HACKER Q&A
📣 yakkomajuri

Any privacy-preserving minimalist phone launchers for Android?


I came across "minimalist phone" [1] and really like the idea. However, its Privacy Policy does not spark joy. In fact, I haven't found great alternatives that don't send your data to Google. Would love recommendations of open source/privacy-preserving alternatives.

Although, thinking about it now - the data it could collect about what apps I use, when, and how is probably something Google has access to anyway on Android phones? :D

[1]: https://www.minimalistphone.com/

  👤 qqmato Accepted Answer ✓
As the founder of minimalist phone, I'd like to clarify our stance on data collection. Yes, our app does report analytics to Google and Firebase, but it's important to underscore that minimalist phone has no access to your photos, files, messages, or the text you type. Furthermore, no sensitive data (including app usage) leaves your device. Our privacy policy explicitly states that we do not sell any personal information to third parties. We're committed to protecting your privacy and keeping your data secure. For questions reach out to hello@minimalistphone.com.
👤 yellow_lead
I found these two on F-Droid. Open source.

https://github.com/iamrasel/lunar-launcher

https://github.com/tanujnotes/Olauncher

Although you asked for launchers, you might be interested in GrapheneOS, although it's only compatible with Pixels

👤 helph67
You might find this article of interest. https://www.applerworld.com/article/degoogle-your-android-ph...
👤 xanthine
If it's just a launcher you're looking for, I'd recommend https://kisslauncher.com
👤 TheMatten
Kvaesitso is nicely polished, minimalistic, search-oriented and available on F-Droid: https://www.f-droid.org/packages/de.mm20.launcher2.release/
👤 chuchana
https://github.com/TBog/TBLauncher is a fork of Kiss (mentioned in another comment). The search work better for me.