1. dale-c's Avatar
    It was said in another thread that BlackBerry blocks it, which I don't believe to be true.
    I think it's rather due to licensing of the Android software. It's the same reason why the Kindle doesn't have it either.

    Posted via CB10
    01-05-15 06:05 PM
  2. Ment's Avatar
    You were correct in the other thread. BB does not have a license because it does not meet the terms Google has for OEMs. Among them: pass compatibility suite testing (runtime will never pass), Google Apps on the homescreen, 'Powered by Android' logo on boot.
    01-05-15 06:26 PM
  3. d3rd's Avatar
    Somewhat Similar.... Why can't BlackBerry create BlackBerry equivalents of most if not all google services. For example, some apps such as weather apps call Google location services, why couldn't BlackBerry map those calls to their own service but respond in a format that the app expects? I'm guessing here, but would something like that meet most app requirements?

    Posted via CB10
    01-05-15 06:35 PM
  4. cyclezib's Avatar
    Yes, you can install google play. Cobalt 232 posted how to install it. It works fine, as does Amazon Prime, Netflix, Pandora and more. Simply search the forum to learn how.

    Posted via CB10
    01-05-15 06:38 PM
  5. TheScionicMan's Avatar
    Somewhat Similar.... Why can't BlackBerry create BlackBerry equivalents of most if not all google services. For example, some apps such as weather apps call Google location services, why couldn't BlackBerry map those calls to their own service but respond in a format that the app expects? I'm guessing here, but would something like that meet most app requirements?

    Posted via CB10
    They provide their own apps that do that. Why would they power the apps carrying someone else's brand? I'd prefer to use BBMaps over "Google Maps app powered by BBMaps"
    01-05-15 06:56 PM
  6. MobileMadness002's Avatar
    No reason why BlackBerry could not write a HAL, much like how Windows NT had different HALS for RISC, x86, and whatever other hardware you wanted to run. They could write a layer to intercept the calls and have their built in apps process those calls.

    Most of it is there now as it is. For any Google play services apps, it could just return "true" or whatever dummy information needed. If they want to have consumer devices using Android apps, which is evident with Amazon, then they should really be going out of their way to accommodate this.

    I know I know, BB is focussing on Business, even the business devices have the same Android runtime so it is in their best interest to accommodate.
    01-05-15 07:03 PM
  7. Ment's Avatar
    No reason why BlackBerry could not write a HAL, much like how Windows NT had different HALS for RISC, x86, and whatever other hardware you wanted to run. They could write a layer to intercept the calls and have their built in apps process those calls.

    Most of it is there now as it is. For any Google play services apps, it could just return "true" or whatever dummy information needed. If they want to have consumer devices using Android apps, which is evident with Amazon, then they should really be going out of their way to accommodate this.

    I know I know, BB is focussing on Business, even the business devices have the same Android runtime so it is in their best interest to accommodate.
    BB doesn't want to get into that quagmire. Sounds like Palm vs Apple Itunes all over again and we see how that turned out.
    dzervit likes this.
    01-05-15 07:18 PM
  8. d3rd's Avatar
    BB doesn't want to get into that quagmire. Sounds like Palm vs Apple Itunes all over again and we see how that turned out.
    Don't understand your comment. BlackBerry is already running an emulated android env and so is technically already in that quagmire. Now they need to address the Google services gap. For me, it's 1 in 5 downloaded apps now that need google services and either fail completely or spit out an error. Yes - I can try some of the Cobalt methods, but at the end of the day, the average Joe needs a better solution. I get it that they won't be able to address all of the issues, but do something to lesson the pain.

    Posted via CB10
    dejanh likes this.
    01-05-15 08:50 PM
  9. Ment's Avatar
    Don't understand your comment. BlackBerry is already running an emulated android env and so is technically already in that quagmire. Now they need to address the Google services gap. For me, it's 1 in 5 downloaded apps now that need google services and either fail completely or spit out an error. Yes - I can try some of the Cobalt methods, but at the end of the day, the average Joe needs a better solution. I get it that they won't be able to address all of the issues, but do something to lesson the pain.

    Posted via CB10
    Palm had Itunes sync working on the Pre. Apple found out about it and then they had a cat/mouse game with Apple having the upper hand since they could make changes server side and to apps to IOS. BB officially supporting Google Apps without a license depends on Google looking the other way. No way that situation would be acceptable for an enterprise level device.
    01-05-15 09:06 PM
  10. 4everForever's Avatar
    I always wonder why people want google services on a BlackBerry phone? If google services are important to u, why don't u just get an Android phone?

