Like many users, I have a dedicated WiFi-only device. Recently, I've found a solution for a very small, but nevertheless annoying "issue": Not being able to hide the AOSP Phone and Messaging app. While you can remove them from the home screen like any other app, ootb it's not possible to remove them from the app launcher, as you can neither disable nor uninstall them. I figure they can't be uninstalled because they're system apps and they can't be disabled because they're set as default apps for phone and messaging respectively. However, there's a trick:
- Download alternative phone and messaging apps (I used Fossify)
- Set them as default for phone and messaging
- You can now disable AOSP
Phone and Messaging
- Finally, uninstall the alternative phone and messaging apps
Assuming you don't connect your phone to the cellular network anyways, the only downside/risk/problem I see with this is the brief time window in which you set the two alternative phone and messaging apps as default, which automatically grants them all relevant permissions. This might enable (for example) Google to read your call history, connect a phone number to your account etc. If you choose Fossify or other apps that don't collect your data, this shouldn't be a huge concern.
Note that, if you do use the cellular network, but with alternative phone and messaging apps, disabling the AOSP Phone app might cause issues.
Idk if anyone else actually cares about this, but if not, no harm done. In any case, I wish you a nice day:)