I'm totally frustrated with OpenGapps, I really only need it to update Google Play Services since I have yet to find a reliable way to move the Play Services update to the system without wrecking my phones. So a year or so ago they stopped offering the full package for 5.1, ok no problem just more to download and more bandwidth to waste but it can be done with an addition to the Gapps config file. Resently I had two other issues come up, the latest version of Photos crashes when running from /system/app so I don't want to update it using OpenGapps obviously and I don't want to update YouTube either. So I thought, why not just use the pico package to get Play Services updated and set it not to install anything else I don't want, but noooo this is where the frustration really gets heavy. In their infinite wisdom they have decided that if I don't want it installed or updated I must want it uninstalled! WTH were you thinking! Is there no cure for this madness? What am I missing? Is there a way do get this done?
Related
I would like to stay with Google Maps 6.14.4 as it is the one that plain works as I want it to (simple, easy to use, fast, precise(!)). This is the version I have in my rom.
My problem is this: Something is automatically updating my Google Maps to version 8!
I think it is related to the last release of Google Play Store which I am also trying to downgrade as it doesn't list an apps new permission requirements in red or marked with 'new' anymore. This causes people to install apps believing it doesn't require new permissions when in fact it does and now can spy even more on the user. Something is also autoupdating Google Play Store quite agressively (i.e. sometimes it is updated within seconds of being downgraded and usually every time I open it). Of course I have setup Google Play Store to not update my apps at all but as even the play store is updated despite this, something must force this upgrade!
So, how do I stop Google Maps (and Google Play Store) from being upgraded? Can I hack my android to prevent this from happening? I do have it rooted if that can help.
I am very frustrated with the Google offerings lately. They make stuff worse all the time for no obvious reason.
Hello all
For security reasons I bought a new phone compatible with CM and installed CM11M12 +freecyngn +Xprivacy without the Gapps. Previously I had a Windows phone. I imagined there to be issues obtaining apps but wouldn't have guessed their extent.
There is a Windows-program that allows for fetching the .akps from the Play Store but it is required that one has authenticated a device first which requires one to have installed the Play services.
There are online tools like evozi that allow for downloading the .apks but due to lacking knowledge in how to verify that the .apks indeed haven't been manipulated I rather avoid those. I don't want to become part of a botnet or install spyware.
There's the Amazon App Store, but that requires the app to be kept installed and the user signed in, and it spies on the user, so no option either. And while Amazon already is missing quite a few apps that are available on the Play Store, it's even more the case with all the other app-stores.
F-Droid is excellent but there are non-free apps that have no FOSS-alternative.
I could imagine flashing stock again and downloading the .apks and storing them somehow on my computer before reinstalling my current system. The question: Is there any other way in obtaining the apps from the Google Play Store that I don't know?
Needless to say that if I have the choice between the convenience of apps on one hand and a system that minimizes spying on the other I choose the latter without the blink of an eye.
Thank you for your help
;__;
You could find the apks floating around but can't promise they haven't been edited. Any of the paid apps that you install will try to verify by connecting to Google play store. Any pirated apps normally include things like keyloggers and screen screen recorders. I'll be honest your will be hard pressed. But then Google doesn't really do much more then ms does
Thank you for your reply, Zelendel.
So if I buy an app in the Play Store on my device using stock ROM, flash CM without Gapps and try to install the same app it won't work because it'd try to verify the purchase and for that the installed Play Services are necessary?
Luckily the apps I'm looking for in particular are mostly free apps. Will they run without the Gapps?
soikku said:
Thank you for your reply, Zelendel.
So if I buy an app in the Play Store on my device using stock ROM, flash CM without Gapps and try to install the same app it won't work because it'd try to verify the purchase and for that the installed Play Services are necessary?
Luckily the apps I'm looking for in particular are mostly free apps. Will they run without the Gapps?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As long as they are not programed to use the Google services or to call back to Google play then yes.
So I'm using this ROM and everything works fairly well.
The issue is that apps like Gmail, Hangouts, Keep (all of which I got from the play store), etc say that I need to upgrade my Google Play Services for them to work. My GPS version is 7.8.87 and if I update it through the play store, it starts crashing repeatedly. I've tried a few different ones on APK mirror (granted I'm not exactly sure what version is the "correct" one) and none have worked.