    Posted from my AWESOME Blackberry Passport, that not everyone can handle it!
    howarmat and CerveloJohn like this.
    01-05-15 09:10 PM
  11. d3rd's Avatar
    I always wonder why people want google services on a BlackBerry phone? If google services are important to u, why don't u just get an Android phone?

    Posted from my AWESOME Blackberry Passport, that not everyone can handle it!
    Think your missing the point. I don't want google services, the app developers do. I just want the app to run. When 1 in 5 (yes - I made that number up) are failing because of those dependencies, it starts to become a problem. The average Joe could care less about google services but do care when an app pukes because those services are not there. If BlackBerry can emulate some of those services to take away most problems then great. If not, perhaps when BlackBerry scans an app for viruses or malware upon install, they could also check to see if there are google services dependencies and warn the user. This would at the very least take out some of the frustration & guesswork.

    Posted via CB10
    01-05-15 09:51 PM
  12. raino's Avatar
    01-05-15 10:01 PM
  13. dbmalloy's Avatar
    Just do not get it... why do those who have this great need for Google Play and services simply buy an Android phone???? BB has never claimed to support Google Play or services... so what is the deal.. I could understand if BB had said they were going to support it but they have been clear they are not.... so I end just as I started... I just do not get it....
    01-05-15 10:11 PM
  14. d3rd's Avatar
    Great post... answered all of my questions. Thanks for sharing.

    Posted via CB10
    01-05-15 10:22 PM
  15. TheBirdDog's Avatar
    Thanks Raino. Informative, even if it's a tad disappointing.
    The primary reason the lack of Google Play Services is frustrating to me is BlackBerry's lack of media. 7 Digital hasn't evolved at all since it split from BlackBerry World and it seems like Google is the best alternative to iTunes. Yet I can't get it on my phone.
    I purchased the movie "The Interview," hoping that I would be able to download and watch it on my tv. Google doesn't allow you to download a copy of it but only view it from their app. While I find this to be in itself very frustrating and misleading (since I purchased it I should own a copy and do as I please with it), I am entirely unable to watch it from a BlackBerry device because I cannot use their 'Movies and TV' app. Even though my phone is technically capable, because it's not official, I can't use or access it. Major BUMMER!

    Posted via my BlackBerry Passport
    01-05-15 10:57 PM
  16. dejanh's Avatar
    That is an informative post, however it does not capture the full picture. While BlackBerry cannot directly provide Google Play Services, there is nothing stopping them from doing the same thing that many other unlicensed Android manufacturers do - let the end user install and use Google Play Services. Currently, this is very cumbersome on BlackBerry, mostly because BlackBerry intentionally goes out of their way to make it difficult or impossible for some of the Google Play Services integration to happen. They block proper installation and integration of Google Play Services on BlackBerry 10 and don't allow the calls to be properly routed to Google Play Services APIs when they are present on the device. This actually is the crux of the problem.

    BlackBerry doesn't have to openly support or provide Google Play Services. They should leave it up to the end user to install Google Play Services, but they should allow them to run 100% as they do on an OHA certified device.

    Posted via CB10
    01-06-15 09:16 AM
  17. raino's Avatar
    That is an informative post, however it does not capture the full picture. While BlackBerry cannot directly provide Google Play Services, there is nothing stopping them from doing the same thing that many other unlicensed Android manufacturers do - let the end user install and use Google Play Services.
    How are these other OEMs getting around the threat of legal action--which, I assume is why BB isn't going "all in" on GP services?
    01-06-15 11:28 AM
  18. Ment's Avatar
    BlackBerry doesn't have to openly support or provide Google Play Services. They should leave it up to the end user to install Google Play Services, but they should allow them to run 100% as they do on an OHA certified device.

