Matthew Brunelle's Blog
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The Apps That I Got Rid of When Trying Out GrapheneOS

Where I write for too long about the things I am claiming to have let go of.

The web is open; apps are closed. The majority of web users have installed an ad blocker, which is also a privacy blocker. But no one has ever installed an ad blocker for their apps because it's a felony to make and distribute that tool. Because you have to reverse engineer the app's DRM to make it. An app is just a website that we have wrapped in the correct DRM, making it a felony to protect your privacy while you use it.
~ Cory Doctorow

Getting Rid of Apps

In my previous post about testing out GrapheneOS I mentioned I would follow up with details about the specific apps I am using. In the past every time I got a new phone I used the transfer tool to move all my apps over. I never really took a deep look at what I was using and how I spent my time on my phone. So the move to GrapheneOS felt like a nice opportunity to be more intentional with my phone usage.

A lot of articles about making changes to a persons phone usage focus on just the main apps that they use. They talk about substituting the big services with alternates. I think that makes the process seem easier than it is in practice and I hope I can present a more realistic view. Hopefully this captures examples of the smaller apps we have cluttering our phones and how we can shed many of them.

Before I installed GrapheneOS I went through every app I had installed tried to put them into five different buckets:

  • "Essential"
  • Nice to have
  • Google
  • Work
  • Private Space

Then I installed GrapheneOS and started fresh without any apps. Every time I reached for something that was not installed I tried to think about whether I needed it or not. I kept notes of what apps I installed as I and I've compared those notes to what I previously used.

I don't want this to just be a dry, uninformative list. So I've tried to group related items together into sections to talk about them more generally. I'll work from the least desirable apps that I have dropped to what I have decided to keep. So I am going to break this into two posts: everything I dropped and everything I kept.

On the Topic of Social Media

One other note, I don't really use social media much, so you will not see that as a category to remove or include. I know this is an important category for many people who are trying to evaluate their social media usage in the context of all the information the apps collect. See the recent Disclosure: Covert Web-to-App Tracking via Localhost on Android for a great example.

One option is to use Hermit [^ Though they have a really weird stance towards OSS] or the FOSS Native Alpha. They let you wrap sites into little web apps you can use instead of installing the full app with all the permissions they request. However, many apps like Instagram restrict the mobile sites functionality to push people onto the main app. This could be a boon for some since it can encourage less usage of the app, but might not work for all.

Also remember, if privacy is your main concern rather than the mental well being aspect then data minimization is your best approach: the easiest way to avoid having your data captured is to not produce the data in the first place. And yes, I understand the irony of writing that while in a spurt of writing a lot about myself in long form content online.

Android has the nice feature called deep links where a link on a webpage or in an app can directly open the content in another related app. The link will also open as an overlay on top of the app you were originally using such that back navigation all works intuitively!

For example if you are in a RSS reader and click a link to HN that link will open with a native app like Harmonic view for reading the content.

In the past I took a maximalist approach to leverage this feature. I installed several apps that I didn't use directly but liked for opening links with a better view. Wikipedia, GitHub, IMBD, whatever, I would put the app on. Then a couple years ago I pivoted to make my phone less appealing for consuming content so I removed all these apps. So those kinds of apps are not in my list of removed apps because they were already removed some time ago.

Now having said that I still use some of them in a limited context. I have an Android e-ink tablet that all my RSS and book consumption happens on. That helps me contextualize the purpose of my devices and prevents be from getting sucked into content apps.

The Default Apps

Default apps are in the weird space where you don't install them but also you don't not install them. I can't really choose whether to include them. So instead I just want to highlight them as a category and my usage of them.

Clock, Calculator, Contacts, File Manager, Gallery:
GrapheneOS offers there own alternatives for these apps. Also the Fossify Apps are a great replacement two. I'm using a mix of those.

I used to use FX File Manger with the pro license. Not for any particular reason, just because it is what I started with. The default apps are good enough for me needs now a days. Partially because I don't root my phones anymore and partial because post Android 11 file managers are more restricted due to scoped storage changes.

The email and CalDAV gang:
Calendar, Contacts, Gmail, Tasks, and Notes - I was not heavily using these since I had moved to other options. So I did not reinstall them and I'll cover the alternatives in the future post.

Camera:
GrapheneOS's default camera app is built off the CameraX library and takes good quality photos. Note that by default the app does not save location info so if you would like that you need to enable it. Also read about my usage of the Ricoh GRIII since I'm trying to shift my photography off my camera.

The Google Apps

Now for the trendy category since lots of people are talking about DeGoogling now-a-days. A distinction I want to draw here is not just replacing apps but considering if a type of app is needed could be totally dropped!

In my previous post I had discussed how this exercise helped me untangle what apps were a part of (1) Android Open Source Project, (2) Google's apps that can be used on any phone supporting Google Play and (3) Pixel Exclusive Features. I've bundled all of (2) and (3) into this section.

Also note, there are some apps that come pre installed like AICore, Speach Recognition and Synthesis, and Google Play Services for AR. They do not show up in your launcher but are visible in your apps list in the system settings. Many times Google apps will work without them but certain app features won't work. One example is Google Maps requires AICore in order to support the Live View feature.

