From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

Phone: Samsung Galaxy A56
OS: Android 16
GUI: Samsung One UI 8.5

My phone just restarted (scheduled) due to some software update, but I
don't know if the update was for Android to v16 or for One UI to v8.5.
What I did notice was the clock app and widget disappeared. The app
drawer no longer shows a Clock app. The slide-down menu (top right of
screen) doesn't show a clock shortcut. The list of widgets doesn't show
a Clock widget. Tapping on the time in the weather widget does not
bring up a clock app. Tapping on the time icon in the notification area doesn't show anything (unless the phone is in Do Not Disturb mode which
is a notification). The selections for screen saver no longer include a
clock.

I don't know if it was this recent update, or an earlier update that
removed the Clock app/widget since it has been many months since I
played with it to set a reminder or alarm. As I recall, when I first
got this phone with Android 15, there was a clock app. Now there isn't.
Did Samsung remove it in an update of their OneUI, or did Google remove
it from Android 16, or did Google use their Play Store app to uninstall
the Clock app? I've read some murmurings online that the old clock app
was flaky, so did Google or Samsung delete it forcing us to move to a
different clock app?

I now have to install a clock app, but which one? I don't need anything
fancy as I mentioned it has been a long time since I previously played
with it. I found one by Samsung (by phone brand) and another by Google:

Samsung clock: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sec.android.app.clockpackage Updated Jul 20, 2026

Google clock: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.deskclock Updated Jul 31, 2026

Neither mentions if it adds a clock widget, or you just get an app w/o
widget.
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

VanguardLH wrote:

Phone: Samsung Galaxy A56
OS: Android 16
GUI: Samsung One UI 8.5

My phone just restarted (scheduled) due to some software update, but I
don't know if the update was for Android to v16 or for One UI to v8.5.
What I did notice was the clock app and widget disappeared.

My tablet is running the same versions of Android and oneUI, it still
has clock and calendar widgets available ...

--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

On 2026-08-02 08:57, VanguardLH wrote:

Phone: Samsung Galaxy A56
OS: Android 16
GUI: Samsung One UI 8.5

My phone just restarted (scheduled) due to some software update, but I
don't know if the update was for Android to v16 or for One UI to v8.5.
What I did notice was the clock app and widget disappeared. The app
drawer no longer shows a Clock app. The slide-down menu (top right of screen) doesn't show a clock shortcut. The list of widgets doesn't show
a Clock widget. Tapping on the time in the weather widget does not
bring up a clock app. Tapping on the time icon in the notification area doesn't show anything (unless the phone is in Do Not Disturb mode which
is a notification). The selections for screen saver no longer include a clock.

I don't know if it was this recent update, or an earlier update that
removed the Clock app/widget since it has been many months since I
played with it to set a reminder or alarm. As I recall, when I first
got this phone with Android 15, there was a clock app. Now there isn't.
Did Samsung remove it in an update of their OneUI, or did Google remove
it from Android 16, or did Google use their Play Store app to uninstall
the Clock app? I've read some murmurings online that the old clock app
was flaky, so did Google or Samsung delete it forcing us to move to a different clock app?

I now have to install a clock app, but which one? I don't need anything fancy as I mentioned it has been a long time since I previously played
with it. I found one by Samsung (by phone brand) and another by Google:

Samsung clock: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sec.android.app.clockpackage
Updated Jul 20, 2026

Google clock: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.deskclock Updated Jul 31, 2026

Neither mentions if it adds a clock widget, or you just get an app w/o widget.

If it is only two, just try them out :-)
--
Cheers,
Carlos E.R.
ESEfc-Efc+, EUEfc-Efc|;
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> wrote:

VanguardLH wrote:

Phone: Samsung Galaxy A56
OS: Android 16
GUI: Samsung One UI 8.5

My phone just restarted (scheduled) due to some software update, but I don't know if the update was for Android to v16 or for One UI to v8.5.
What I did notice was the clock app and widget disappeared.

My tablet is running the same versions of Android and oneUI, it still
has clock and calendar widgets available ...

Same here (but for an A56 phone like VanguardLH has).