    Posted via CB10
    I don't think its intentional that BB doesn't want users to be able to install and use the Playstore apk and created barriers to disallow it. Probably more that the security framework of the sandbox doesn't allow all the access the apk requests and uses on an Android phone.
    01-06-15 01:15 PM
  19. Ment's Avatar
    How are these other OEMs getting around the threat of legal action--which, I assume is why BB isn't going "all in" on GP services?
    They use app stores that have the Playstore apk so if you install that then you can install all the Google apps. Its similar to what people who use custom roms do but in that case they install packages that have all the GAPP apks bundled together.
    01-06-15 01:19 PM
  20. conite's Avatar
    That is an informative post, however it does not capture the full picture. While BlackBerry cannot directly provide Google Play Services, there is nothing stopping them from doing the same thing that many other unlicensed Android manufacturers do - let the end user install and use Google Play Services. Currently, this is very cumbersome on BlackBerry, mostly because BlackBerry intentionally goes out of their way to make it difficult or impossible for some of the Google Play Services integration to happen. They block proper installation and integration of Google Play Services on BlackBerry 10 and don't allow the calls to be properly routed to Google Play Services APIs when they are present on the device. This actually is the crux of the problem.

    BlackBerry doesn't have to openly support or provide Google Play Services. They should leave it up to the end user to install Google Play Services, but they should allow them to run 100% as they do on an OHA certified device.

    Posted via CB10
    I'm curious. What are some of the other "unlicensed Android Manufacturers" you speak of? And do any them run Android within the confines of another OS - where that other OS controls all of the notifications, file management, phone, carrier and WiFi data access?

    Z30STA100-5/10.3.1.1949
    raino likes this.
    01-06-15 01:25 PM
  21. raino's Avatar
    They use app stores that have the Playstore apk so if you install that then you can install all the Google apps. Its similar to what people who use custom roms do but in that case they install packages that have all the GAPP apks bundled together.
    I can understand the custom ROM "loophole" (it's a custom ROM for an OHA/approved device-unless you were talking about a ROM for an unlicensed Android OEM?) but how is some non-partner's app store leveraging the GP services APIs or, as you put it, the Play Store APK not a violation of Google's terms or whatever it is that BB doesn't want to go against?
    01-06-15 01:32 PM
  22. Ment's Avatar
    I can understand the custom ROM "loophole" (it's a custom ROM for an OHA/approved device-unless you were talking about a ROM for an unlicensed Android OEM?) but how is some non-partner's app store leveraging the GP services APIs or, as you put it, the Play Store APK not a violation of Google's terms or whatever it is that BB doesn't want to go against?
    Not sure if the non-OHA android phones are using a loophole. I do know that Google is not actively pursuing them since for all purposes they are OHA phone just not having gone thru any certification process. From what I can tell Google unofficial stance is that as long as the phone is a compatible fork like Xiaomi MIUI but not like BB10 or Kindle then its hands-off. Perhaps this is because Google is largely shut out of China and if they can get Chinese speaking users on the Playstore then its good for them no matter the path.
    dejanh likes this.
    01-06-15 01:53 PM
  23. raino's Avatar
    Not sure if the non-OHA android phones are using a loophole. I do know that Google is not actively pursuing them since for all purposes they are OHA phone just not having gone thru any certification process. From what I can tell Google unofficial stance is that as long as the phone is a compatible fork like Xiaomi MIUI but not like BB10 or Kindle then its hands-off. Perhaps this is because Google is largely shut out of China and if they can get Chinese speaking users on the Playstore then its good for them no matter the path.
    Ohh OK--so it's selective enforcement that's going on here. Makes sense now, thanks. And not at all surprising when it comes to Google.
    01-06-15 02:03 PM
  24. Ment's Avatar
    Ohh OK--so it's selective enforcement that's going on here. Makes sense now, thanks. And not at all surprising when it comes to Google.
    Well Gapps don't work on BB10 or Kindle anyway due to runtime and modified Android OS. Google would be happy I'm sure for Amazon to get rid of their incompatible fork and use an Amazon overlay with standard Android underneath so Google Apps would dominate the Amazon app store but thats not ever going to happen.

    A few years down the road all this may not matter. Google is moving to Android app compatibility with ChromeOS via plugin which is essentially browser as OS so Chrome browser is the logical step. Once that happens its Android agnostic of underlying OS so BB users should be happy unless BB or Apple restrict that from happening.
    01-06-15 02:16 PM
  25. cyclezib's Avatar
    No need for you to complain.
    Google Play services do work!
    Just read the instructions Cobalt232 wrote.
    Link below

    http://forums.crackberry.com/android...g-page-965257/
    01-06-15 06:20 PM
33 12

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