[Queen6]

It’s not a financial conspiracy.

In order to have Google Play Services, it is required to bundle Google bloatware along:

https://www.kamilfranek.com/how-google-makes-money-from-android/

Yet the option for Open Android sans Google bloat exists. A&K gets on fine without the need to bundle Google and by your own admissions the player performs better without such bloat. IMO Sony and the likes should offer two images as not all want Google and it's baggage on a DAP.

Q-6

 

[Sonywalkmanuser]

Yet the option for Open Android sans Google bloat exists. A&K gets on fine without the need to bundle Google and by your own admissions the player performs better without such bloat. IMO Sony and the likes should offer two images as not all want Google and it's baggage on a DAP.

Q-6

It’s not an admission but a discovery.

 

[Queen6]

I think they just took a shortcut and included slightly modified version of Android 11 for their Xperia phones. When you open a new WM1ZM2 and walk through setup, it was clearly not designed for DAPs when you are being asked to transfer your Gmail contacts and other smartphone related stuff

TBH that's my issue with Google Android it was never designed for such purpose, rather retconned to fit the job and serve the provider more than the users. Sony already has a SW image without Google and the majority of DAP's do for that matter. They would just need to tidy up the image and allow the users of the DAP decide for themselves versus forcing Google on the users...

Q-6

 

[Queen6]

It’s not an admission but a discovery.

Adds up the same however you put it, Google has a negative impact to both performance and SQ...

Q-6

 

[rlw6534]

Yet the option for Open Android sans Google bloat exists. A&K gets on fine without the need to bundle Google and by your own admissions the player performs better without such bloat. IMO Sony and the likes should offer two images as not all want Google and it's baggage on a DAP.

Q-6

Just install the Chinese firmware which doesn't have any Google services.

http://info.update.sony.net/PA001/NW-WM1AM2_0003/contents/0001/NW-WM1AM2_0003_V1_01_00_NW_WM_FW.UPG

http://info.update.sony.net/PA001/NW-WM1ZM2_0003/contents/0001/NW-WM1ZM2_0003_V1_01_00_NW_WM_FW.UPG

 

[newworld666]

Android SRC is bad!!

It is as bad as Windows!!

Without passing through, it will be invasive toward many other apps. Unless designed for it.

For example, windows without Asio4All sucks!!! Some DAC will work and some will be degraded in performances, until Asio4All is opted for.

IMO, bypassing Android SRC is the Must and a top priority at that

As far as I could really understand, from android 10 .. advanced players and DSP can now fully bypass android sound system. No ?

I don't now exactly, but with foobar2000, I have no issue with any of my daps with windows 10 and 11 (on my workstations and laptops) to use any the native ASIO drivers (Sony, FIIO, Shanling, Centrance, miniDSP, SMSL) I didn't use asi4all for many years now. Maybe Android 10 became as easy as windows10/11 ?

 

[Queen6]

Just install the Chinese firmware which doesn't have any Google services.

Exactly, however it would be far better if the likes of Sony provided an official option via the support page that you'd be guaranteed wont rollback via OTA update.

Q-6

 

[rlw6534]

Exactly, however it would be far better if the likes of Sony provided an official option via the support page that you'd be guaranteed wont rollback via OTA update.

Q-6

Agreed, but it isn't that difficult to ignore OTAs and update manually. These links will always contain the URL for the most recent Chinese firmware:

http://info.update.sony.net/PA001/NW-WM1ZM2_0003/info/info.xml

http://info.update.sony.net/PA001/NW-WM1AM2_0003/info/info.xml

Just save and open in a text editor.

 

[Queen6]

Agreed, but it isn't that difficult to ignore OTAs and update manually. These links will always contain the URL for the most recent Chinese firmware:

http://info.update.sony.net/PA001/NW-WM1ZM2_0003/info/info.xml

http://info.update.sony.net/PA001/NW-WM1AM2_0003/info/info.xml

Just save and open in a text editor.

True, still Sony should give it's customers the choice officially with such premium devices. I get why cheap notebooks/laptops are bundled with bloatware, here Sony has no excuses other than being lazy or serving itself and or Google.

Q-6

 

[xryptic]

I am more cautious about what I have uninstalled. So this is the apps uninstalled so far:


Google Assistant com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox
Google Photos com.google.android.apps.photos
Google Docs com.google.android.apps.docs
Google Maps com.google.android.apps.maps
Google Calendar com.google.android.calendar
Gmail com.google.android.gm
Google TV com.google.android.videos
Google Duo com.google.android.apps.tachyon
Digital Wellbeing com.google.android.apps.wellbeing
Google Location History com.google.android.gms.location.history
Android Sound Recorder com.android.soundrecorder
Android Accessibility Suite com.google.android.marvin.talkback
Speech Services by Google com.google.android.tts
Google Store App Feedback com.google.android.feedback
Print Service com.android.bips
Google Workspace/Enterprise Management com.android.managedprovisioning
Printer Spooler com.android.printspooler
Calendar Sync com.android.providers.calendar

I might have missed earlier threads. Is the cmd used after getting adb shell this [pm uninstall -k --user 0 NameOfPackage] and to reinstall back this [pm install-existing NameOfPackage]?

