Android smartphone without a Google account - does that make sense?

Google and Android smartphones seem inextricably linked. But can you use a smartphone without a Google account? In this article, you can read how this works and what you should consider.

Smartphone without Google - how it works

The Android OS smartphone operating system is essentially an open source project that works entirely without Google products and apps.

• There are many reasons to do without Google: storing private data, existing accounts with other mail providers and the like. The best thing to do is to set up your Android device and skip the registration or creation of a Google account.
• The Android OS smartphone operating system is essentially an open source project that works entirely without Google products and apps.
• If you do not use Google, you will by no means influence the basic functions of the Android smartphone. While you can't use apps from the Google Play Store, Gmail, Google Drive, Google+, or any other Google service, there are plenty of alternatives. Read more in the next section.

Google alternatives for your smartphone

• As the central source for apps, Google's Play Store must be replaced. There are various alternatives: Amazon's app store is now similarly well sorted, but smaller providers such as the SlideME market also have many apps (as an APK file). We explain how to install these apps here.
• Google's synchronization functions for contacts, calendars can also be easily replaced. For example, the "MyPhoneExplorer" offers extensive functions for managing the Android device.
• There are strong competitors for all other apps, such as the Chrome browser, which is also from Google: Try the Dolphin browser.

Custom ROMs for Determined Google Critics

• You won't use the services without logging into the Google account - but the corresponding preinstalled apps are ballast on your Android device. You can try to uninstall as many applications as possible, but if you want to be consistent, switching to a custom ROM would be recommended.
• These alternative Android versions are based on the pure open source version of Android and are therefore free of Google services. With the help of the Google alternatives presented above, you can create a Google-free Android device that is at least as powerful.
• Installation is not easy and may also affect the warranty of your device. In the meantime, the installation process has been greatly simplified. The most popular CustomROM is "CyanogenMod" and has even released its own installer. With this, the installation is no longer difficult.

This tip tells you how to delete your private data stored in Google in the browser.