You can use a different launcher to customize your home screen and get rid of the Google search bar. I use Nova and can confirm that a singular Firefox search bar works nicely, and I'm sure that it does with other launchers as well.
this post was submitted on 22 Sep 2023
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I used to really like pixel launcher on my OnePlus phone. I'll get nova a try. Is it just an app. I can't remember how I used to set it up. I know they started discontinuing launchers
You can find the app for the launcher in the play store. There should be instructions in the app for making it your default launcher. Otherwise there are plenty of tutorials online.
Got it. Thanks. Finding launcher settings is always the crux. Cheers
How do you set up a Firefox search bar, if you don't mind?
So long as you have Firefox installed there's a firefox search bar widget available. In Nova you add widgets with a long press on home screen and swipe up.
Ok, thank you. I'm an idiot. I added the Nova search bar and searched its settings.
I've got android one and was also stuck with the Google search bar. I'm using lawnchair for years now, works great, is very customizable and opensource. Just put the searchbar you like on the homescreen. https://lawnchair.app/
You can also find it on f-droid
Oh yeah I used lawnchair. Thanks for reminding me
I also use Nova and have it set to duck duck go.
Nova is fast as fuck. What do you use to replace the Google now page ?
I gave up on Google Now years ago as they kept on making it less useless and shittier. IDGAF about football scores...
Haha. Twins. I'm not interested in any sport. However their page as quite good at giving me local news stories and a lot of other random stuff. Used to use appygeek. God I miss that. I'm slowly running out of news algorithm apps.
the worst part for me is I work in a sports adjacent industry so im constantly searching for details about sports teams, so my feed would just clog up with 100 random college sports, and pro sports.
That's my nightmare. I've blocked soooo many sport lemmy communities. It's never ending. I could not do that job. Could. Not. Pay. Me. Enough
My fairphone has the same issue. I use the trebuchet launcher from linageos.
Loved lineageos. Unfortunately without banking capabilities it's a no go
Afaik only rooted devices are disabled. And linageos runs without root. However I didn't test my current apps with lineage
I thought they checked for modified software?
Install graphene os. It revomves googles constant tracking and u can still use all ur existing apps. Might take a while to set up but will pay off in the long run in terms of privacy.
What if that's not an option due to the age of your phone?