The icon of the clock widget on the Home screen changed in some update
(OneUI 8.5? or earlier?). It was transparent with time and date. Now
it's just a white elips with the time in black.

(To VanguardLH:) Don't you have the Clock *app* on the Apps screen and
at least in the Settings -> Apps list?

The one I have says (under Apps):

"Apps details in store
App downloaded from App update

Version 12.5.60.27"

I find the "App downloaded from App update" a bit strange, because it normally says something like "App downloaded from Galaxy Store" (which
it says for for example the 'Device care' app and similar built-in
Samsung apps).
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

"Carlos E. R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> wrote:

VanguardLH wrote:

I now have to install a clock app, but which one? I don't need anything
fancy as I mentioned it has been a long time since I previously played
with it. I found one by Samsung (by phone brand) and another by Google:

Samsung clock:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sec.android.app.clockpackage
Updated Jul 20, 2026

Google clock:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.deskclock >> Updated Jul 31, 2026

Neither mentions if it adds a clock widget, or you just get an app w/o
widget.

If it is only two, just try them out :-)

I'd have to compare them in analysis to decide which one. I do not
install just anything to see what it is like. Uninstalling the one, or
all, that I find are unwanted still leaves behind the APK. If I don't
make a mess, I don't have to later clean it up if even possible. I am
very anti "install everything and anything to see how it works". Unlike Windows where I can save image backups to easily and quickly restore a
drive exactly back to a prior state, I don't know that can be done with Android. I'd rather avoid having to do manual remnant cleanup if it can
be avoided in the first place.

While I was looking at Google's Play Store for clock apps, I forgot
Samsung has their own store. In their Store app, I found yet another
one from Samsung. That might've been the one that came bundled on the
phone, and lately disappeared. Its screenshots look the same as the
Samsung Clock app found at Google's Play Store.
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> wrote:

Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> wrote:

VanguardLH wrote:

Phone: Samsung Galaxy A56
OS: Android 16
GUI: Samsung One UI 8.5

My phone just restarted (scheduled) due to some software update, but I
don't know if the update was for Android to v16 or for One UI to v8.5.
What I did notice was the clock app and widget disappeared.

My tablet is running the same versions of Android and oneUI, it still
has clock and calendar widgets available ...

Same here (but for an A56 phone like VanguardLH has).

The icon of the clock widget on the Home screen changed in some update (OneUI 8.5? or earlier?). It was transparent with time and date. Now
it's just a white elips with the time in black.

(To VanguardLH:) Don't you have the Clock *app* on the Apps screen and
at least in the Settings -> Apps list?

Nope. As mentioned, no Clock app in the app drawer.
No clock listed as a widget, either.
The clock in the weather widget just brings up weather info, no clock.

The only clock-like display is the h:mm text at the left end of the notification bar. However, tapping on it does nothing (unless DND is
enabled which then shows a notification that DND is currently enabled).

The one I have says (under Apps):

"Apps details in store
App downloaded from App update

Version 12.5.60.27"

I find the "App downloaded from App update" a bit strange, because it normally says something like "App downloaded from Galaxy Store" (which
it says for for example the 'Device care' app and similar built-in
Samsung apps).

Ah, I was looking in the app drawer for a clock app. Samsung has their
own store management by using the Store app. For example, it lists the components in the Good Lock and Good Guardians apps. The Android apps
drawer lists those 2 apps, but not all the optional components they will provide if you choose to install them. Still no Clock app listed in
Samsung's Store app.

After hunting the web, I'm not the only user that noticed the clock app
went missing, but unclear is if the deletion was due to an Android
update, or a One UI update, or some other "convenience" of the Play
Store to remove Google-dictated-bad apps, or those whose new version is
no longer compatible with my phone. In the Play Store app, I've had to
go through each listed app to disable the oh-so-wonderful feature of
removing permissions from long-unused apps. Sure glad Google can't do
that with my fire extinguishers.
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

On 8/2/26 6:50 PM, VanguardLH wrote:

I was looking in the app drawer for a clock app. Samsung has their
own store management by using the Store app.

Yep. My Samsung Galaxy S10+ (7 years old) still has the Samsung clock app in
the app drawer as well as still being available in the Samsung app store.