So anyways, the Google apps I've gotten rid of or replaced:

  • Chat: I have exactly two friends I talk to through Google chat. I've decided not to install the app and instead only response through the gmail webview on desktop.
  • Chrome: I didn't use it before and GrapheneOS provides Vanadium. See the section in my previous post for more.
  • Digital Wellbeing - I talked a bit about this in my previous post. There are some features from this I miss, but not so much that I feel the need to install it and give it access to !! find what permissions it needs
    Docs and Drive: My notes live in Obsidian now mostly. For non-document file storage I've been testing out NextCloud but I need to get a stronger backup solution in place.
  • Find Hub - You can't really have something like this without a central coordinator. Also, the network of phones participating isn't great right now [^ Google just recently made a change now asked if you want to enroll during sign up and is likely going to auto enroll users that enable location history.]. I do have a well established history of losing my keys and wallets though so I was excited to see Google roll this out. However I think for now I'm going to try and go without it.
  • Fitbit: I've had many Android Wear / Wear OS watches over the years. Fitbit leaves a lot to be desired but I was stuck with it when I was testing out the Pixel Watch 3. More details in my next post where I will talk about health apps.
    Gemini: I already use Kagi search so I'm trying their Assistant for now.
    Google TV: I don't actually use the app on my phone so this one can go.
    Google Opinion Rewards: I was using this for fun-money to use on In App Purchases. I've now decided I should just stop using it and either: set a small "allowance" or even better stop those IAPs all together.
    Home: Already in the process of moving my home automation home assistant.
    Health Studies: This was actually really fun to try it out but they haven't run a study in a long time and I stopped testing out the Pixel Watch 3 anyways so I've dropped it.
    Now Playing:: I'm not sure what this lives inside but its gone now. I've lost the cool party trick that it is but I think I'll be OK.
    Phone: Google's Phone app is really good and I will miss it.
    Photos: Another really good product but I've already transitioned to Immich. Immich manages to do an fantastic job replacing this.
    Pixel Stand: I don't actually use any of the smart features of the stand. I just like that it can negotiate faster Qi charging with Pixel phones [^ The Pixel 9 Pro Fold does not align properly with the stand, but you can 3d print a spacer that makes work]. So the app can go!
    Translate: Another really well executed app and it requires AI Core to work. It was really useful on trips out of the country, but I don't travel that often. I may selectively install it in another GrapheneOS user during my trips.
    Youtube - I didn't even have regular Youtube app enabled since it hijacks links when it is. I was already using Tubular instead. I try really hard not to graze on Youtube videos, but its nice to have an app when someone sends you a link. Outside of that I subscribe to a couple channels via our beloved RSS and will decide to play videos on Android TV sometimes using SmartTube.

The Banking, Payments, Etc Apps

Wallet:[^ This is a Google app but I've moved it here since its thematically appropriate]
Very convenient, but not usable on GrapheneOS. Garmin watches can do tap to pay but have a limited set of banks they support. I keep a card on it as a back-up and just use my cards directly now.

The biggest problem is I have a virtual card from work that gets lunch credit once a week that I cannot use anymore since Garmin does not support it. The only workaround I have so far is I can get gift cards for a local ice cream shop.

Loyalty & Membership Cards: Catima is awesome, though I need to think of a backup strategy for it. I use it for the library, gym, etc. Re-evaluating my app usage had led me to stop using loyalty memberships however. Yes I loose out on a couple dollars but I think the privacy trade-off is worth it.

Venmo:
I don't like it! They are intentionally frictive to prevent you from moving money out of the app so they can earn interest. Also a payments app does not need social features. Poor payment apps are a very American problem due to how our transfer rails work. [^ "Patrick McKenzie has some great longform content and podcast episodes about US payments." ]

Out in the world I might need Venmo but I am trying to be more mindful about keeping some cash on my again or going to an ATM when needed.

The web version is highly restrictive, you cannot do any transactions or transfers on it. So we can't use that instead.

There is some lock in due to friends that use Venmo but I have been bullying them into paying me over Zelle instead. Most US banks support Zelle now and have it built into their mobile app. Which leads me to...

Banking apps:
I had half a dozen apps installed for the various financial institutions I use.

Note: Some banks use obsolete APIs to check if they can run on a device. See the Attestation compatibility guide and Banking Apps on the official GrapheneOS docs for the details. The good news is GrapheneOS has made it really easy for banking apps to fix their API usage by providing a detailed guide! There is a crowd sourced compatibility report and somehow against all expectations many banking apps have been fixed through community outreach. Reports are handled through issues on GitHub if you want to check if your banking apps work.

My main bank is thankfully supported by GrapheneOS. Currently it is the only financial institution app I have installed and thats mostly so I can make Zelle payments.

One downside to note, is many financial institutions still do not support proper 2fa but will do one time codes with their mobile apps. So you lose that if you do not use them.

