This is a twofer.
Combatant 1: Google.
Once every time period of questionable length, Google gives me an Android pop-up that I can’t dismiss. This is to “comply” with the EU law. They want me to be extra sure of my rights to choose and want to know which search engine I’m using for the Android search widget and Chrome.
Well, as a matter of fact, I use Google! So I tell them that. I hope it makes them happy.
Combatant 2: ME
…I fucking hate the Android search bar and I’m this close to installing an alternative launcher just to get rid of it.
Also I use Firefox.
(What do you call it when there’s two parties who want the same thing, but there’s an arbitrary pointless grudge that both of them can see?)
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I got prompted the same question just now. Fun fact is that I never use the search bar either, I just make all my searches in Firefox. So the question is pretty much moot. Anyways, I picked ecosia, so I can feel good about myself.
Disable the app named Google.
What is the “android search bar”? I have an android phone and I’m not sure what you’re referring to. When I initially got my phone, it had some sort of Google home page screen, but it easily allowed me to toggle it off so I did. I didn’t have to do anything wonky to uninstall it or anything to my recollection. I just toggled it off. I have a Samsung phone and I know they put their own skin on things, so maybe that’s why it was easier for me to turn that off than some other phones??? Dunno.
I have a HMD Global Nokia 5.4 (Android 12), and the search bar in the launcher takes up one row in the home screen. Haven’t found a way to disable it. As I understand the Nokia launcher is custom but isn’t crazy different from stock. I can, however, see why they’d hype up the search bar considering the phone also has a dedicated Assistant button that I pretty much never use.
Interesting! It seems another user commented that it’s a Nokia thing as well. Tbh I haven’t used a Nokia phone since Symbian OS lol. Odd that you can’t remove the search bar. I wonder if any other phone companies do this.
I used to have a nokia that had this search bar, like the one on google.com, on the homescreen. You couldn’t delete it, and if i remember correctly, disabling would only grey it out.
Nova launcher is good for getting rid of the search bar. I think it does other stuff but that’s all I use it for.
Nova also adds that quick menu with most used apps and recently used apps. And that also includes a search bar that will search installed apps by default but can be configured to search the web with your browser and search engine of choice. I used those features a lot, but these days I use Niagara.
I’ve never seen this. Having been a Nova user for other reasons for years, I’m going to say it’s working.
Stuff like this is what’s driving me to drop everything Google. I honestly didn’t “really” care if they collected my data and directed ads to me. But they can seriously fuck off with asking if I want to turn on this Google thing or pay for that Google thing every other day. The amount of time I’m spending hitting “no” on all these prompts is starting to outweigh the amount of time it’ll take to figure out and install GrapheneOS or LineageOS.