[GUIDE] to Removing Stock Apps - 12/21/2012 - Android Forums

I would suggest that you backup up all apps with Titanium Backup and also freezing the apps for a while before uninstalling them (preferably uninstalling them with Titanium Backup as well, as opposed to Root Uninstaller). Everyone uses a phone differently so just because it works for me doesn't mean it'll necessarily work for you.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Let's Get Started
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This guide lists all of the apps that come stock with the phone with/including Virgin Mobile's ZV5 firmware upgrade. Apps are listed in alphabetical order by .apk filename. All stock .apks/apps that are located in /system/app are listed, although some do not have an .apk but do have an app name. In such cases, they will be appended to the end of each section. Similarly, many do not have a description as we're unclear of what they do. If you know of an .apk, app name, and/or description, and it's missing from here, please let me know and I'll add it ASAP!

Key:

Underlined = .apk Filename.
Bold = App Name (as you may find it in, for example, Titanium Backup).
Italicized = Description.
[...] = Name is obscenely and unnecessarily long, and has been shortened.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bloat Apps / Safe to Remove
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BooksPhone.apk - Google Play Books
E-Reader for Google Books.
com.sprint.voicemail.apk - Sprint Voicemail
Voicemail app.
GenieWidget.apk
Bloat widgets.
GoogleWallet.apk - Wallet
Stores credit card information.
LG_LS840_Cayman-SmartDeviceManager[...]UPDATE_2_21_2012.apk - Sprint Smart Device Manager
Sprint Parental Controls App.
MagicSmokeWallpapers.apk - Magic Smoke Wallpapers
Wallpaper pack.
MobileID-1.6.30-ANDR_PRD.apk - Mobile ID
A Virgin Mobile app to install customization packs - in other words, a Trojan Horse of bloat.
Music2.apk - Google Play Music
Buy and Sync music App.
PlusOne.apk - Google+
Google+
PolarisViewer3.0.LG.HVGA.apk - Polaris Viewer
Stock file browser.
PrefAct.apk - Sprint Preferred Activity
Needs description, but removing it affects nothing.
Protips.apk
Homescreen Tips Widgets.
SelfServiceAssistant_1.2.3_Sprint_signed.apk
Needs description, but removing it affects nothing.
Shopper-110-preinstall.apk - Google Shopper
Google Shopping App.
Sprint_Installer2201.apk
Needs description, but removing it affects nothing.
Street.apk - Street View
Google Maps' Street View.
Swype.apk - Swype Keyboard
Swype Keyboard.
Videos.apk
Needs description, but removing it affects nothing.
VmRoms.apk - VM ROMs
Not what you think it is. Found in /data/app.
VisualizationWallpapers.apk - Music Visualization Wallpapers
Wallpaper pack.
YouTube.apk - YouTube
Self explanatory.
Zone-Myaccount-v3.0.43.apk
Virgin Mobile MyAccount Homescreen Shortcut.
Applications Stub
Virgin Mobile App.
Buzz Feed
Virgin Mobile App.
Downloads (red logo)
Displays your downloads from Virgin Mobile.
Facebook
Self explanatory.
News & Weather
News and Weather App.
Tuning Fork
Stupid Virgin Mobile App.
Tutorial Widgets
Self explanatory. They appear when you turn on your phone for the first time.
VM Icon Pack
Virgin Mobile App Icons. Don't worry, uninstalling this will not remove app icons from your phone - this is just another stupid Virgin Mobile stock bloat app.
Virgin Mobile Live
Virgin Mobile music app.
Virgin Mobile Live Widget
Virgin Mobile Live widget.
Voicemail
Voicemail Homescreen Shortcut.
Wikipedia
Wikipedia App.
Yelp
Yelp App.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Can be removed if you don't use or need them, or have replacements
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bluetooth.apk - Bluetooth
Bluetooth. Removal causes loss of Bluetooth functionality.
Browser.apk - Browser
Stock Web Browser. Can be replaced.
Calculator.apk - Calculator
Stock Calculator. Can be replaced.
Calendar.apk - Calendar
Stock Calendar. Can be replaced.
CalendarProvider.apk
Required for Calendar function.
CameraApp.apk - Camera (and Camcorder)
Stock Camera App. Can be replaced.
com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox.apk
Google Search Box Widget on Homescreen.
com.google.android.voicesearch.apk
Needs description.
Contacts.apk - Contacts
Stock Contacts App. Can be replaced.
ContactsProvider.apk
Required for Contacts.
DeskClock.apk
Stock Clock widget and Alarm app. Your phone will still display the correct date and time without this.
Email.apk - Email
Stock Email Client App for pop3 and imap accounts. Can be replaced.
Gallery3D.apk - Gallery
Stock Picture/Gallery Viewer.
Gmail.apk - Gmail
Stock Gmail App. Check Gmail email with this.
GoogleCalendarSyncAdapter.apk - Google Calendar Sync
Syncs calendar data to your Gmail account.
GoogleContactsSyncAdapter.apk - Google Contacts Sync
Syncs contacts data to your Gmail account.
GoogleQuickSearchBox.apk
Google Quick Search Box.
HTMLViewer.apk
Needs description, but recommend keeping.
LatinIME.apk - Android Keyboard
Stock Android Keyboard. Can be replaced.
Launcher2-1.6.35-mdpi-nfc-ANDR_PRD.apk - Launcher
Stock Launcher.
Note: Remove only if you have a replacement set as a system app and as the default launcher or you will be forced to either factory reset or restore from a Nandroid backup as you will be unable to access anything except through Recovery.
LGWallpaperPicker.apk - LG Wallpaper Picker
Allows you to pick from stock wallpapers.
LiveWallpapers.apk - Android Live Wallpapers
Animated Wallpapers.
LiveWallpapersPicker.apk - Live Wallpapers Picker
If you wish to get rid of the stock live wallpapers, but wish to retain support for them, keep this app. If not, you can get rid of it.
Maps.apk - Google Maps
Self explanatory.
MarketUpdater.apk - Market Updater
Notifies you of Google Play app updates if they are available.
Mms.apk - Messaging
Stock messaging app. Can be replaced.
Music.apk - Music Player
Stock Music Player. Can be replaced.
Nfc.apk - NFC
NFC (Near Field Communications).
Note: Removal may cause Play Store issues.
NfcHandover.apk - NFC Handover
Required for NFC.
Note: Removal may cause Play Store issues.
oem_install_flash_player.apk - Adobe Flash Player
Plays online flash content.
Phone.apk - Dialer
Stock Dialer App. Can be replaced.
PhotoEditor.apk - Photo Editor
Allows you to crop, resize, etc. photos. For example, this can be done through the Gallery app of your choice. If you never wish to edit photos in any way, you can remove this app.
PicoTts.apk - PicoTTS
Allows you to use TTS (Text to Speech).
QuickMemo_GB.apk - Quick Memo
Takes screenshots you can doodle on.
SoundRecorder.apk - Sound Recorder
Sound Recorder. Records audio.
Tag.apk
Required for NFC. Reads NFC tags. Remove if you don't wish to use NFC to read NFC tags.
Note: Removal may cause Play Store issues.
Talk.apk - Google Talk
Google Talk.
TtsService.apk
Required for (Pico)TTS.
VoiceDialer.apk - Voice Dialer
Voice Dialer.
VoiceSearch.apk - Voice Search
Allows you to conduct a search query using your voice.
VpnServices.apk - VPN
Allows you to use a VPN for the phone's incoming/outgoing connections over the interwebs whilst looking at pictures of cute fluffy kittens.
Downloads (green logo)
Handles the downloading of Google Apps, Picasa, YouTube, etc.
My Uploads
Handles the uploading of Google Apps, Picasa, YouTube, etc.
Sprint Android Requirements
Removing prevents SSA from working. Safe to remove if you've removed SSA.
SSA
Activation App. Removal will prevent activating via app.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Required System Apps - Don't even think about removing these
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

