The Quest to Build a Truly Free Version of Android

Re:The Quest to Build a Truly Free Version of Android by rst on Sunday November 03, 2013 @11:06AM (#6663609)

The KitKat version of GoogleHome.apk is already beyond bitrot; it's "an empty shell that forwards all requests to the [proprietary Google] search app" (which manages the home screen in KitKat), per ArsTechnica:

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2013/11/google-just-pulled-a-...

This leaves it unclear what you get for a launcher with an AOSP build of KitKat, but it certainly is drifting farther from the official Android experience.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:The Quest to Build a Truly Free Version of Android by roflharrison on Sunday November 03, 2013 @11:57AM (#6663895)

Arstechnia hasn't done enough research.

You can (and I have) fetch the new Launcher from AOSP, compile it and run it very easily as a separate application. The Google Experience Launcher is a closed source Google app based on this which integrates Google Now.

https://android.googlesource.com/platform/packages/apps/Laun...

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:The Quest to Build a Truly Free Version of Android by ferongr on Sunday November 03, 2013 @12:16PM (#6664000)

>which integrates Google Now

I now know which app I'm ditching once I get a 4.4 device.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:The Quest to Build a Truly Free Version of Android by roflharrison on Sunday November 03, 2013 @12:48PM (#6664152)

Fair enough.

I'm a huge fan of Google Now so hopefully I can continue to use it if I decide to switch to a custom launcher.

[ Parent | on HN ]