[allenskd]

I'd say it heavily depends as well, a year ago my father had one of those phones featuring Android One and it wouldn't let you use it unless you connected to wi-fi and logged in to your account. It's bizarre that functionality is blocking you for basic usage of making a call, etc.

I guess the manufacturer could have opted for that type of lock-in as well with their images, but seeing Android One is a near-stock as-is OS I don't know if by default Android forces you to log in and phone manufacturers remove that type of enforcement.

[enitihas]

Just out of curiosity, which android one phone was this. I have used two android one phones, the Xiaomi A1 and the Motorola One Power, and both of them work fine without a google account.

[wltprgm]

Without a google account I can setup my Xiaomi A3 just fine.

I even disabled google play services and play store all together. Root with magisk method.

OutOfTopic: At work, I develop an app using Angular+Cordova webview, but it couldn't work on my Mi A3, always crashing like another local banking app I have (which I have uninstalled anyway). The Play store, before disabling, also black screen at google signing in page, unless I have already signed in before rooting with Magisk. Lol I wonder why it is so buggy. Should go with TWRP SuperSU root, but whatever, the A/B partition method uses up a lot of storage as well (I think)

I am thinking next time buying a Lineage OS compatible android phone to use. Android 10 is not reaching all the MI A1, A2, A3 phones at all, with Android 11 coming up already.

[milankragujevic]

I can confirm, Motorola One & later Motorola One Action, both can be set up in seconds without an account, there's a prominent Skip button everywhere. Some phones can't, i.e. MIUI-based Xiaomi phones require a Google and Mi account on the first boot, to call home owner info. Later resets will not require it, but they always require a mobile data connection (not WiFi!) to verify validity of the device (as dystopian as that sounds).

[enitihas]

MIUI based devices don't come with Android one though, but yes, MIUI is horrible and I will never buy a device even if it has great hardware with MiUI.

[milankragujevic]

Yes, true. However, Android One is not a panacea for spyware, as I discovered with Nokia.

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19449824 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17329825

Manufacturers are still allowed to install apps that are "necessary for [special] hardware functions", and include spyware in them.

[allenskd]

I think it was one of those cheap Alcatel phones with Android One. I don't remember well myself but I'm pretty sure it was Alcatel.

I ended up helping him getting a LG G6 and for his usage it's more than enough power for him. (plus cheap in 2019 when I bought it) All problems solved. Not sure what went wrong with his phone but I couldn't even do anything with the recovery mode and resetting to factory.

[milankragujevic]

Alcatel doesn't have Android One, at least not internationally. They have Android Go, which is the less-resource-intensive version. However, Alcatel is absolutely awful with privacy and some of the software bundled is absolute scam-ware. Even older devices got updates via Play store for system apps like Calculator, File manager, etc., which introduced ads, and a (!!!) floating blue octopus on (every) screen which shows suggestions and full screen autoplaying ads with sound.

[allenskd]

Then I have no idea what it was (phone brand), sorry. I just know with what I tried to troubleshoot.

I'm not a fan of Alcatel.... or Blu. But translating what you just told me to not just my parents but all older folks is.... not an easy task. It's met with apathy.