Phones Android Users: How important is rooting for you

[frankgrimes]

Today I've had this discussion with a few friends because they wanted to know how to stop some apps from auto-starting, put an end to Googles data hunger and how to do real nand backups without the cloud...

So I've told them the best option is to root the phone and get full control of your device again. I was a bit surprised that a lot of them didn't even know of what their phones are really capable of and we're talking flagship stuff here.

Personally speaking I could never have a smartphone without root Google and carriers just are to data hungry for me and there are some Apps i.e. bloatware that I just hate and it doesn't matter if it's Ios or Android each phone has them.

If I'm spending money on a phone I want to truly make it mine and take advantage of all the customization options Android offers and that's not possible without root. Still can't believe that LG released the G 6 with a locked bootloader in Europe.

 

[Roadstar]

For me it's not important. It's good to have available as a fallback option for custom ROMs when official support for the device stops, but when the device is properly supported, I'd rather have my mobile payments and other stuff that doesn't work when rooted.

 

[kevinof]

What's rooting?

 

[tbayrgs]

For me it's not important. It's good to have available as a fallback option for custom ROMs when official support for the device stops, but when the device is properly supported, I'd rather have my mobile payments and other stuff that doesn't work when rooted.

This^. I don't have the time or desire to mess with my phone anymore. IMO, a well made, well supported device with efficient software shouldn't need it.

 

[lowendlinux]

It's important to me. It's not a speed thing or a support thing it's a control thing, I paid for the phone I want control.

 

[kkh786]

I haven't rooted a phone since the HTC Desire!

 

[c0ppo]

If I cant root, or there is no good community support, I wont buy that phone at all.

As simple as that :]

 

[Roadstar]

I haven't rooted a phone since the HTC Desire!

My last rooting also dates back quite a bit. It was a ZTE Blade that shipped with Eclair and I rooted to get it to Froyo more quickly

 

[Technarchy]

Don't care

 

[lowendlinux]

This is the reason to root

https://adaway.org/

 

[yui4]

I used to root but since Don't feel the need anymore. There's enough freedom in android for myself to set up my phone how I like it.

As opposed to iPhone were I hate not being able to jailbreak.

 

[Hastings101]

Not so much anymore. Smartphones have gotten fast enough that most people don't need to hack in CyanogenMod or whatever to fix terrible performance like we used to, and a lot of browsers have adblock now. I'm not really sure what else I would use root for if I were to go back to Android again besides performance or adblock.

 

[nviz22]

Was great to root years ago, but Android is a mature OS where I don't mind not having an extra feature or two while keeping Samsung Pay, my warranty clear, and less buggy features. Package disabler takes care of bloat. Options are always good, but I don't need or want to root at this point.

 

[LIVEFRMNYC]

I just don't have the need to root anymore. Now I only root my older devices.

However, I would root any device with that has stock Android. If I had the Pixel, I would root it asap. But it's still not necessary for me.

 

[JackieInCo]

I have a Note 4, Note Edge and a Note 5 rooted. I only rooted these phones because I wanted to run Adaway to block ads in apps. Now that there is an app called Adguard, I really don't have a need to root but those phones I rooted, are still rooted today.

I have a few S7 Edge phones but because they are US versions, they can be rooted but the extreme lag and battery drain after rooting was enough for me to restore to stock. I never could get rid of the problems on my S7 Edge after rooting and I gave it a week of adjusting the settings that were recommended.

 

[Tsepz]

This^. I don't have the time or desire to mess with my phone anymore. IMO, a well made, well supported device with efficient software shouldn't need it.

Indeed.

Back when I was in university I loved Rooting, I would apply mods and customise the crap out of my Androids, but these days I just want something that works and has good support for the 18months that I have it for.

My Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy S7 Edge have never been Rooted.

Same goes for Jailbreaking my iPad, haven't bothered to do so on my iPad Air 2.

 

[Puddled]

Was great to root years ago, but Android is a mature OS where I don't mind not having an extra feature or two while keeping Samsung Pay, my warranty clear, and less buggy features. Package disabler takes care of bloat. Options are always good, but I don't need or want to root at this point.

Quite agree.

Rooting is dying out imho. The hay day of xda has been and gone. There really isn't much reason to root these days. I'd add that it's also risky. You loose warranty and the benefits of a secure system.

I recommend my friends to NOT root these days.

 

[Roadstar]

Quite agree.

