Google Play Services

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File:Playservicesicon.png
Google Play Services icon

Google Play Services is a proprietary background service and API package for Android devices.[1] When first introduced in 2012, it provided simple access to the Google+ APIs and OAuth 2.0, but has since then expanded to cover a large variety of Google's services, allowing applications to easily communicate with the services through common means, being internally referred to as simply GMS.[2]

Included tools

Google Play Game Services

Google Play Game Services can be used by application developers to allow a more competitive and social experience through the use of leaderboards, both public and between friends, achievements and multiplayer sessions.[3] Saved Games API is available to quickly sync game saves on Google's cloud infrastructure as well.[4]

Location APIs

The Location APIs abstract away specifics about the location technologies, providing Geofencing APIs for scheduling specific actions upon the user entering or leaving specific geographic boundaries, Fused Location Provider for acquiring location information with as reduced power usage as possible and activity recognition for allowing applications to adapt to the current action of the user (e.g. cycling, walking, etc.).[5]

Google+

The Google+ platform provides single sign-on, allowing the user to be automatically authenticated inside applications providing a more personalized experience, and sharing options using Google+.[6]

Maps

Google Maps Android API allows applications to include Google Maps or Street View without the need to open a separate application, allowing full control over the camera and providing means of adding custom markers and overlays over the map.[7]

Drive

Google Drive Android API exposes Google Drive to be used as a storage structure, providing easy lookup and syncing of documents along with various other tools for manipulating the files.[8]

Cast

Google Cast Android API adds casting functionality to allow Android applications to display content on TVs using Google Cast, additionally providing various helpers for common audio, video and image types.[9]

Ads

Google Mobile Ads integrate advertisements into applications, allowing simple monetization by over a million Google advertisers and sophisticated ad targeting based on factors such as user location.[10]

Wallet

Google Wallet Instant Buy allows purchases of services and goods to be done from a Google Wallet, providing a streamlined flow of just a few taps with minimized data entry done by the user.[11]

Other

Google Play Services provides other APIs such as the Google Fit API, Google account authentication methods and Google Analytics APIs.[2] Google Play Services is used by almost all Google apps and have system-level powers to provide multiple internal features.[12]

Version history[13]

  • Version 1.0 was released on September 26, 2012.[14]
  • Version 3.1 was released on May 16, 2013.[15]
  • Version 3.2 was released on August 20, 2013.[16]
  • Version 4.0 was released on October 31, 2013.[17]
  • Version 4.1 was released on January 9, 2014.[18]
  • Version 4.2 was released on February 3, 2014.[19]
  • Version 4.3 was released on March 17, 2014.[20]
  • Version 4.4 was released on May 7, 2014.[21]
  • Version 5.0 was released on June 25, 2014 with rollout finishing on July 2, 2014.[22][23]
  • Version 6.1 was released on September 16, 2014.[24]
  • Version 6.5 was released on November 17, 2014.[25]
  • Version 7.0 was released on March 2, 2015.[26]
  • Version 8.0 was released on August 28, 2015.[27]
  • Version 8.3 was released on November 5, 2015.[28]
  • Version 8.4 was released on December 18, 2015.

Adoption

Google Play Services is automatically updated through Google Play on devices with the Google Play Store application installed running Android 2.3 or newer.[1] This means Google can do fast, silent rollouts of updates, providing new functionality to old devices without manufactures having to update the Android firmware itself, working around the fragmentation of the platform for which it had become infamous.[29]

Concerns

Android Open Source Project (AOSP) was announced in 2007, and has functioned as the baseline system for all OEMs and firmware modifications such as CyanogenMod. Various apps from AOSP are abandoned, and instead released on Google Play with a closed-source model. Many apps only function with Google Play Services available (such as many of the Google apps like GMail, YouTube and Google Maps). Any party interested in distributing Google Play Services as a part of the Google apps package must acquire a license from Google, which often results in a contractual agreement locking the manufacturer into Android.[citation needed] Additionally, enthusiasts who are not able to or are not interested in signing such an agreement, but are interested in modifying the Android system are required to either opt-out of Google Play Services or for obtaining the Google apps package either from a device which has them pre-installed or an unofficial source.[12][29] Google Play Services can be found in the Google Play Store, demanding 80 permissions [1]. The store only works when the Google Play Services are already running.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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