Remove google play services

[jragusa]

I am using an old ZTE phone using Android 4.0.4 and 410MB memory. Between app and data, google play services (GPS) consumes 250MB. The only two apps I run on this phone are whatsapp and Skype. However, after the memory GPS hogs up, there is not enough left over to run even these two apps. Frequent crashes and freezes are the norm.

Wondering:
1. If I can just uninstall GPS from Settings > Apps > GPS (have read it's impossible to banish GPS - will keep reinstalling itself).
2 Will removing GPS affect the working of whatsapp and skype.

FWIW, I have tried removing all cache and data, moving whatever I can to SD card, etc.

 

[Hadron]

You'd need root to remove it. The Play Store will cease to work, and other Google services (don't have a list). Don't see why it should affect the 2 apps you mention (as long as you don't want to update them), but not certain.

If you have the ability to remove it I would try disabling it instead, since that's far simpler to reverse. If it won't let you disable, Titanium Backup can freeze it (root required, but you can't remove a pre-installed app without root anyway).

 

[jragusa]

You'd need root to remove it. The Play Store will cease to work, and other Google services (don't have a list). Don't see why it should affect the 2 apps you mention (as long as you don't want to update them), but not certain.

If you have the ability to remove it I would try disabling it instead, since that's far simpler to reverse. If it won't let you disable, Titanium Backup can freeze it (root required, but you can't remove a pre-installed app without root anyway).

No, there is no option to disable (Google Play Services) GPS, only Uninstall. There is no space to even install Titanium Backup (or any other app) to determine if my phone is rooted and freeze GPS. Hell, even Playstore does not start up!!

Under the circs, I take it that even if I Uninstall GPS, it will reinstall itself if my phone is not rooted.

 

[jragusa]

So I went ahead and uninstalled Google play services AND play store. Glad to report that all is fine (so far).

When started, Skype flashes a message saying it needs GPS to function, however, I just ignore it and it seems to work okay.

I do get a "Updates available" message every time I restart the phone and I ignore that as well. If I touch this, Android proceeds to install play store and GPS!!

The browser works as well so I can even check yahoo mail. I can even download new app apk's from places like tomsguide, apkmirror, etc. and install them. And when I restart the phone, it does so in half the time it used to take with GPS!!

All good news. For others considering getting rid of GPS, I say, go ahead!!