[gman99]

The AOSP built in sms client does not use G+

Google's "Messenger" client does not use G+

You can also use Google's Hangout client purely for SMS (you can sign out of hangouts)

If you don't like any of them, there are hundreds in the play store that have no G+ requirement, and any of them can be set as the default.

As for first class VoIP; again, I have no idea what you mean. Android has a full SIP stack that's built in.

[voltagex_]

The SIP settings are tricky to find, the phone will fall back to the mobile network really quickly, there's no codec selection and no incentive to improve because PJSIP is pretty much abandoned (and seems to be the stack that all competitors use)

[gcb0]

try any of those: default im, hangouts, messenger.

and try to use the "full sip stack" or even Google's own gvoice. oh and then add a couple sim cards on the same phone and maybe two Google accounts.

now good luck trying to control which number will be the outgoing on any of those clients

[kuschku]

On Android 5, most Nexus devices dropped all SMS apps for Hangouts.

And Dialer, Launcher, etc also require Google Play Services now.

I'm currently using the AOSP Launcher3, and it doesn't even properly align icons in a grid, because it's missing the autoscaling of Google Now Launcher.

[vetinari]

Nexus is not an AOSP device, it is a Google device. It's an important distinction. That's why Dialer looks up the unknown numbers using Google services and Launcher has Google Now integrated (yes, when I used Nexus 5, I disabled both).

On the other hand, if you have device from another vendor, you will get their apps. Samsung or Sony launchers and dialers do not integrate with Google Play services. Their devices have their own account system though (not mandatory to use, fortunately).

[gman99]

>On Android 5, most Nexus devices dropped all SMS apps for Hangouts.

Just install Messenger (supports Android 4.1+): https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.and...

It's actually much nicer than hangouts for SMS and has features hangouts doesn't support (search, group messaging) and is updated regularly by Google (with no tie-in to G+ or Play Services) so it's not like it's an abandoned app.

>I'm currently using the AOSP Launcher3, and it doesn't even properly align icons in a grid, because it's missing the autoscaling of Google Now Launcher.

Get a different launcher? For eg, Nova Launcher (paid, but does not have any dependancy on Play Services) is basically Launcher3 (in terms of looks/functionality) with a ton of extra features.

Is your complaint that Google is letting AOSP apps languish? In which case I'd agree, but it's not like you're short on alternatives (and as time goes on Google seem to be opening more parts of Android to be replaced by third party apps -- in fact, the main components left are just the settings app and the notifications menu that you're stuck with whatever comes with your phone. Everything else is replacable by the end user)

[kuschku]

> so it's not like it's an abandoned app.

The AOSP version is.

> Is your complaint that Google is letting AOSP apps languish? In which case I'd agree, but it's not like you're short on alternatives

Well, I am short on open source alternatives.

I always have ideas of features I’d want, and wish to integrate them into the apps I’m using – like integrating with the local phone book data for reverse caller lookup, as that has far better data than Google or OSM.

But I can’t do this with the closed apps.

Sure, I could replace everything now by installing other apps, but when all of them use SecureNet to prevent me from tinkering with anything, then I honestly prefer the good old days where I could just mod anything.

> Get a different launcher? For eg, Nova Launcher (paid, but does not have any dependancy on Play Services) is basically Launcher3 (in terms of looks/functionality) with a ton of extra features.

This is the very same issue.

I want a minimalistic launcher, with some special features I wrote myself already for Launcher2, but the AOSP Launcher3 is totally broken, and Nova Launcher is not even close to anything I’d want – minimalistic, not "accidentally swiped over an icon and half my screen is full of menus".

Since Google continued to drop work on AOSP apps, I’ve had to spend more and more time.

By now I have to maintain my own apps for music, notes, etc, now Launcher and SMS are becoming an issue, too. Sure, I’m a student, but my time is limited, too, and I’d like to not spend it rebuild things Google took from the community.

[NeutronBoy]

> On Android 5, most Nexus devices dropped all SMS apps for Hangouts.

AFAIK you can download Messenger from the Play store.

[gcb0]

and can't uninstall hangouts.