What's the obsession with stock Android?

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jamsy

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So I've had a Samsung Note 2 for over two years now and, as you're probably aware, it has TouchWiz, which is Samsung's Android skin. Every review I've ever read about Samsung devices have always mentioned this as a negative and bitched about how it's too "heavy" and "cumbersome" and "sluggish" over stock Android. In fact, every review of a phone or tablet that did have Android in its pure form (ie the Nexus line of products) have praised the experience.

My girlfriend got a Moto G (2nd gen) phone yesterday. It runs stock Android Kit Kat (4.4). I had to help her out since she's only used iPhones before, and I was actually pretty surprised at what I found.

Stock Android kind of sucks. It's missing small and yet substantial features that I've enjoyed on my Note 2 for years.

Example 1: It doesn't display your battery percentage. There is no option for this. This really boggles the mind. I had to search and install some 3rd party app on the Play Store, which doesn't work half the time.

Example 2: You cannot close all your open applications at once. You need to close them one by one. Samsung gives me a button to close all apps with one press.

Example 3: To access the screen brightness slider (something which I use a lot), you need to pull down the notification tab from the top, press the button on the top right, then press the brightness button. Touchwiz had the brightness slider right in the notification tab.

In addition, I don't have to search the countless shitty apps in the Play Store and widgets to get basic things like weather widgets, or flashlight functionality or video player that plays any format I throw at it, etc. I can go on, but I think you get my point.

These things may not seem like a big deal, but after using TouchWiz for 2 years, I want no part of stock Android. This is not to say Samsung's version of Android is the best (I'm sure LG's or HTC's versions are simillar), but Google missing basic features like this is a huge turnoff. So I really don't understand people's obsession with having a lack of basic features such as this, since as far as I can tell, stock Android has no visible performance superiority and I never experienced any "sluggishness" or whatever else on my device.
 
Problem is with bloatware and Gui and other stuff that phone manufacturers add to their Android OS which makes it not as responsive as stock android.
 
You discovered the reason why some people prefer Linux and hate Windows.
I have stock 4.4.4 Android and I don't want back. I don't want 100 apps installed because Samsung thinks I need them. I don't want widgets because they are usefull for the most people. I want a stock Android which I can customize. It actually does run better because there is no touchwiz, sense, etc. which looks terrible and just nearly doubles the RAM usage.
 
jamsy said:
Example 3: To access the screen brightness slider (something which I use a lot), you need to pull down the notification tab from the top, press the button on the top right, then press the brightness button. Touchwiz had the brightness slider right in the notification tab.
Click to expand...


Pull the notifacation bar down with 2 fingers should save one button press
 
I mean, you're entitled to your opinion about touchwiz, but I think if you compare those three things you listed to the general responsiveness and lack of bloat on stock Android, very few people would come away with the conclusion that stock sucks.
 
The point of android is to be able to customize your phone to your liking. OEMs include apps in their skins that they think people would need but not everyone needs them. I'd much rather get a phone with stock android and change whatever I want in it rather than get a dozen things and figure out a way to remove them.
 
kabel said:
You discovered the reason why some people prefer Linux and hate Windows.
I have stock 4.4.4 Android and I don't want back. I don't want 100 apps installed because Samsung thinks I need them. I don't want widgets because they are usefull for the most people. I want a stock Android which I can customize. It actually does run better because there is no touchwiz, sense, etc. which looks terrible and just nearly doubles the RAM usage.
Click to expand...

Yup. And if you're using Android on an old phone like me (Xperia Play), the stock Android will feel better than the original customized android system in place. Though I also venture to the sweet
dark
world of XDA to push this machine sometimes.
 
Asking about an 'obsession' with someone liking something different from you with the Android OS is asking an unanswerable question. The OS is all about flavor. I cannot stand Touchwiz; You can. Neither of us are wrong, just different strokes. Its not that big of a deal.
 
Faster, more responsive. Less bloat. Looks cleaner. And with Lollipop most *useful* features of OEM roms are present and correct. Stock Android on Nexus devices are bootloader unlocked, easy to root and you don't run into the (very occasional) issues with app compatibility. Oh and it generally means updates are fast and simple. No waiting months for the OEM to update their skin...
 
