1. Emaderton3's Avatar
    I put my app in Google Play store which means users should get the app from there. Getting the app from Google play store means you also have Google play services. And, yes, as far as I am concerned as a developer, apkmirror is unauthorized; they didn't ask for my permission to put my app there.

    Your example with priv, must be an example of a not fully and properly tested app; it happens even to the best of them. Contact the dev and inform him of the problems. I also had some very weird bugs in my apps that affected 1% of the install base and didn't encouter during my testing.

    of course there are apps out there that don't require GPs and shouldn't use them, but a proper integration of GPs into the app will provide the best user experience for users.
    Why don't devs sue apkmirror then?
    12-31-17 07:10 AM
  2. anon(8679041)'s Avatar
    The question is how to get Google play services on non android devices, without violating Google's terms - they don't allow Google Play to be installed on non certified devices. So we have to come up with smth similar which will appeal to the app developers and motivate them to take an extra step and tweak their apps (after they upload their original apps to play store, ofc) and upload them to "the platform" so that non-android devices could use apps that require Google play services.

    Am I missing anything?
    12-31-17 07:18 AM
  3. Emaderton3's Avatar
    The question is how to get Google play services on non android devices, without violating Google's terms - they don't allow Google Play to be installed on non certified devices. So we have to come up with smth similar which will appeal to the app developers and motivate them to take an extra step and tweak their apps (after they upload their original apps to play store, ofc) and upload them to "the platform" so that non-android devices could use apps that require Google play services.

    Am I missing anything?
    How is Android-based software (Google Play Services) going to run on a non-Android phone?
    12-31-17 08:33 AM
  4. thurask's Avatar
    How is Android-based software (Google Play Services) going to run on a non-Android phone?
    12-31-17 08:38 AM
  5. anon(8679041)'s Avatar
    How is Android-based software (Google Play Services) going to run on a non-Android phone?
    *To mirror it, and thus it's functionality only.
    Why do developers set the app to require GPs? Do they want to get the user's location or maybe be able to have access to user's contacts or microphone? Then that's what the new platform will do instead of GPs. It should act as a bridge between the user being able to install and use GPs locked apps and dveloper's end-goal like purchases, cc information, location etc...? The developer has to have some goals when he develops smth, right? Without this bridge he won't make his apps available for non android devices, because he wants to reach that end goal.

    That's how I theoretically imagine it working, I'm not super tech-savvy or smth so yeah I can be wrong, totaly ok with that but maybe it could spark an actual idea to some developers, never know.

    @thurask LMAO
    12-31-17 08:51 AM
  6. Emaderton3's Avatar
    So, there is a way then!
    12-31-17 08:53 AM
  7. Emaderton3's Avatar
    *To mirror it, and thus it's functionality only.
    Why do developers set the app to require GPs? Do they want to get the user's location or maybe be able to have access to user's contacts or microphone? Then that's what the new platform will do instead of GPs.

    That's how I theoretically imagine it working, I'm not super tech-savvy or smth so yeah I can be wrong, totaly ok with that but maybe it could spark an actual idea to some developers, never know.

    @thurask LMAO
    How will an app get your location without using your GPS?
    12-31-17 08:54 AM
  8. anon(8679041)'s Avatar
    How will an app get your location without using your GPS?
    through the platform that has to be built.

    also I've edited that post
    12-31-17 08:58 AM
  9. Emaderton3's Avatar
    through the platform that has to be built.

    also I've edited that post
    But an app would need to get physical coordinates of your location . . .
    12-31-17 09:23 AM
  10. conite's Avatar
    Why do developers set the app to require GPs?
    Developers leverage Google Play Services for a huge number of reasons - not the least of which is to save a lot of time coding their apps. Location features, mapping functions, Google Drive access, analytics, targeted ads, game cloud services (save game APIs), activity recognition, app settings backup, app authentication services, sharing services, camera access, casting, power management, Google Wallet, and more can all be implemented without coding from scratch.

    To mirror that entire framework, and keep it up-to-date and supported would be monumental. Since Google Play Services is used to authenticate many apps, you would need to introduce some way to modify or patch individual apps to work with an alternate framework.

