/e/ pre-installed Grade A smartphones : How to buy them

apologies, i did not intend to dismiss, just to inform!

We have different views. That’s all right.

With /e/ OS & microG I largely regain control of my smartphone, since I can disable dozens of individual functions.

And if that isn’t enough, I can remove the complete microG (GmsCore) including location services from the /e/ phone without any danger.

/e/ OS & /e/cloud is my favorite Android™ /e/cosystem.

Hi @Andy1 it would be better for you to go through the /e/ website and Documentation to understand the points you have raised. Not sure if you are asking questions or just being sarcastic with the excessive emojis and question marks.
MicroG is required for apps which require a Google framework. It is not essential for /e/ to run but is in the ROM because most users still use some of these google dependent apps.
You can disable all the settings under ‘Google Services’ tab in microG Settings. You can read more details about MicroG project here

@Andy1, please start here → Settings > Location (OFF)

location1 location2

Why don’t you just turn off or disable every MicroG part ?

As mentioned by @archje above you can go to Settings >> MicroG >>UnifiedNlp Setting and inside it disable the settings for location.
Also type Location in the settings Search bar and it will show where all location permission is being asked for. Disable it. Some apps like weather, maps on the phone do need location access.

As a sidenote this whole android permissions, “which app sends what data to where” and “control your data” thing is unfortunately an incredible mess.
It’s not e’s fault, obviously. Still, no ordinary user gets an overview. I’m pretty sure that was actually google’s intention while designing the system. Anyway, thanks for all the microG questions and answers, it’s good to have a closer look at the system.

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The reason why the MicroG setting are enabled by default is a majority of our users prefer to use apps that still depend on Google services. Keeping MicroG will require these users to enable the settings every time they setup the device. We have plans to introduce a FOSS version of the OS this year which will different levels of user profiles including a 0 level with almost no additional apps installed. Most probably we will even not have microG at that level. We give our user the option to turn of most of these settings. At the same time definitely there is a need to make it more customizable on the current ROM as well. Will pass on the feedback to the development team.

That would be a good thing. If the /e/ OS ROM without microG has implemented Signature Spoofing by default, so it is “microg ready”, microG can be easily installed with NanoDroid-microG. Users, who don’t need any location services at all, can also do without microG services.

/e/ »will be introducing a ROM later this year with the bare minimum apps 2 giving users the choice of installing what they prefer. Personally I am also looking forward to that version of /e/«. Me too.

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My suggestion is if you do not trust the ROM or the team behind it ask for a refund.

Andy1, e is still beta, this is the phase to discover details like that with microG. I also found in the setting the checkbox for “approximate location (network based)” and it’s checked. I’m just not sure if it is checked, which location data goes to where through microG? I mean it tells about a permission, but not sure which service (if any) uses this permission.

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If someone doesn’t trust the /e/ OS ROM and the functionality of microG, you can → disable or completely uninstall “microG Services Core” {for example with the tool Android Debug Bridge (ADB)}.

→ More about : Location provider middleware (UnifiedNlp)

→ More about: microG Project Components

@archje Yes, thanks, I noticed I could remove microG completely. Sometimes there are apps though that I test and in that case I have to activate location services. This is why I just want to turn it off.
UnifiedNlp can be installed as a user app to replace the network location provider. It acts as a middleware for various plugins aka backends, it does not provide any location lookup itself.” - it tells me that microG itself or UnifiedNlp do not generate any location data. Data comes from a backend, which is in my case Mozilla Location Services. I did uncheck the box for “Mozilla Location Service”, so I hope this means this service is not active as long as I do not check that box again (meaning wifi or cell data are not in use or sent anywhere). Regardless the boxes for microG.

Otherwise, according to my understanding, this Mozilla service checks for nearby Wifi networks (if the box is checked) or uses Cell data (if the box is checked). This data is sent back to the databank of the service, which makes it possible to tell the geolocation of the phone. I do not have Mozilla Stumbler installed.

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Hej @kalman, as it appeared to me, I was able to completely disable MicroG - without uninstalling it.

The last tap on “MircoG” in the “Settings” section did not lead to the “microG Settings” screen anymore but directly to the /e/ Homescreen. But with a tap MircoG can be quickly activated again. I’ve currently noticed this because yesterday I took a closer look at the MircoG settings for the first time.

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Yes, it works the same way for me, except after the tap it does not go to the Homescreen but shows a notification with “Open app again” or something like that. It looks the whole microG is turned off then. But I could turn off only the location service too, having those three empty checkboxes as you described.

No, we simply get feedback through user surveys. We ask people if they use /e/OS on their primary or secondary device and if they use for personal or professional use. No need to spy on them.

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Hi,

I am selling my S9 Exynos SM-G960F.

Hello,
you can create a post in this section if not already done.
https://community.e.foundation/c/e-devices/sell-swap
Best regards.
Alexis

(Wow, @andy it looks like you’ve got the best out of topic post there. Nice one ^^)

So back on the pre installed phones topic, I see the S7 is only available in gold for 249 euros. The pink model was at 192. I don’t mind the color for such a cheaper price, will that phone be in stock again anytime soon? @alexis

Thank you!

all /e/OS S7 should be retailing at 249€ including VAT. If the S7 Pink shows up at 192€ including VAT, it is a mistake.