I don't like the look of stock android. I hated it.

If I ever buy a Nexus, I'd install a Launcher to make the UI look like not-stock.
 
A while back I rooted and installed a custom rom my 3 or so year old Desire HD that had Sense on it. Felt like a new phone afterwards, way quicker.
 
jamsy said:
Example 1: It doesn't display your battery percentage. There is no option for this. This really boggles the mind. I had to search and install some 3rd party app on the Play Store, which doesn't work half the time.
Click to expand...

Huh? I have stock Android on two Nexus devices and I'm looking at the battery percentage on both of them right now through the OS itself. You can see it in the notifications bar, same page as the brightness button and right below settings (pic). I can't speak for your girlfriend's phone specifically but I can check my battery percentage with a single swipe using the latest version of stock Android on both my phone and tablet.
 
Perfect Cha0s said:
Either way, you're giving up space on the front of the device that could be used for on-screen content. I prefer the one that isn't permanent.
Click to expand...

But that's the thing, it doesn't feel like the bezel is getting reduced as a result of on screen buttons. The HTC One is the most glaring example of this. The M7 was great but then the M8 got bigger to accommodate a bigger screen, but that bigger screen went to waste cuz it's filled with on screen buttons.
 
On example two, I was under the impression closing every programme was not always necessary, as Android caches them until you open it again, at which point it tries to pick up from where you left.

I can only reiterate what other people are saying. I have a Nexus 5 which is is only cluttered by Google apps but my friend who has a Galaxy S4 has a lot of superfluous Samsung apps which are never used and often replicate existing stock apps.

The fact stock versions of Android tend to get updated a lot sooner than 3rd-party versions is quite attractive too.
 
I get the appeal of stock Android, but it isn't for me. I'll gladly take all the features of TouchWiz over stock any day of the week. It's not like the phones are unusable because of it.
 
As others have a said, the key word is "bloatware".

Stock Android is ideal for those tech-saavy enough to know what they want out of their phones, and how to get it.

You get exactly what you need, and nothing more.

Apple has gotten many used to the "one size fits all" OS philosophy, which Samsung, HTC, Sony and others tried to emulate on Android.

I'm sitting on a Nexus 5 which I got day 1, and just bought a Sony Z3C since I wanted to support sub-5" flagship phones. I haven't turned it on yet, and I'm already dreading how it will feel to leave pure Android behind.
 
I personally don't like stock Android. It's ugly as hell and lacks basic features. I much prefer Sony Android.

But the reasons people have for preferring it are sound.
 
There's a lot of bandwagoning going on with it, for sure. People hear from people they respect that it's crap, then they say it's crap themselves.

Just because samsung install a lot of pish you don't need, that stuff does not slow down the interface at all. Just because something's installed doesn't mean it's running.
 
jamsy said:
Example 1: It doesn't display your battery percentage. There is no option for this. This really boggles the mind. I had to search and install some 3rd party app on the Play Store, which doesn't work half the time.

Example 2: You cannot close all your open applications at once. You need to close them one by one. Samsung gives me a button to close all apps with one press.

Example 3: To access the screen brightness slider (something which I use a lot), you need to pull down the notification tab from the top, press the button on the top right, then press the brightness button. Touchwiz had the brightness slider right in the notification tab.

In addition, I don't have to search the countless shitty apps in the Play Store and widgets to get basic things like weather widgets, or flashlight functionality or video player that plays any format I throw at it, etc. I can go on, but I think you get my point.
Click to expand...

Aren't these things coming in Android L?
 
Most of your complaints are fixed on L. Also they are fixed on cyanogenmod which is the ultimate stock ROM. No bloatware, but hundreds of small fixes that make the android stock experience much better.

I'm now on L, but before jumping from cyanogenmod to stock was a pain in the ass.
 
Mr Swine said:
Problem is with bloatware and Gui and other stuff that phone manufacturers add to their Android OS which makes it not as responsive as stock android.
Click to expand...

That's why i took a Nexus 5 because of that. Also the new updates come to stock first and glad i choose that. It's like windows really i prefer installing my self without the bloatware from a manufacturer it will not run as good as i want to.
 
