List of one-to-one replacement freeware for each of the current score of Android Google apps

[Arlen Holder]

One by one, let's see if we can work together to find suitable replacement
apps for people who do not have the Android OS set to a Google Account.

To remove a Google Account from a phone, AFAIK (on my Android 10 Moto G7):
o Android10:Settings > Accounts > {longpress an account} > [Remove Account]

What is the score of "google functionality" we'd need to replace?
o Google Appdrawer (i.e., a fully functional app drawer to manage apps)
o Google Backup (i.e., backup to Google Drive or other cloud-based storage)
o Google Calendar (i.e., manage a calendar of events & tasks as needed)
o Google Camera (i.e., a fully functional camera app with timers & delay)
o Google Chrome (i.e., a web browser that works well with privacy features)
o Google Contacts (i.e., tie the contacts to your messages app & dialer)
o Google Files (i.e., access & manage files on your visible filesystem)
o Google Gboard (i.e., a keyboard that handles audio & handwriting)
o Google GMail (i.e., accessing your email via a mail user agent, MUA)
o Google Maps (i.e., search & navigate & download offline accurate maps)
o Google Messages (i.e., send/receive SMS/MMS messages tied to contacts)
o Google Music (i.e., an audio player that plays all your audio files)
o Google Now (i.e., an app launcher that allows you to manage your system)
o Google Photos (i.e., a gallery app that manages your photos & videos)
o Google Play (i.e., downloading of Google-approved APKs)
o Google Recorder (i.e., a recorder that transcribes to text offline)
o Google Search (i.e., search the world via voice or text commands)
o Google Voice/Hangouts (i.e., VOIP and a separate telephone number)
o Google YouTube (i.e., streaming & downloading & ripping video & audio)

What else did I miss that we need to consider?

NOTE 1: Most of those apps work just fine _without_ setting the phone to a
Google Account; but we need to consider them nonetheless, just to be sure.

NOTE 2: This thread is an offshoot of advice today that people should be
aware they do not need to set their Android phone OS to a "Google Account"
in order to have full app functionality.

NOTE 3: It's important the distinction between setting the OS up with a
"Google Account" versus simply having (any number of) Google Accounts.
--
Let's work together to define replacement functionality to Google apps.

[Arlen Holder]

Update as per this recent thread today:
o Note pad, by Dieter Britz
<https://groups.google.com/g/comp.mobile.android/c/D4P9ZN83UGY>

On Sat, 2 Jan 2021 20:36:33 +0100, Carlos E.R. wrote:

> Oh, I can certainly setup my phone, no problem. All my phones I setup
> myself, and then those of my friends or family if they ask :-)
>
> Maybe my first phone I got some initial help from the clerk. Quite
> probably he inserted the SIM card, I don't remember. And a friend helped
> me with advice. Actually, it was him who told me to setup the google
> account. I remember because I used my private mail account, and later I
> thought I should have used a new one. Too late.

Hi Carlos,

I can't really imagine what "set up" is required on an Android phone
o It pretty much "sets itself up" the moment you boot it (IMHO)

Of course, there are a trillion settings you can _change_ if you like
o But for the average person, I doubt they change them like we do

There _must_ be advantages to the highly MARKETED method of setup
o Which we both agree is to let the OS have or create a Google Account

If we assume we both agree on the disadvantages of setting up the OS to a
Google Account, then the question becomes what's the advantage?

It has been years since I've set my Android to a Google Account
o But years prior to knowing that it works, I did as most do

Advantages: (I think)
1. Your contacts are automatically backed up
(whether you like it or not)
2. You are automatically logged into Google Maps
(otherwise you'll need Aurora Store for the same thing)
3. You are automatically logged into the GMail App
(if you manually log into the GMail App, it actually
_creates_ a Google Account on the OS!)
4. You automatically get an advertising ID (on older versions)
(On newer Android, they circumvented that, the bastards)
5. I guess you're automatically logged into the Google Map app
(but you can use it on later Android w/o logging in)
6. I guess you're automatically logged into the YouTube App
(but as with the GMail App, NewPipe is just better in every way)
7. I guess you automatically get a Google Backup facility
(although I'm not sure what that does or how it does it)
8. I guess you get your Google Account hooked to Google Calendar
(although you can easily load any calendar app you like)
9. I guess you get ancillary apps like Google Keep to sync
(which is a nice feature since it's already set up for you)
10. Anything else?

What else do you get that's useful by setting the OS to Google?

See also:
o Why would anyone NEED to set up the Android OS to a Google Account?
<https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.mobile.android/0O0GLU0bFmw>

o List of one-to-one replacement freeware for each of the current score of Android Google apps
<https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.mobile.android/IPorNMcyP3g>
--
Posted out of the goodness of my heart to learn more of Android.