Creating an eOS dumbphone / light phone / feature phone

[yannick]

Hey!

This is my first time writing on this forum. I am very interested in having a lighter phone that isn’t so distracting and time-consuming.

If there is some way of restricting the installation of new apps, as well as the possibility to remove the standard browser, I would very much like to learn how to do that. I have been thinking of modifying the eOS ROM before flashing it to the phone to remove the browser, or to do this with root or something. However, for the first part on restricting the installation of certain apps, that maybe should be easier? I know that stock Android has Google’s Digital Wellbeing for that, but it is not installed with eOS.
I have also been thinking of creating a custom ROM that doesn’t have any App Store and install new apps by downloading apk files on my computer and transferring them to my phone, however I would like to get automatic updates that I do allow on the phone. And then again, I don’t really know how to do any of these.

To anyone reading this: would you have interesting resources for me to look into this?

I am using a Fairphone 4.

[AnotherElk]

@yannick

However, for the first part on restricting the installation of certain apps, that maybe should be easier?

Uninstall default apps

You can uninstall pre-installed Apps. Whether “easily” applies is subjective. To uninstall Apps permanently … Note the package name of the App in Settings - Apps & notifications - (select the App) - Advanced - (the package name is given at the bottom of the page, e.g. foundation.e.calendar) If not done already, make the Developer options visible by tapping on the Build number in Settings - About phone a few times until you are being declared a developer. If not done already, enable S…

[anon29344687]

@yannick

If there is some way of restricting the installation of new apps, as well as the possibility to remove the standard browser, … remove the browser, or to do this with root or something.

Well, it’s very easy to make unneeded pre-installed apps “unusable” by disabling or uninstalling them for current use.

Let’s take a quick look at the apps pre-installed by /e/:

Find application packages with specific keyword filters. In my case foundation

adb shell pm list packages foundation

---

package:foundation.e.drive
package:foundation.e.notes
package:foundation.e.tasks
package:foundation.e.browser
package:foundation.e.calendar
package:foundation.e.blisslauncher
package:foundation.e.message
package:foundation.e.apps
package:foundation.e.mail
package:foundation.e.blissiconpack
package:foundation.e.pwaplayer
package:foundation.e.advancedprivacy
package:foundation.e.camera
package:foundation.e.accountmanager
package:foundation.e.splitinstall.service
package:foundation.e.webcalendarmanager
package:foundation.e.pdfviewer

---

Now I can deactivate one or the other app, for example:

adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 foundation.e.browser
adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 foundation.e.apps

OR

uninstall:

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 foundation.e.browser
adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 foundation.e.apps

From now on, the two app icons are not visible in the /e/ homescreen - and can no longer be operated.

/e/ Keynote

@Manoj

We ensure the default set of applications that come with /e/OS are not sending data out. Users would also need to ensure that they do not randomly install applications from various repositories. Be aware what you are installing and be cautious of what permission you give

[yannick]

Thanks a lot for your help @anon29344687 amd @AnotherElk ! It helps a lot.

Would you have any idea on how to prevent the installation of new apps while being able to update the ones already installed?

[AnotherElk]

@yannick

Would you have any idea on how to prevent the installation of new apps while being able to update the ones already installed?

You just don’t install new Apps and just let whichever App store you used to install your Apps manage the App updates?

If you think about preventing the OS from introducing something new with an OS update, I don’t think you can do this beforehand. You would have to uninstall/deactivate again once it’s there, but I think this would be necessary rather rarely, at least with /e/OS.

[aibd]

@yannick

If there is some way of restricting the installation of new apps, as well as the possibility to remove the standard browser, I would very much like to learn how to do that. I have been thinking of modifying the eOS ROM before flashing it to the phone

I provided an answer to Really minimal install (dumphone++)re - #5 by aibd on a similar theme and describing a method you might care to copy.

The build method described there might produce (for example) a Mindfulness mobile phone, with minimal distractions.

In: Mobile phone, Clock, Alarms, Music, Bluetooth for transfer of recordings to the device, Files, Contacts, Camera and Notes.

Out: No Browser no App store.