As a small "experiment", I've been trying to use only free software for a while (firmware/driver blobs excluded) on my Nexus 7 (2012).
I can say that it's definitively doable, but it really depends on what one need. If what you need is a browser (Firefox), an email client (K9 & the standard KitKat client) and a Terminal (ConnectBot, Hacker's keyboard), then you won't miss the Play store at all. There are also some good clients for social/media consummation (Tinfoil for Facebook, Twidere, TT-RSS...).
If you need something more, then it's an hit or miss. For maps, OsmAnd+ is nice, but not nearly as good/user friendy as Google Maps. Forget about the latest/cool apps. Forget games, unless you want to emulate some console (and also, running closed games on top of an open emulator is "ethically right"?).
It gets better if you're a little more lenient. For example, I have some Humble Bundle games installed. Those come drm-free, and (usually) don't depend on the Google services. One can also get applications from the Play Store, and install just the .apk for it (I can't remember if one can buy applications with the web interface, or has to do it from the mobile store). In the end, the choice is "I want to avoid Google" or "I don't want proprietary applications on my phone". In the first case, there are many alternative stores (SlideMe, AndroidPit, Amazon...).
Another problem is that F-Droid is small, and doesn't even have all the (F)OSS applications available for Android. For many, the only way to get them is either the Play Store or compile the source. I'm not blaming the F-Droid project, they're doing a terrific work for their size, but it seems that there's little interest in a completely open store, even from the developers.
That said, I'm still running this setup, but I'm considering just giving up and installing the Play Store/Google services because after a while seeing new cool applications but not being able to try them is kinda painful.
On a side note, I haven't noticed any increase in battery life/speed of my device. So it seems that Google's applications aren't an huge battery/resource hog.
So it seems that Google's applications aren't an huge battery/resource hog.
Tried Google+? Just opening it by mistake (and immediately closing it) is enough to start glgps and kill my battery in a couple of hours, until I reboot.
That!! I now completely disable Google+ and advice all my friends to do the same. I actually enjoyed some of its features like automatic Photos Backup.
But then I would find out my phone's battery died overnight, while it was almost full before I went to sleep, like what the hell? After few weeks of keeping an eye, I found out it was Google+. Hunderds of complaints on Android emailing list, 0 comments from developers.
Google+ is a single Google's project driving me away from being their slave for life.
I'm not an huge Google+ user, so no, sorry. My usage of it it's limited to few bored moments where I just open the website.
Anyway, I'd install one of those "minimal" packages that contains only the Play services and the Play store, and eventually install the various Google apps (Maps, maybe Keep) from the Play Store.
Personally I find OsmAnd to be truly awful. The interface is stuck in the Android 1.6 era and I can't even get the online maps to show anything. Offline maps are nice but not that useful unless I am travelling overseas and don't buy a data enabled SIM card.
Yes, but OsmAnd lets me download a map for my entire country. This is important to me because I don't have a large data plan or access to Wi-Fi when I'm on the road. I also might not necessarily know exactly where I'm going to be going when I'm away.
I've noticed a significant battery life increase after getting rid of all the Google apps from my phone. I generally get two days of normal usage with my free software apps (F-Droid stuff) while other owners of this phone report getting a single day of battery life.
I can say that it's definitively doable, but it really depends on what one need. If what you need is a browser (Firefox), an email client (K9 & the standard KitKat client) and a Terminal (ConnectBot, Hacker's keyboard), then you won't miss the Play store at all. There are also some good clients for social/media consummation (Tinfoil for Facebook, Twidere, TT-RSS...).
If you need something more, then it's an hit or miss. For maps, OsmAnd+ is nice, but not nearly as good/user friendy as Google Maps. Forget about the latest/cool apps. Forget games, unless you want to emulate some console (and also, running closed games on top of an open emulator is "ethically right"?).
It gets better if you're a little more lenient. For example, I have some Humble Bundle games installed. Those come drm-free, and (usually) don't depend on the Google services. One can also get applications from the Play Store, and install just the .apk for it (I can't remember if one can buy applications with the web interface, or has to do it from the mobile store). In the end, the choice is "I want to avoid Google" or "I don't want proprietary applications on my phone". In the first case, there are many alternative stores (SlideMe, AndroidPit, Amazon...).
Another problem is that F-Droid is small, and doesn't even have all the (F)OSS applications available for Android. For many, the only way to get them is either the Play Store or compile the source. I'm not blaming the F-Droid project, they're doing a terrific work for their size, but it seems that there's little interest in a completely open store, even from the developers.
That said, I'm still running this setup, but I'm considering just giving up and installing the Play Store/Google services because after a while seeing new cool applications but not being able to try them is kinda painful.
On a side note, I haven't noticed any increase in battery life/speed of my device. So it seems that Google's applications aren't an huge battery/resource hog.