With recent privacy scandals in mind, fewer people are willing to share all their data with big corporations. Some may have even toyed with the idea of going Google-less on Android since it’s basically an open-source OS. However, many obstacles hinder you from doing this, the first and foremost being Google Play Services. It’s the proprietary mesh that holds together many essential Android features and connects them with first- and third-party apps. Without it, many applications can’t send you push notifications, get your location, or backup their app data, among other things. Enter microG, an open-source replacement for Play Services. It can replicate a lot of these functions and makes it possible to use an Android phone without any Google apps.
Obviously installing a custom ROM is not for everyone but some effort is required if you truly want to move away from the default Google Android and experience new-found freedoms. The article goes into alternatives to the Play Store and some other Google apps, as well as mentioning some trade-offs. On the plus side this could extend the useful life of many older phones that no longer receive updates.
See How to install and use a custom ROM with no Google apps
With recent privacy scandals in mind, fewer people are willing to share all their data with big corporations. Some may have even toyed with the idea of