 

[Whitigir]

I might have missed earlier threads. Is the cmd used after getting adb shell this [pm uninstall -k --user 0 NameOfPackage] and to reinstall back this [pm install-existing NameOfPackage]?

for those who don't wish to use command line to uninstall bloatware, can give this GUI app a try:
https://adbappcontrol.com/en/

It recognized the WM1AM2 Walkman

Use the app above. It is a lot better than trying to find out a good app and services with command prompt to uninstall or disable stuff

 

[makkusu2021]

Interesting, but these are DAPs not phones.

As an interesting comparrison, the new Hiby R5G2 sticking with the older Open Android 8.1 has most things stripped out but still has store/services for streaming apps/UAPP etc.

Standby time is enormous (though I power mine off) and so is runtime in economy mode. They put in a barebones Internet browser. All I've installed is Amazon Music, Tidal, Spotify, UAPP. So, minimal Android they call Hiby OS, that still has Play Store & Services and fully bypasses Android audio limitations to be bit-perfect across all apps. A really bare Android install.

For some devices, Play Store could be sideloaded onto them even though they don't have a license from Google.
Google had chosen not to stop Play Store from working on those devices for unknown reason.
If you open the Play Store app, open Settings -> About -> Play Protected certification
it will show "Device is not certified" if your device does not have a license from Google

The full list of devices licensed from Google could be found in
https://storage.googleapis.com/play_public/supported_devices.html

The Hiby (and other Chinese DAPs) is not one of them.
I think Hiby simply sideloaded Play Store (and Play Service) without the permission from Google.

If I remember correctly, Fiio even has an article to tell their customers on how to sideload Play Store on their devices...

 

[Whitigir]

For some devices, Play Store could be sideloaded onto them even though they don't have a license from Google.
Google had chosen not to stop Play Store from working on those devices for unknown reason.
If you open the Play Store app, open Settings -> About -> Play Protected certification
it will show "Device is not certified" if your device does not have a license from Google

The full list of devices licensed from Google could be found in
https://storage.googleapis.com/play_public/supported_devices.html

The Hiby (and other Chinese DAPs) is not one of them.
I think Hiby simply sideloaded Play Store (and Play Service) without the permission from Google.

If I remember correctly, Fiio even has an article to tell their customers on how to sideload Play Store on their devices...

This is correct. Android Cores apps are always running as a package. Unless disabled and uninstalled

 

[hstnasia]

My first post here and more of a sharing of the experience of my brand spanking new WM1ZM2 which I pre-ordered back in February. I got my pre-order on 13-Apr and guess what, the 4.4mm Jack spoilt! I sent to Sony service center (I live in Singapore) on 14-Apr. And a month passed they still have not contacted me on the repair completion (what they gave me was “your repair will be completed from 11-May onwards”!!!! and they don’t seem to bother to give me any 1-to-1 replacement either. For a flagship product that costs a few good thousands dollars and this is what I ended up with, a lemon and a bad service that left a bad taste in my mouth. I also own the original WM1Z, no problem whatsoever for the passed years, their new flagship somehow has a very poor QC. Be careful if you think of buying this so called new Sony flagship.

 

[Whitigir]

My first post here and more of a sharing of the experience of my brand spanking new WM1ZM2 which I pre-ordered back in February. I got my pre-order on 13-Apr and guess what, the 4.4mm Jack spoilt! I sent to Sony service center (I live in Singapore) on 14-Apr. And a month passed they still have not contacted me on the repair completion (what they gave me was “your repair will be completed from 11-May onwards”!!!! and they don’t seem to bother to give me any 1-to-1 replacement either. For a flagship product that costs a few good thousands dollars and this is what I ended up with, a lemon and a bad service that left a bad taste in my mouth. I also own the original WM1Z, no problem whatsoever for the passed years, their new flagship somehow has a very poor QC. Be careful if you think of buying this so called new Sony flagship.

I doubt they have any stock to replace you 1-1. I also doubt the service manual is released, which has information of part # and the procedures of how to replace it.

The best bet is to ask someone who DIY and modifying the original M1. Parts must be similar, even if they don’t, there will be a way to fix it up and return as soon as you wanted. Otherwise, you will need to ask for refund and buy elsewhere that has them in stock

People can’t even find it to buy yet