    In 2018, Android without Google Play Services is nonsensical. It didn't work for Amazon, or BB10, and the percentage of apps using Play Services has gone up dramatically since then.
    Last edited by conite; 12-31-17 at 09:49 AM.
    anon(8679041) likes this.
    12-31-17 09:31 AM
  11. arfeo's Avatar
    How will an app get your location without using your GPS?
    Do you really think geolocation can be retrieved with GPS only??..

    Posted via CB10
    12-31-17 10:05 AM
  12. Emaderton3's Avatar
    Do you really think geolocation can be retrieved with GPS only??..

    Posted via CB10
    Then educate me. GPS seems to be commonly used with tools to include for app coding.
    12-31-17 10:17 AM
  13. arfeo's Avatar
    Then educate me. GPS seems to be commonly used with tools to include for app coding.
    Let me just post an example link to google:

    https://www.google.ru/search?q=geolo...IcSF6ATh8rPgDQ

    Sorry, not enough time, we've got a New Year party in Moscow now.

    Posted via CB10
    anon(8679041) likes this.
    12-31-17 10:21 AM
  14. Emaderton3's Avatar
    Let me just post an example link to google:

    https://www.google.ru/search?q=geolo...IcSF6ATh8rPgDQ

    Sorry, not enough time, we've got a New Year party in Moscow now.

    Posted via CB10
    How common is this? The majority of apps I use seem to rely on GPS.
    12-31-17 10:23 AM
  15. howarmat's Avatar
    Like mentioned in many posts. GPS allows the apps to get functionality without having to code it themselves. GPS do a ton of heavy lifting for notifications, location and many other standard apis. Apps themselves dont have to code this. Its a huge bonus for devs. This saves lots of coding for devs and ensures better coding as well. Memory leaks, battery sucking, oversize apps, etc all because of sloppy coding is minimized.

    Sure you can try to emulate this, but then you are just raising another security concern.
    12-31-17 10:26 AM
  16. conite's Avatar
    How common is this? The majority of apps I use seem to rely on GPS.
    I listed MANY reasons for that.

    Obtaining GPS (location) from Play Services offers far more options - from granularity to error control.
    12-31-17 10:28 AM
  17. Emaderton3's Avatar
    I listed MANY reasons for that.

    Obtaining GPS (location) from Play Services offers far more options - from granularity to error control.
    I would imagine app developers want to use the best tools to get the best functionality. So just because there is another way doesn't mean others will always use it. And as you mention, I am sure Play Services are very good tools for an app.
    12-31-17 10:35 AM
  18. conite's Avatar
    I would imagine app developers want to use the best tools to get the best functionality. So just because there is another way doesn't mean others will always use it. And as you mention, I am sure Play Services are very good tools for an app.
    Did you read my post#85?
    12-31-17 10:36 AM
  19. arfeo's Avatar
    How common is this? The majority of apps I use seem to rely on GPS.
    You may do almost everything without GPS. And normal devs do not rely on GPS only. Usual practice is to check, whether GPS installed, and if not, do smth with own methods. The reason why some devs do everything with GPS is one of the deadly sins - sloth.

    Posted via CB10
    12-31-17 10:37 AM
  20. conite's Avatar
    The reason why some devs do everything with GPS is one of the deadly sins - sloth.

    Posted via CB10
    Oh please. That's nonsense.
    12-31-17 10:40 AM
  21. arfeo's Avatar
    Oh please. That's nonsense.
    That is your opinion, I accept it.

    Posted via CB10
    12-31-17 10:41 AM
  22. Emaderton3's Avatar
    That is your opinion, I accept it.

    Posted via CB10
    Or the Google tools are just that good.
    Oh please. That's nonsense.
    12-31-17 10:47 AM
  23. conite's Avatar
    Or the Google tools are just that good.
    It makes no sense for each and every developer to try and reinvent the wheel when the APIs are already there, updated, and heavily supported.
    12-31-17 10:49 AM
  24. arfeo's Avatar
    Or the Google tools are just that good.
    They are good enough indeed. But there are tons of users with GPS deactivated or uninstalled, and it is normal to give them a chance to use an app.

    Posted via CB10
    12-31-17 10:51 AM
  25. Emaderton3's Avatar
    It makes no sense for each and every developer to try and reinvent the wheel when the APIs are already there, updated, and heavily supported.
    Oh, I completely agree with you. The tools are there and they are good.
    12-31-17 10:51 AM
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