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I am looking for the packages I need to get the Google Play Store running on a device (Android 4.4.4), and while I could find the Google Play Store and Google Play services, I cannot find the Google Service Framework, except on "unreliable" sites that I don't trust. However, this package is required for running Google Play Store, as I was told.

Was the Google Services Framework superseded, or canceled? Does it even exist at all? Is there a different reason?

Johannes Schaub - litb
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  • Any reason not to flash GApps? – Firelord Nov 01 '15 at 12:05
  • @Firelord it's not for me, but a friend. He doesn't know how to flash etc and he's not particularly well versed with these things to learn it (I assume you mean something using ADB?) :) Best would be simply if I could collect the APKs he needs and he could install them one after another. It's a Xiaomi Mi4 – Johannes Schaub - litb Nov 01 '15 at 12:09
  • @Firelord does the services framework come with some GApps packages then? – Joe Nov 01 '15 at 12:24
  • Yes. The most important part of a GApps package if the Google Services Framework. – Tamoghna Chowdhury Nov 01 '15 at 12:34
  • It is a system-level software which can only be distributed with an OEM license, hence you can't get it's apk except on untrusted sites. – Tamoghna Chowdhury Nov 01 '15 at 12:36
  • @TamoghnaChowdhury ah that makes sense, thanks. I am not yet that familiar with android. But I suspect, if it is a system-level software, its APK cannot be installed without root-access on the phone? – Johannes Schaub - litb Nov 01 '15 at 12:38
  • For one, yes, it's installation requires root. It needs to be installed to /system/app, a read only directory on unrooted devices. I suspect it won't work if installed as a normal app, since it itself needs system-level privileges. – Tamoghna Chowdhury Nov 01 '15 at 12:40
  • @TamoghnaChowdhury hm, that's bad. I don't want him to hack his phone – Johannes Schaub - litb Nov 01 '15 at 12:43
  • What you could try: Use ES File Explorer to pull the Google services framework apk from a device which has it, root your friend's device, copy it to aforementioned directory, and reboot. You might need to install a custom recovery and wipe Dalvik cache also, which makes it just easier to root, flash recovery and GApps package. – Tamoghna Chowdhury Nov 01 '15 at 12:43
  • Get him the Amazon appstore. I don't see another way out of it. But international versions of Xiaomi devices do have the play store working, or allow you to download the required apps from the Mi Store. Is that not true in your case? – Tamoghna Chowdhury Nov 01 '15 at 12:46
  • @TamoghnaChowdhury it's a chinese version – Johannes Schaub - litb Nov 01 '15 at 12:48
  • Sorry, I can't help you there. I only have experience with international versions. – Tamoghna Chowdhury Nov 01 '15 at 12:48
  • @TamoghnaChowdhury I read in one forum that there's an app called "Google Installer" in the Mi store which could do this. I wonder whether that app is considered clean? Perhaps he can try that, using european VPN so he can access google. (I think this is legal? If not, I will stop talking about it here :p) – Johannes Schaub - litb Nov 01 '15 at 12:50
  • Well, since Xiaomi allows you to do it, it probably is legal. It probably won't hurt to try, but have a backup just in case. Also, I hope your friend understands English, because that's what Google terms to use mostly – Tamoghna Chowdhury Nov 01 '15 at 12:53
  • Johannes, there are open-source alternatives to Google Services (see e.g. my article on Android without Google: microG). But while no root is required for those, as soon as it comes to playstore access, there doesn't seem to be a way around: as it was mentioned before, those must be installed on the system partition, which is not possible without root access. – Izzy Nov 01 '15 at 12:55
  • Glad to help! I'm using microG on one device already, and probably will migrate to it with others soon. As alternatives to Playstore, there's F-Droid (everything open source, but not so many apps), and Aptoide. As there's always caution to be taken with "unknown sources", one more recommended reading on that would include Android Markets: How safe are alternative sources? resp. How safe is it to use Aptoide? (the latter here on our site). – Izzy Nov 01 '15 at 13:02
  • @Izzy ah, thanks, I had no idea. If I understand correctly, microG is an alternative implementation of some of the google services, so that apps that use them continue to work (like, apps that want to query whether certain other apps are installed...). While aptoide is independent of that and provide an alternative to play store. – Johannes Schaub - litb Nov 01 '15 at 13:30
  • That's correct: microG is an open-source, alternative, light-weight implementation of Google Services – while Aptoide and F-Droid are alternative market places for Android apps. The latter two are also covered with my app lists :) – Izzy Nov 01 '15 at 13:38

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