Joseph DeFazio 
I had to wipe my phone because it was bootlooping after an update, because of packages I previously (successfully) removed for privacy. The cost of improving privacy seems too high sometimes.
How many of you have gone back to using Google Play to reduce your tech headaches?
totoroot@joseph I haven't gone back to Google Play, but I left a lot of Google's bullshit on my Xiaomi mobile phone (along with their garbage apps), because removing them, always caused a boot loop...
I just don't use them now
I have been using #AuroraStore for quite a while to get some apps from Google Play
and use #AuroraDroid for getting #Foss apps from the #FDroid and #IzzyOnDroid repos
This works quite well and I does not give me any headaches, although it might not be the most private approach
@totoroot I'm also on a Xiaomi phone, but removing all Google apps worked fine for me until MIUI 13. I've removed just a few Xiaomi packages this time. Hopefully no bootloops in the near future.
My biggest headache with this sort of setup is the lack of auto updating apps. If I run out of mobile data, I have to open my provider's app to add more, but they force you to be on the latest version, and I can't update it without data.
@totoroot oh and also some premium apps won't work after being installed with Aurora Store, which sucks.