you want a "pure" tablet, then I would suggest "slate". Original, native form, and trustworthy.Works just about anywhere, and no upgrades required (although chalk is optional)

For most of the android crowd, we love fragmentation. We love the differentiality. For us, it makes it interesting...

Or you could go Apple. Same thing, yesterday, today, tomorrow. Till fermentation kicks in....

 

[bas.androiddev]

This isn't a Google issue.
For most of the android crowd, we love fragmentation. We love the differentiality. For us, it makes it interesting...

I'm not asking for one size fits all, in fact I'm asking for the opposite. I have a HTC Evo with the Sense UI. I want to be able to disable it through configuration and go stock UI. I want to be able to download other "themes" from the market and try those too. I want variety and the "differentiality" you mentioned.

The forced UI from HTC takes up cpu cycles and memory, has bugs, and prevents timely Android OS updates. Why cant Google stipulate that manufacturers and carriers allow "theme" switching to stock, other themes, etc. It's their power to negotiate.

 

[Moscow Desire]

I would already own an Android tablet, but none so far are ?pure? enough. I refuse to buy one until an option presents itself which is vanilla Android only. I refuse to be forever locked into a specific version of Android OS because a manufacturer wants to force me to use their UI.

I?d like to see the Android Central users and administrators get behind this petition and get the ball rolling so we can present something to Google that isn?t from just one guy.

I, along with many, own ''''Anroid Tablets"" Why? because we choose to have the freedom. And I'll be the first one to say, I am overclocked to 1.7ghtz. (almost as good as the upcoming tranformer prime). And why? Because Android lets me. If you want an OS that limits all these things, then hey, go Apple.

Maybe you do not understand the terms "open source". And maybe, there are folks that can improve upon the original. If you're worried you won't get your precious OTA update when you want it, then don't blame Google, compain to your carrier!!!

Or, just buy a rotten apple....

 

[CaMelGuY1337]

I do have one question. If every device was running stock Android...how would that end up making the device cost more in the long run? That doesn't make any...sense. I love this idea, you make the petition and I'll sign it. HTC actually let people do that to begin with. When I bought my Hero when it was still running 1.5 the stock UI was installed on the phone and you could select it you didn't like Sense. After its Eclair update they had removed the stock UI. Upon calling HTC and asking them why they removed it, they said and I quote...."It was too big of a security risk."...wtf...for real. The stock launcher and UI were a security risk...says the company whos framework let any app you put on their device access any information on the phone.

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk

 

[Moscow Desire]

The point was, if the carriers unlocked, for example, the bootloaders, well, if you were a rooter and a rommer, you would undertand. If everybody had "vanilla", then there would be no security.

 

[bas.androiddev]

If you want an OS that limits all these things, then hey, go Apple.

I think you misunderstand, I want absolute freedom with my Android devices, I don't want any "limits" that you are suggesting. My wife owns all Apple products, not my cup of tea I am an Android user.

- I want a tablet/phone that it not restricted in any way
- I want to be able to root / mod the crap out of it at my whim
- I want over the air Android OS updates from Google
- Any carrier/manufacturer UI or restriction that interferes with my freedom, I want turned into an OPTION. I understand that Google has subsidies and whatever, so go ahead and load up all that garbage on a Sprint /Verizon/whoever phone, just let us get rid of it or disable it.

What I want is for Google to say "Yes HTC you can put your Sense UI on our phone but the user has to be able to disable it and load up their UI/Theme of preference, no exceptions."

So basically any Android phone should be at heart a Nexus, and the carriers/manufacturers should be free to bloat it up, but the end user should be free to un-bloat it and experience the phone the way they want to.

 

[Moscow Desire]

Well, I see your point.

I, fortunately, am not restricted to carriers. And yes, I would love if carries let people easily remove the bloated apps they think peple need. And i believe they should be able to remove such things, as they please.

But in the states, and some european countries, well, that aint how it is,

Not Google's fault,

The carriers want to limit liability, and the only way to do that, is lock it down.

I'm fortunate, that it doesn't apply to my region, so I can modify as I please, or just run stock android.

 

[Moscow Desire]

And, depending on which "Overlord" is running the forums tonight, depends on wether it is moved to "News" forum....Or deleted, take your pick

 

[srkmagnus]

I don't think the average consumer knows the differences between all the UI's. People like the eye candy and believe in the functionality being givien to them. It's the people on the boards that don't like it. But we represent the minority and therefore rely on the development community to offer AOSP ROMs.