After hunting the web, I'm not the only user that noticed the clock app
went missing, but unclear is if the deletion was due to an Android
update,

That's the advantage of an old phone, no updates. My clock app which still
works fine was last updated in 2023...

or a One UI update, or some other "convenience" of the Play
Store to remove Google-dictated-bad apps, or those whose new version is
no longer compatible with my phone.

Guess I'm glad it's not a Play Store app then?

In the Play Store app, I've had to
go through each listed app to disable the oh-so-wonderful feature of
removing permissions from long-unused apps.

Yep. Definitely a PITA. I do mine in Phone Settings>Apps>Where I then turn
off that nasty switch in the affected apps...


--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

VanguardLH <V@nguard.LH> wrote:

Phone: Samsung Galaxy A56
OS: Android 16
GUI: Samsung One UI 8.5

My phone just restarted (scheduled) due to some software update, but I
don't know if the update was for Android to v16 or for One UI to v8.5.
What I did notice was the clock app and widget disappeared. The app
drawer no longer shows a Clock app. The slide-down menu (top right of screen) doesn't show a clock shortcut. The list of widgets doesn't show
a Clock widget. Tapping on the time in the weather widget does not
bring up a clock app. Tapping on the time icon in the notification area doesn't show anything (unless the phone is in Do Not Disturb mode which
is a notification). The selections for screen saver no longer include a clock.

I decided to replace the missing clock app (don't remember whose it was)
with the Samsung Clock app.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sec.android.app.clockpackage

Has all the functions I expect, plus nice settings for snooze. Its app
icon looks very similar to what I remember used by the old but now
missing clock app. Since it is Samsung's clock app, I suspect it is the
one normally bundled on Samsung phones. Clock widgets were added after installing it.
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

AJL wrote:

Yep. Definitely a PITA. I do mine in Phone Settings>Apps>Where I then turn
off that nasty switch in the affected apps...

VanguardLH wrote:

The app drawer no longer shows a Clock app.

While one would intuitively think "the app drawer" should show all packages installed, it doesn't. It only shows "launchable apps" and even then, if we
run a search, it only shows the launchable app if the search keyword fits.

For a clock app, it's pretty certain the keyword would be "clock", but
that's not the case for all apps that there is one conclusive keyword.

The OP could, of course, find all packages on his device with one command:
adb shell pm list packages

And then, if he wanted to find clock apps, he's grep for "clock" perhaps.
adb shell pm list packages | findstr /i clock

I just ran that command, for example, and it spit this out on my Samsung.
=> package:pixer.worldclock (for world time zones)
=> package:com.bnyro.clock (non-google/samsung privacy clock)
=> package:com.samsung.android.dynamiclock (lockscreen customization)
=> package:com.samsung.android.app.clockpack (samsung clock style engine)
=> package:app.easyworldclock (world time zones)
=> package:com.simplemobiletools.clock (stopwatch, alarm, timers, clock)
=> package:com.chibatching.worldclockwidget (widget-only world clock)
=> package:com.sec.android.app.clockpackage (official samsung clock app)

If the OP doesn't have adb on a desktop, Muntashirakon AM works well:
<https://github.com/MuntashirAkon/AppManager> (apk)
<https://muntashir.dev/AppManager/en/> (doc)
--
On Usenet, friendly kind-hearted people help each other out daily.
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

VanguardLH <V@nguard.lh> wrote:
[...]

My phone just restarted (scheduled) due to some software update, but I don't know if the update was for Android to v16 or for One UI to v8.5.
What I did notice was the clock app and widget disappeared. The app
drawer no longer shows a Clock app. The slide-down menu (top right of screen) doesn't show a clock shortcut. The list of widgets doesn't show
a Clock widget. Tapping on the time in the weather widget does not
bring up a clock app. Tapping on the time icon in the notification area doesn't show anything (unless the phone is in Do Not Disturb mode which
is a notification). The selections for screen saver no longer include a clock.