Somewhat related but Splitwise is steadily enshittifying. They only let you do certain things from the app, and now limit how many transactions you can add each day. So I'm looking for a FOSS app or self-hosted alternative.

The Nice to Have Apps

The next category of apps are the ones I use pretty regularly, but I don't feel as attached to. Since some of these reflect personal purchasing preferences I will use generic names rather than the specific app names.

The apps that I do not plan to reinstall are:

  • Amazon: The only reason I had the app was so I could quickly add refills to my cart when I noticed I needed them. The web page is more than sufficient as a replacement. Also hopefully this will encourage me to use Amazon less if possible.
  • Battle.net: I don't play many games on the platform anymore.
  • My local bike share app: I was able to buy a hardware key I can use at the bike stands now!
  • Hidrate Spark: Stay tuned, I'm trying to see if I can implement GadgetBridge support for this.
  • My Smartbulb app - everything is migrated to Home Assistant now.[^ "Also more hardware buttons helps reduce the need for an app."] I previously had trouble with it when running it through a container, but since transitioning to HA OS in a VM its been smooth sailing.
  • My local ice cream stores rewards app: gone since no more loyalty programs!
  • My doctors office health app: The app had convenience features like automatic check-in using your location. Thankfully the mobile website is feature-full and I can use that instead.
  • My car's control app: sadly the only way to remote start. Also the app is not even supposed to function in my state due to the enhanced vehicle telematics privacy law and right to repair law. Its probably for the best that I dropped this app.
  • The four different parking apps I need for my city: Half of them will not even run since they use the deprecated integrity checking API. I am OK with this and can walk to a payment station to handle my parking.
  • Quicken Simplify: I used Mint from the when I graduated college to when CreditKarma ate them in 2023. Since then I've been using Simplify and despite the crazy amount of data I shared over the years they are genuinely useful budgeting tools.[^ "Also at least its a paid service instead of a free one selling off my data to sell me on financial services."] I've been trying out a self-hosted option but hasn't quite stuck yet. I still have some time before my subscription lapses to figure this out. At the very least I can drop the mobile app.
  • Smart Contact Reminder: really useful for me and I need to figure out a good replacement that isn't a overly complicated CRM.
  • Steam: I would love if I could just use regular 2fa with steam. For now I'm trying to go without using the app.
  • Trakt: I can just use the site for now.
  • Strava: I don't use it to track my exercise so I'm using the website instead. This is nice since it is social media and that means I interact with it less.

The apps that I have not reinstalled but still might:

  • AnkiDroid: A good FOSS app that pairs well with this obsidian plug-in for generating flash cards. I'm not taking any courses right now so I have not installed it yet.
  • ANT Radio Service / ANT USB Service / ANT+ Plugin Service / qdomyos-zwift: I could write a whole post on this... but with a cheap ANT+ dongle you can pull live data from stationary bikes and send them to other devices like Garmin watches. If I finish building my SmarkSpin2k or if I get a Victory Jetblack I will not need this anymore. Either way it is summer right now so I'm mostly biking outside anyways.
  • Busuu: Haven't managed to fit in time for daily language learning recently.
  • Cartogram: Really beautiful, cool, and reasonably priced live wall paper. Tracking policy looks OK but I want to see if there is a nice FOSS live wallpaper I can use instead.
  • CellMapper: Basically all carrier coverage maps overstate their coverage, but Cellmapper shows actual coverage contributed by the community. Also if you're a big dork that likes to see the roll-out of new cell frequencies you can even view the individual towers and what frequencies they support.
  • My wifi AP control app: I mostly manage my APs through a self-hosted controller so I haven't needed this.
  • My sous vide device: Requires an app because of course. There is no alternative I can see right now. This might end up in the Private Space jail.
  • My headphones app: - I don't really want an app for my headphones but I might need to install it temporarily on occasion for firmware updates.

Work Apps

My employer uses Google Workspace and I had a couple apps in a work profile. For GrapheneOS I have instead made a work user to isolate the apps.

Authenticators: There are ways to pry 2Fa codes from apps, but mostly I just setup my hardware token instead. So I was able to skip installing these.

Calendar / Contacts / Docs / Drive: Device Policy setup fails on GrapheneOS, so no Google apps will work. I can however visiting them in the browser if I need to.

The "Sealed" apps

Hic svnt leones

I previously use the Private Space feature introduced in Android 14 for putting sealing wards on junk apps that I only used occasionally and expected to gather lots of data. These include all airline, rideshare, and restaurant app. When the Private Space is not on the apps are all frozen and cannot work in the background. The downside is you can't do this by app, its all or nothing.

Most of these apps are loyalty program adjacent so I'm just not using them for now. I very rarely use ride sharing and can install / uninstall as needed.

Why Would I Do This To Myself?

Its fun! I enjoyed the process and I think its useful to think about how I interact with my phone in the year 2025. Yes its ironic to spend so much time doing this [^ "plus more time writing a very long article about it"] while also talking about wanting to reduce how much I use my phone. But hey this is also a hobby, a hyper-fixation, and above all a small form of empowerment and nonconformity.