AccountAndSyncSettings.apk
Your Google account and sync settings are handled through this.
androidUTSManager.apk
Needs description.
ApplicationsProvider.apk
Needs description.
CameraTestApp.apk
Camera test for LG Hidden Menu.
CertInstaller.apk
Manages Secure Certificates.
DefaultContainerService.apk
Needs description.
DownloadProvider.apk - Download Provider
Needs description.
DownloadProviderUi.apk
UI for the Download Provider.
DrmProvider.apk - DRM Protected Content Storage
Handles rights to protected media.
framework-res.apk
In addition to other things; handles the graphical portion of the framework for your phone. This includes things like, but not limited to, the battery icon and the glow of color when you attempt to scroll past the border of a window.
GoogleBackupTransport.apk
Backup phone settings to Google.
GoogleFeedback.apk - Google Feedback
Needs description.
GooglePartnerSetup.apk
Needs description.
GoogleServicesFramework.apk
Handles Google login.
HiddenSdCard.apk
Needs description.
LgHiddenMenu.apk
LG's Programming Menu.
MediaProvider.apk
Needs description.
MediaUploader.apk
Needs description.
MLT.apk
Needs description.
NetworkLocation.apk
Tower-based location info.
PackageInstaller.apk
Handles App installs.
Phonesky.apk
The Google Play Store. Can be removed, but you'll lose the ability to download and update apps.
PrivInit.apk
Needs description.
QComRPCPermissions.apk
Needs description. Has to do with QualComm.
QualcommSettings.apk
QualComm Settings.
SensorTestApp.apk
Tests the Proximity Sensor and Accelerometer.
Settings.apk - System Settings
Phone Settings. Includes the Power Control widget.
SettingsProvider.apk - Settings Provider
Needs description.
SetupWizard.apk
Needs description.
SprintExtension_signed.apk
Needs description.
SprintHiddenMenu.apk
Needs description.
SystemUI.apk
The phone's UI that is not covered by framework-res. Covers things such as, but not limited to, the icons for ADB and the SD card, the battery icon (both framework-res and SystemUI handle this, not sure why), and the status bar.
TelephonyProvider.apk
Needs description.
UserDictionaryProvider.apk - User Dictionary
Stores words you create in the phone's dictionary.
com.sdcard.test
Tests the sdcard on startup.

jamoosh, cfreeman90 and pilot03 like this.


__________________
Sleipnir Developer. Author of the [FAQ-GUIDE] for CWM for the OE, and [GUIDE] to Removing Stock Apps for the OE, threads.
Artine is offline
Last edited by Artine; March 11th, 2013 at 06:37 PM.

Powered by ScribeFire.