Probably because videos like this

Moto E vs. Samsung Galaxy S5 - Surprising! (Speed…: http://youtu.be/3P9vDAY0U0A


I know, different resolution, gallery has more pictures on the S5, but even then c'mon. A phone a third of the price is performing things better which is kinda sad.
 
jamsy said:
I never experienced any "sluggishness" or whatever else on my device.
Click to expand...

Because you obviously have never experienced a Samsung phone flashed to near stock.

lol.

Your comparing this slow, bloated ... but full of things you might need once in the blue moon:

SKJjgiI.jpg
Click to expand...

to this, clean, easy and fast with everything you need for your day to day tasks done easily:

zQZkAgt.jpg
Click to expand...

Yeah on paper, having tv's, ovens and a toilet are useful. But given the choice between driving a fucking 10 ton campervan to work everyday or a 1 ton simple commuter ... they'd pick the reliable, cheap and fast car every time.

Get back to us when Samsung's bloat doesn't destroy your performance.
 
i love my HTC One, but I'd be lying if I said I liked all the bloat that's on the phone. I don't even know why its there in the first place, does anyone even use that stuff? I'm not tech savvy enough to change it though, or at least afraid about messing up my phone should i try to change it
 
jamsy said:
Example 1: It doesn't display your battery percentage. There is no option for this. This really boggles the mind. I had to search and install some 3rd party app on the Play Store, which doesn't work half the time.
Click to expand...

Pull the top down with two fingers and you see the % under the battery symbol.
 
kabel said:
You discovered the reason why some people prefer Linux and hate Windows.
I have stock 4.4.4 Android and I don't want back. I don't want 100 apps installed because Samsung thinks I need them. I don't want widgets because they are usefull for the most people. I want a stock Android which I can customize. It actually does run better because there is no touchwiz, sense, etc. which looks terrible and just nearly doubles the RAM usage.
Click to expand...

Pretty much my thoughts. I hate all that bloatware on my tablet. Drives me mad. Nexus 5 is so much sleeker and I can customise all I want.
 
I start with stock, but I've always used a rom, and now I use xposed/modules. I also like tinkering with my phone. I can see why people would prefer an out of the box skin.
 
Perfect Cha0s said:
Either way, you're giving up space on the front of the device that could be used for on-screen content. I prefer the one that isn't permanent.
Click to expand...

This sounds great in theory, but most of the time what you're actually giving up on the front of the device is speakers.
 
Marty Chinn said:
But that's the thing, it doesn't feel like the bezel is getting reduced as a result of on screen buttons. The HTC One is the most glaring example of this. The M7 was great but then the M8 got bigger to accommodate a bigger screen, but that bigger screen went to waste cuz it's filled with on screen buttons.
Click to expand...

It goes into immersive mode in particular apps, but that isn't the solution for other apps. It does go into it with the apps I frequently use though, so I don't mind much. I do switch back and forth between hardware and onscreen on my OnePlus One, but I use onscreen more.
 
What stock Android really needs is some accessibility features like being able to set all phone audio to Mono, something the iPhone and Touchwiz have had for years
 
jamsy said:
Example 1: It doesn't display your battery percentage. There is no option for this. This really boggles the mind. I had to search and install some 3rd party app on the Play Store, which doesn't work half the time.


Example 3: To access the screen brightness slider (something which I use a lot), you need to pull down the notification tab from the top, press the button on the top right, then press the brightness button. Touchwiz had the brightness slider right in the notification tab.
Click to expand...

Using two fingers to pull down the notification panel will immediately show the remaining battery percentage and show the direct link to the brightness slider.

jamsy said:
Example 2: You cannot close all your open applications at once. You need to close them one by one. Samsung gives me a button to close all apps with one press.
Click to expand...

Pressing the middle of the bottom three navigation options closes most applications (except for certain ones like GPS routing). But I might not be understanding your complaint.
 
First things first, you don't need to manually close recent used apps. Those apps aren't open and Android knows how to allocate ram when you need it.

On topic now: Touchwiz is ugly as sin. Google's design language is so far away than most competitors that makes stock android way more appealing. It's also faster and less bloated. I will gladly miss a togle or two if it means I'll get a better designed OS that is also faster.
 
jamsy said:
Stock Android kind of sucks. It's missing small and yet substantial features that I've enjoyed on my Note 2 for years.

