I just wanted to share that you can disable google play store on stock Android and not lose that much functionality, if for any reason you use an app that require Google play store or you want to make a play store purchase, you can enable it again.
I personally disabled it and I get my apps from Aurora Store, ApkPure and Droidify.
It decreased my phone battery usage by a lot and I am less dependent on google overall.
Careful, Google is currently forcing apps to migrate from SafetyNet to PlayProtect!
SafetyNet is used by tons of security theater apps like banking 2FA. It is an API of play services.
PlayProtect is basically the same but you have to talk to it though google play. This is a blatant move by google to make exactly what OP is suggesting impossible, and means that if you do this, you may soon see many apps break that you are forced to use.
If you ever want to know how many apps use gapps on your phone, android apps with the hook have a “google play services avalability” notification channel, ive seen the settings app spam me notifications about its longing for gapps.
Dont let me discourage you though.
My phone reports that the Google play store hasn’t logged any battery usage all day. Is it active for other users?
Do you really think it says the truth? I think I saw such systems lying in the past so can’t believe them no more.
