A writer at Android Police deleted a VPN app, VLC and the download app 1DM after switching to the Aloha browser. Here is what it does and what to check first.
One Android browser has replaced three separate apps for a writer at Android Police. Akshay Bhalla says Aloha now does the job of his VPN app (Surfshark), his video player (VLC) and his download manager (1DM). He says his phone runs better as a result.
Before the switch, getting a video onto his phone took three apps. 1DM downloaded it, a file manager located it, and VLC played it. Now he downloads a video or audio file from a website, plays it inside Aloha and deletes it with Aloha's file manager. Aloha can also spot downloadable media on a page, so one tap starts the download.
A VPN hides where a connection appears to come from. Aloha's built-in VPN offers over 30 locations. The writer found it quick and stable, with no trouble streaming or downloading.
It can cover the whole phone or just the browser. That matters for banking apps. With the VPN limited to the browser, he can open sites that are blocked in his region while his banking apps stay unaffected. After he removed Surfshark, he says he got storage back and the phone ran smoother and saved battery, because one less app was using memory.
Aloha has a built-in media player and file manager. The writer says it supports all common formats and offers gesture control, playlists, background playback and VR content. He found the experience nearly identical to VLC.
Downloads can be paused and resumed. Files are kept in Aloha's file manager and vault, and can be sent to another device running Aloha over Wi-Fi. He moved a video from his phone to an Android tablet in seconds. A few heavily protected websites still failed, but he says 1DM could not handle those either.
The article does not give the price of Aloha's premium tier. It also describes one person's use on his own devices, so results may differ. Anyone thinking of deleting their current apps should check the premium cost first and watch battery use once fast downloads are turned on.
Aloha may let you drop a VPN, video player and downloader, but check the premium price and the battery cost of fast downloads first.
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