If you were to install a Home Screen application that does not give you access to the System Settings screen (to go to Manage Applications), and also does not let you launch Apps (such as the Market App or 3rd party install/unistallers), is there ANY way to uninstall such an application?
I know that Android requires your permission before letting a new App take over the home screen privilege. But say you’re trying a newly published Launcher app that is buggy (or malicious). You are of course still going to tell Android it’s ok to give this App the Home screen privilege. Now once it is installed, your phone is now effectively useless?
Is there a way for a typical end user (who doesn’t have Eclipse/ADB) to get out of this situation? Other than doing a complete factory reset?
I realize there are ways to uninstall an App via ADB (“adb uninstall package.name”)
But it seems like a typical end user is potentially screwed if they ever install such a malicious/buggy app. This seems like a gaping security hole in Android, no?
Someone on StackExchange posted a very helpful solution to this problem. It seems that in addition to a factory reset, most phones also support a Safe Mode that disables other Home/Launcher apps that have been installed (at least that’s what it did on my Droid X). This allows you to then uninstall the offending application. Then simply reboot again back into normal mode to get your old phone back.