Rooting is dying out imho. The hay day of xda has been and gone. There really isn't much reason to root these days. I'd add that it's also risky. You loose warranty and the benefits of a secure system.

I recommend my friends to NOT root these days.

Indeed, the feeling of having total control does not justify the lost functionality and compromised security in addition to warranty issues:

 

[Tig Bitties]

I've owned maybe 20 different flagship Android phones over the years. I root every single one of them.

To me it's pointless to own a phone that can't be rooted. Why would you get a phone that stays stock only ? That's insanity IMO.

 

[BlueGoldAce]

I've owned maybe 20 different flagship Android phones over the years. I root every single one of them.

To me it's pointless to own a phone that can't be rooted. Why would you get a phone that stays stock only ? That's insanity IMO.

I used to have the same opinion.

Now, I just want a phone that works consistently, reliably, and if there is a problem it is not something of my doing.

I rooted like crazy back in the OG evo 4g days....and I rooted following that, but it became less and less. These days, Android (even my GS8) is fast, fluid, and reliable. I can't think of anything rooting would bring me.

-Battery life? Already great
-Fluid? Yes
-Reliable? Yes
-Secure? yes
-Customizable? Yes. Between icon packs, launcher, themes, and apps like zooper widget, you can customize to your heart's content. I don't do much with this, anymore.
*rooting gives one a level of control, that has been (for myself) been
made moot. I don't have to root to get the above features. But if I do root, I loose features.

-I think rooting is a bit like Linux. If you use it, and you have a passion for it, you can't imagine going without it. But if you don't, there isn't a need for the normal person to learn and love it; windows 10/ macOS will do fine.

Rooting originated, imo, as a way to "fix" smartphones like the Evo 4g that were ruined by over-bearing manufacturer customizations. It also became (and still is for older/mid-range phones) a way to extend the life of a phone with updates/etc. But flagship phones don't have these problems, imo, and it is not worth the security/features you may loose. But to each their own.

 

[Puddled]

Now, I just want a phone that works consistently, reliably, and if there is a problem it is not something of my doing.

I rooted like crazy back in the OG evo 4g days....and I rooted following that, but it became less and less. These days, Android (even my GS8) is fast, fluid, and reliable. I can't think of anything rooting would bring me.

-Battery life? Already great
-Fluid? Yes
-Reliable? Yes
-Secure? yes
-Customizable? Yes. Between icon packs, launcher, themes, and apps like zooper widget, you can customize to your heart's content. I don't do much with this, anymore.
*rooting gives one a level of control, that has been (for myself) been
made moot. I don't have to root to get the above features. But if I do root, I loose features.

-I think rooting is a bit like Linux. If you use it, and you have a passion for it, you can't imagine going without it. But if you don't, there isn't a need for the normal person to learn and love it; windows 10/ macOS will do fine.

Rooting originated, imo, as a way to "fix" smartphones like the Evo 4g that were ruined by over-bearing manufacturer customizations. It also became (and still is for older/mid-range phones) a way to extend the life of a phone with updates/etc. But flagship phones don't have these problems, imo, and it is not worth the security/features you may loose. But to each their own.

You said what I meant in a much better way lol

 

[Tig Bitties]

Rooting to me is like Jailbreaking for iOS. An iPhone without a JB is the worst device ever, but with a JB transforms it to one of the best smartphones on market.

I can't own an iPhone without a JB. Stock iOS is vomit inducing.

 

[Roadstar]

I've owned maybe 20 different flagship Android phones over the years. I root every single one of them.

To me it's pointless to own a phone that can't be rooted. Why would you get a phone that stays stock only ? That's insanity IMO.

Well it depends on your needs. For me to root my S7 Edge would be more insane than not rooting it. By rooting I would lose mobile payments straight away, warranty would be gone (don't you just love that on a €800 phone), some streaming apps would refuse to work unless I tinkered a bit more with trying to cloak the root, and the icing on the cake would be losing access to work Exchange. No thanks.

 

[frankgrimes]

Got a new phone and it's lighting fast so far and the backup works so I'll wait a bit till rooting it

Must admit Android 7 is really really nice

 

[kasakka]

My Oneplus 3 is not rooted and I've had no problems running a custom ROM on it. The ability to install an alternative recovery and custom ROMs is important to me so if device manufacturers can make this happen without rooting the device I'm cool with it.

I used to root my phone because software like Xposed and Gravitybox needed it to work but now many of the things I used in those are baked into either stock Android or LineageOS already.