Do I need to just figure out what version works for this ROM, or try a different GApps package? I'm a bit of a newb so sorry if I'm way off base.
I found it worthwhile to upgrade to 7.1 Nougat. Lollipop for me had got too sluggish even before the Google Play services problem. Gmail doesn't prompt me to update GPservices, but I don't know about Hangouts or Keep.
See my post here
https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-tab-10-1/help/time-to-t3571137
A week ago I experienced a problem while driving with Maps open, the battery got very hot and I needed to turn it off, losing myself in the city, few days later I needed my phone to do a work, and i lost half hour ending up using a tablet. I though there was something broken, but after I factory reset it, and read something about gapps online i pointed out what the issue was:
The big G made us like a Xmas Gift with 12.8.74 version, not on Xmas, not so cool.
But let's give this narration an end and start describing how i solved this.
1) At first I made a factory reset, it will wipe off all Gapps, cause them are installed at /data partition, not /system. After doing this the smartphone works like charm, but obviously, nowadays u can't do anything without gapps, I couldn't do anything.
2) Install Gapps with a tool that i found on internet, u can use also the one found in meizu app store, u have to reinstall all gapps, but don't run them.
I uploaded the apk i used in my mediafire account, but it's my first post and I can't post links, if u want I can send a pvt, for installing Gapps:
Google_Installer_2.0.apk (google it)
3) Unistall Google Play Store, you don't need it now.
Now some apps that will require Gapps will work, even if they say that Google Play Services is not updated.
4) On settings, App, Installed, check the number and version of Google Play Sevices, and Google Services Framework, check what the dpi of that version and number is, and keep it, you will need it later.
5) You need to certificate your device, install Device Id (i give you the link)
Device ID 1.3.0 (apkmirror)
and copy GSF number, then go to (www .goo gle.com)/android/uncertified/
click register, u should already have it enabled, but if not is better to solve
6) Now you need to download Google Play Services 12.8.62 Armv7a for the same dpi as you noted it before, Google Play 10.7.19 (this has universal dpi and arch), Google Service Framework 5.1 (same as before).
For my phone (meizu m3s) I used
com.google.android.gsf_5.1-1743759-22_minAPI22(nodpi) (apkmirror)
com.google.android.gms_12.8.62_(020308-199405334)-12862009_minAPI21(armeabi-v7a)(480dpi) (apkmirror)
com.android.vending_10.7.19-all_0_PR_202990317-81071900_minAPI16(armeabi,armeabi-v7a,mips,mips64,x86,x86_64)(240,320,480dpi) (apkmirror)
if you want Youtube as well
com.google.android.youtube_13.24.59-1324593340_minAPI21(armeabi-v7a)(480dpi) (apkmirror.com)
7) Now you need to block Play Store from update Google Play Services, I made this way:
Settings, Apps, Installed, Google Play Store, Permission management, Click on Run in background, Disallow running in background.
Then i opened Security app , Data Network Access, Background, Google Play Store, Disallow background data connection. That should do the job.
Now set your Google Account as normal and everything should work without issues.
Google Lens is already on the phone, but there's still the Google Lens app in the store that you can install. There's also GPay already on the phone, but some apps tell me to install Google Pay from the store.
Why? Does having double the apps screw with anything in the long run?
Maybe updates? I would go with the factory load versions unless they don't work well.
For Gpay, the one on the phone is the old version. They are pushing everyone to upgrade to the new version, that is the one in the store.
I don't use Gpay. The worst that will likely to happen if you don't upgrade is eventually it will stop working. You could get into issues with Playstore which demands updating. Playstore is so on my bad side, I rarely use it anymore.
I use the factory load versions for most of the Google apps especially Gmail and Gmaps as the update's UI's* sucked. Some of the Google system apps are factory load too because the update caused issues like excessive battery consumption*. So it is after 2 years, current load is over 1.5 yo, still fast, stable and user friendly.
You should experiment to see what works best for you. Just be aware that updates (especially firmware) can break just as easily as they can fix devices.
*Samsung seems to modify these and many times the factory load version works best. Or perhaps it's just the oldest version before Google screwed them up more
I installed the Google Assistant app just so I could add it as an icon to my home screen in Nova Launcher.
It's for people who root and want specific apps installed without installing the background/integration stuff.