Disabling apps (non root)

[SNeitzel]

So a guy at work asked me an Android question today that I'm not sure of the answer to...

Under ICS and JB, even if you are not rooted you have the ability to disable pre-installed apps but the system warns you every time that doing so might cause problems. The question is, will an un-rooted system allow you to disable a critical app and potentially cause stability issues?

My assumption would be no, but then why does the system warn you every time?
Is that just CYA...?

 

[DragonSlayer95]

My assumption is android is saying, if you start to have problems because if a pre installed that you disabled, hey that's on you lol

But before I became a root user, I always disabled pre installed and I've never encountered any problems since I never used those apps I disabled anyway

 

[Thom]

My Bionic is not root-ed and I have never disabled an app.

The kind of problem that I think is a potential is ...

You disable an app.
That app is called in the background by another app and you never knew it.
The calling app can't access the disabled app and tries repeatedly to do so.
The net result is that it eats battery.

That is ... I think ... an example of "problem".

(So as was suggested ... if you disabled some and have a problem ... consider that enabling might make the problem disappear.

... Thom

 

[BigRedGonzo]

You also have replacement apps that are really just shells for the original stock app. There are some Texting apps that use the engine of the stock app and just provide the user with a different UI. If you install one that works that way and then disable the stock app, your pretty new app stops working.

BigRedGonzo

 

[SNeitzel]

I get what you're saying Thom. My thoughts were more along the lines of would the system let you disable a critical app that would cause a bootloop and ultimately a FDR or a re-flash?

Those of us that are rooted know that is a possibility if we freeze the wrong app. I'd be curious to know if there is a safeguard built into ICS/JB to prevent un-knowing users from doing that.