I decided to replace the missing clock app (don't remember whose it was)
with the Samsung Clock app.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sec.android.app.clockpackage

Compare your screens of the Clock app with the screenshots on the
Google Play webpage. Especially look at the bottom of the screens. If
they're equal to those on the website, it's probably *not* the standard
Samsung clock app, because that app has its four buttons (Alarm, World
Clock, Stopwatch and Timer) in an (smaller) ellipse, rather than the
(large) rectangle shown in the screenshots.

I've mentioned the version number of my official version (12.5.60.27).
What's your version number?

Has all the functions I expect, plus nice settings for snooze. Its app
icon looks very similar to what I remember used by the old but now
missing clock app. Since it is Samsung's clock app, I suspect it is the
one normally bundled on Samsung phones. Clock widgets were added after installing it.

--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

On 8/3/26 6:24 AM, Frank Slootweg wrote:

I've mentioned the version number of my official version (12.5.60.27).
What's your [Samsung Clock App] version number?

12.1.25.0 (dated July 3, 2023) on my old Galaxy S10+. I went to my phone's
Samsung Galaxy Store (version 4.6.09.1) and it only offers the same version
as the one installed. Neither app allows Disable or Delete so guess it's
good everything still works...
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> wrote:

VanguardLH <V@nguard.lh> wrote:

I decided to replace the missing clock app (don't remember whose it was)
with the Samsung Clock app.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sec.android.app.clockpackage

Compare your screens of the Clock app with the screenshots on the
Google Play webpage. Especially look at the bottom of the screens. If
they're equal to those on the website, it's probably *not* the standard Samsung clock app, because that app has its four buttons (Alarm, World
Clock, Stopwatch and Timer) in an (smaller) ellipse, rather than the
(large) rectangle shown in the screenshots.

I've mentioned the version number of my official version (12.5.60.27). What's your version number?

Has all the functions I expect, plus nice settings for snooze. Its app
icon looks very similar to what I remember used by the old but now
missing clock app. Since it is Samsung's clock app, I suspect it is the
one normally bundled on Samsung phones. Clock widgets were added after
installing it.

Samsung points to both their own Store, and to the Google Play Store to
get their Clock app. I installed that (from the Google Play Store)
which gave me the following version:

12.5.00.46

That is a slightly older version than what you report you have. I
checked the Play Store app, but it says all apps are up to date. I had
it check for updates, and there were 4, but none were for Clock. Not
sure why you have a slightly later version.

My Alarm, World clock, Stopwatch, and Timer buttons at the bottom of the
Clock app's screen are icons+text, not pill icons with text inside, or
just icons.

There is a Customization Service option in the Clock app which, for me,
was enabled (by default since I never touched it). No effect on the
Clock app's nav buttons at the bottom of its screen when I disabled this option. However, when I went to reenable this option, it lists what
data it claims a need to access: call/message history, browsing history
(for Samsung Internet web browser), listening information, location,
search data, viewing information (mobile), and viewing information (TV).
I don't why a clock app would be touching any of that data, so I left it disabled, and cleared out the data it collected, so far, except it
wouldn't let me clear the Interests activities. An option to add
weather to the alarms would probably need the location data, but I
turned off the Show Weather option.

Unlike all other apps that I've used, the Clock app I got from the
Google Play Store that Samsung pointed me to has an About entry in its
settings list. Tapping on About said "A new version is available" and
an Update button. Yet the Google Play Store app doesn't mention an
update available for the Clock app. Both apps are a mess with tons of
crap polluting their screens. In Samsung's Store app, there were
updates available. Yep, for the Clock app. Although I thought I
downloaded from Google's Play Store, apparently I instead got it from
Samsung's Store. When I go to play.google.com, and login, the product
page for Samsung's Clock app shows "install on more devices" which means
they recorded the app installed on my phone (the only device currently registered with Google). Yeah, go figure out why the Clock app shows an
update in Samsung's Store app, but not at the Google Play Store.

What's New for the update says "Improved and stabilized some features".
Geesh, seems marketing folks truly excel at being vague. So, I used the Samsung Store to update the Clock app. Now I have what you have: a
bunch of icons at the bottom of the Clock screen with no text. I'm now
at the same version as you. Oh goody, hieroglyphics. What assholes.
No option to revert back to text+icon buttons. Hieroglyphics suck.