Example 1: It doesn't display your battery percentage. There is no option for this. This really boggles the mind. I had to search and install some 3rd party app on the Play Store, which doesn't work half the time.
Click to expand...
Legit complaint, I agree. As many have mentioned before you can double swipe and whatever, but it should just be permanently visible in the notification bar.

jamsy said:
Example 2: You cannot close all your open applications at once. You need to close them one by one. Samsung gives me a button to close all apps with one press.
Click to expand...
You shouldn't need to. You've been trained by Samsung to need to close background apps because of all the memory the system ui is taking.


jamsy said:
Example 3: To access the screen brightness slider (something which I use a lot), you need to pull down the notification tab from the top, press the button on the top right, then press the brightness button. Touchwiz had the brightness slider right in the notification tab.
Click to expand...
Again, you shouldn't need to. The setting is still a swipe and click away (just as on touchwiz) but in reality a good phone would have good Auto setting not an easily accessible setting.

jamsy said:
In addition, I don't have to search the countless shitty apps in the Play Store and widgets to get basic things like weather widgets, or flashlight functionality or video player that plays any format I throw at it, etc. I can go on, but I think you get my point.
Click to expand...
Built in widgets are usually terrible and built in apps don't get updated in aaaages. You're better off getting stuff off the Play Store anyway.
 
XBP said:
The point of android is to be able to customize your phone to your liking. OEMs include apps in their skins that they think people would need but not everyone needs them. I'd much rather get a phone with stock android and change whatever I want in it rather than get a dozen things and figure out a way to remove them.
Click to expand...

See, I don't think that's the "point" of Android. It might be an advantage to people like yourself but surely not its only supposed merit. There are millions and millions of Android devices out there and I'm certain only a tiny percentage actually screw around and have different loaders and things like that. These things are simple UI features that should have been standard long ago.

My girlfriend surely won't be installing whatever launcher is out there. Even I (as a fairly tech-knowledgeable person) don't want to fuck around with it.

Bear said:
Huh? I have stock Android on two Nexus devices and I'm looking at the battery percentage on both of them right now through the OS itself. You can see it in the notifications bar, same page as the brightness button and right below settings (pic). I can't speak for your girlfriend's phone specifically but I can check my battery percentage with a single swipe using the latest version of stock Android on both my phone and tablet.
Click to expand...

I meant in the notification bar. I shouldn't need to be swiping with multiple fingers for something that should be visible at all times at the top of the screen.

I'm new be nice said:
Aren't these things coming in Android L?
Click to expand...

My point is that we really shouldn't be waiting until the end of 2014 for these very basic features.
 
For every good thing that a custom skin adds, and they do add a number of great things, there's a million other things they do wrong.
Also, just look at how gorgeous Lollipop is, do you really want Sense or Touchwiz to screw it up?

Also nearly everything added by OEMs is redundant. I don't need their video players, their music players, their news and weather app etc...

An Android factory image should not be bigger then Windows XP.
 
Let's just get this out of the way, never close out apps from the recent apps list unless it is actively bugging out. It's more detrimental to your device than it is helpful.
 
Zeppu said:
Again, you shouldn't need to. The setting is still a swipe and click away (just as on touchwiz) but in reality a good phone would have good Auto setting not an easily accessible setting.
Click to expand...

This is sadly uncommon :(

My Nexus 4 (and I think other Nexi suffer the same) never dims to 0% with auto brightness. I am mostly indoors where 0% is ideal so I switch between that and auto for when I go outside.
0% is also far too bright when it's pitch black.

Anyways I like that it shipped without bloat and I can add the stuff I need like battery notifications, power toggles etc. Lot's of those apps also suck battery, but I can then just replace them instead of being stuck with a buggy percentage indicator.
 
Had a Samsung S3, nice piece of hardware, but far to many hang ups and general sluggishness after a week or 2 of use.

Got a Nexus 4, ran beautifully immediately and stayed that way for its entire life. Super slick.

Stock Android 4lyfe.
Although I have a 6+ now ....
 
I have a nexus 5 and my girlfriend has an S5. She always wonders how I get by without the close all apps button... But I just never worry about closing any of my apps unless they freeze and my phone runs fine.
 
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