So, I do have Samsung's Clock app. What I got from Google's Play Store
was a slightly older version. Google didn't delivery the absolute
latest version, but the Samsung Store app did. Now I have the same
version as you, and with the same crappy set of nav buttons of just
icons at the bottom of the Clock app's screen.
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

AJL wrote:

I've mentioned the version number of my official version (12.5.60.27). >>What's your [Samsung Clock App] version number?

12.1.25.0 (dated July 3, 2023) on my old Galaxy S10+. I went to my phone's
Samsung Galaxy Store (version 4.6.09.1) and it only offers the same version
as the one installed. Neither app allows Disable or Delete so guess it's
good everything still works...

Mine is com.sec.android.app.clockpackage Version 12.2.12.7 (1221207100).
It too has no "disable" in Android settings. But it has "Force stop".

As a test, I disabled it using adb:
adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.sec.android.app.clockpackage
=> Package com.sec.android.app.clockpackage new state: disabled-user

Then I uninstalled it using adb:
adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.sec.android.app.clockpackage
=> Success

So, it can be disabled/re-enabled and uninstalled/re-installed if you want.
adb shell cmd package install-existing com.sec.android.app.clockpackage
=> Package com.sec.android.app.clockpackage installed for user: 0

adb shell pm enable com.sec.android.app.clockpackage
=> Package com.sec.android.app.clockpackage new state: enabled

You just can't do it from the Android Settings GUI (AFAIK).
--
Most of us have years of experience messing up our operating systems!
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

On 8/3/26 11:48 AM, Maria Sophia wrote:

AJL wrote:

Frank wrote:

I've mentioned the version number of my official version (12.5.60.27). >>>What's your [Samsung Clock App] version number?

12.1.25.0 (dated July 3, 2023) on my old Galaxy S10+. I went to my phone's >> Samsung Galaxy Store (version 4.6.09.1) and it only offers the same version >> as the one installed. Neither app allows Disable or Delete so guess it's
good everything still works...

Mine is com.sec.android.app.clockpackage Version 12.2.12.7 (1221207100).
It too has no "disable" in Android settings. But it has "Force stop".

As a test, I disabled it using adb:
adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.sec.android.app.clockpackage

Package com.sec.android.app.clockpackage new state: disabled-user

Then I uninstalled it using adb:
adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.sec.android.app.clockpackage

Success

So, it can be disabled/re-enabled and uninstalled/re-installed if you want.
adb shell cmd package install-existing com.sec.android.app.clockpackage

Package com.sec.android.app.clockpackage installed for user: 0

adb shell pm enable com.sec.android.app.clockpackage

Package com.sec.android.app.clockpackage new state: enabled

You just can't do it from the Android Settings GUI (AFAIK).

Just for fun I went to my Clock app in the Installed Apps column in the Play
Store. It had a garbage can icon. Aha. Just check it and it will be deleted
I thought thinking I'll show that Maria. Turns out it just removed the
updates so now I'm back to version 12.1.24.4... :-/


--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

AJL wrote:

Just for fun I went to my Clock app in the Installed Apps column in the Play
Store. It had a garbage can icon. Aha. Just check it and it will be deleted
I thought thinking I'll show that Maria. Turns out it just removed the
updates so now I'm back to version 12.1.24.4... :-/

Bearing in mind that the "system apps" that came with the phone will remain with the phone forever, being a Samsung, there are repos all over the net.

I did not test any of these links, but they claim to have newer versions.

https://www.apkmirror.com/apk/samsung-electronics-co-ltd/samsung-clock/ https://apkpure.com/clock/com.sec.android.app.clockpackage/ https://galaxystore.samsung.com/detail/com.sec.android.app.clockpackage

Hell, even the Google play store has the samsung clock app, apparently. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sec.android.app.clockpackage --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

On Mon, 3 Aug 2026 19:55:18 -0000 (UTC), AJL <noemail@none.com> wrote:

On 8/3/26 11:48 AM, Maria Sophia wrote:

AJL wrote:

Frank wrote:

I've mentioned the version number of my official version (12.5.60.27). >>>>What's your [Samsung Clock App] version number?

12.1.25.0 (dated July 3, 2023) on my old Galaxy S10+. I went to my phone's >>> Samsung Galaxy Store (version 4.6.09.1) and it only offers the same version
as the one installed. Neither app allows Disable or Delete so guess it's >>> good everything still works...

Mine is com.sec.android.app.clockpackage Version 12.2.12.7 (1221207100).
It too has no "disable" in Android settings. But it has "Force stop".

As a test, I disabled it using adb:
adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.sec.android.app.clockpackage

Package com.sec.android.app.clockpackage new state: disabled-user

Then I uninstalled it using adb:
adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.sec.android.app.clockpackage

Success

So, it can be disabled/re-enabled and uninstalled/re-installed if you want. >> adb shell cmd package install-existing com.sec.android.app.clockpackage

Package com.sec.android.app.clockpackage installed for user: 0

adb shell pm enable com.sec.android.app.clockpackage

Package com.sec.android.app.clockpackage new state: enabled

You just can't do it from the Android Settings GUI (AFAIK).

Just for fun I went to my Clock app in the Installed Apps column in the Play
Store. It had a garbage can icon. Aha. Just check it and it will be deleted
I thought thinking I'll show that Maria. Turns out it just removed the updates so now I'm back to version 12.1.24.4... :-/

Is that in the Google Play Store? I don't see an "Installed apps" column
in mine.
--
croy
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

On 8/4/26 9:34 AM, Maria Sophia wrote:

AJL wrote:

Just for fun I went to my Clock app in the Installed Apps column in the Play >> Store. It had a garbage can icon. Aha. Just check it and it will be deleted >> I thought thinking I'll show that Maria. Turns out it just removed the
updates so now I'm back to version 12.1.24.4... :-/

Bearing in mind that the "system apps" that came with the phone will remain >with the phone forever, being a Samsung, there are repos all over the net.

I did not test any of these links, but they claim to have newer versions.

https://www.apkmirror.com/apk/samsung-electronics-co-ltd/samsung-clock/ >https://apkpure.com/clock/com.sec.android.app.clockpackage/ >https://galaxystore.samsung.com/detail/com.sec.android.app.clockpackage

Hell, even the Google play store has the samsung clock app, apparently. >https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sec.android.app.clockpackage

Being that my old phone stopped being updated awhile back I am likely better
off with older app versions. I didn't notice any difference in the Clock
app from the accidental backwards version change.

As I've mentioned before I have (and am now posting with) an Amazon Fire
HD10 tablet that I've modified to run Google stuff. Since its Fire OS is an
earlier version of Android I find that many apps work better using their
earlier versions. This PhoNews newsreader I'm posting with is a good
example as it no longer worked correctly after about Android 14. So I
generally don't update apps on this thing until they break of old age...

--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

AJL wrote:

Hell, even the Google play store has the samsung clock app, apparently. >>https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sec.android.app.clockpackage

Being that my old phone stopped being updated awhile back I am likely better
off with older app versions. I didn't notice any difference in the Clock
app from the accidental backwards version change.

As I've mentioned before I have (and am now posting with) an Amazon Fire
HD10 tablet that I've modified to run Google stuff. Since its Fire OS is an
earlier version of Android I find that many apps work better using their
earlier versions. This PhoNews newsreader I'm posting with is a good
example as it no longer worked correctly after about Android 14. So I
generally don't update apps on this thing until they break of old age...

Oh, I'm with you (and Frank) when it comes to desiring no app updates!

Only recently, I went through hell because my Nova Launcher updated.
Newsgroups: comp.mobile.android
Subject: Nova launcher - wiped out my homescreen & can't find apps like Muntashirakon
Date: Thu, 30 Jul 2026 23:44:25 -0800
Message-ID: <114hjop$13f6$1@nnrp.usenet.blueworldhosting.com>

Then my "love's connect" app started asking for the Google Play Store.
A bunch of apps suddently stopped working unless I signed into Google.
(Which I will not do!)

I finally traced the problem to a whole bunch of things, but the main thing turned out to be I had added Shizuku to Aurora and I later updated Aurora.

Those two things killed me.
Now *all* my apps that can be updated on Google Play, are now updated.

By updating Aurora, it was set, by default, to update all apps!
And, by having Shizuku involved, it was able to do so silently.

Drat!
I got hit by two issues at once.

Actually three issues but most people won't understand the third issue.

The net effect is all my apps updated.
For the first time in, oh, I don't know, since about 2021.

Sigh.
I could undo those hundreds of updates, but that's a lot of work.
So it's more work than it's worth.

For the few apps that are asking for a Google Play signin, I solved that.
apk -r -d -i anything.not.com.android.vending package.apk

For those who don't know, Google is going on a crusade to make side loading miserable, one of which is to make it easy for developers to require
Google's Verification Chain, which starts with the app has to be tagged
installer = com.android.vending
--
Sometimes we learn everything only after we started out knowing nothing.
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From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

AJL wrote:

Is that in the Google Play Store? I don't see an "Installed apps" column >>in mine.

On my Galaxy S10+:

Open Play Store
Tap User Icon upper right corner
Tap Manage apps and device
Tap Manage

And I get a column list of all my installed apps of which Clock is one. YMMV
as my phone is somewhat old...

Apparently the update mechanism for "system apps" is different than the
update mechanism for apps installed by the Samsung or Google store methods.

Also, apparently, Samsung has two different default clock packages:
com.sec.android.app.clockpackage
com.samsung.android.app.clockpackage

However, mine appears to be a user-updatable app, based on this output
adb shell dumpsys package com.sec.android.app.clockpackage
adb shell pm path com.sec.android.app.clockpackage
=> package:/data/app/~~NfJ610UVsmqFfv11_Nbrew==/com.sec.android.app.clockpackage-6kpxs35C3hteeX-0ea6PQw==/base.apk

But wait. There's more. I seem to have two clock apps of the same name!

adb shell dumpsys package com.sec.android.app.clockpackage | findstr /i versionname
versionName=12.2.12.7
versionName=12.2.08.5

1. A system-embedded Clock app (12.2.08.5)
2. A user-installed Clock app (12.2.12.7)

It seems that the system app is older than the user app.
12.2.12.7 -> the active version in /data/app
12.2.08.5 -> the system fallback version in /system or /product

The user app
a. Can be disabled
b. Can be uninstalled for user 0
c. Can be reinstalled with install-existing
d. Can be updated if Galaxy Store or Play Store pushes updates
e. Overrides the system version when enabled

Updates require one or more of the following
a. No Play Store
b. No Galaxy Store
c. No more updates from Samsung (the phone is from 2021)

Looking it up, 12.2.12.7 is not the latest Samsung Clock version available in 2026.
Clock 12.5.55.10 (One UI 8.5, released Dec 2025)
But my latest firmware was A326USQSHDYB2, released March 2025

So I won't receive updates even if my clock was updating.
But it's clear my Samsung clock was updated at least once.

Note that I learned the re-install comes from the *user* area.
It does *not* come from the system area!

adb shell dumpsys package com.sec.android.app.clockpackage | findstr /i versionname
versionName=12.2.12.7
versionName=12.2.08.5

adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.sec.android.app.clockpackage
Package com.sec.android.app.clockpackage new state: disabled-user

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.sec.android.app.clockpackage
Success

adb shell cmd package install-existing com.sec.android.app.clockpackage
Package com.sec.android.app.clockpackage installed for user: 0

adb shell pm enable com.sec.android.app.clockpackage
Package com.sec.android.app.clockpackage new state: enabled

adb shell pm path com.sec.android.app.clockpackage
package:/data/app/~~NfJ610UVsmqFfv11_Nbrew==/com.sec.android.app.clockpackage-6kpxs35C3hteeX-0ea6PQw==/base.apk

adb shell dumpsys package com.sec.android.app.clockpackage | findstr /i versionname
versionName=12.2.12.7
versionName=12.2.08.5

It turns out that the re-install does NOT come from the system area.
But it comes from the user area. Who knew? Not me. Now I do.

The plot thickens...
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