63 lines
5 KiB
Markdown
63 lines
5 KiB
Markdown
# Gcam Services Provider
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[](https://github.com/lukaspieper/Gcam-Services-Provider/actions)
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[](https://github.com/lukaspieper/Gcam-Services-Provider/blob/master/LICENSE)
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This app "simulates" the Google Play Services that the Google Camera app (Gcam) requires, allowing the camera app to be
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used on devices without Google Play Services.
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### Comparison: [GrapheneOS' Gcam support](https://grapheneos.org/usage#google-camera)
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**The only reason to consider Gcam-Services-Provider on GrapheneOS is the ability to use the button in Gcam that opens
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the last taken photo without having Google Photos installed. If you can do without it, you don't need this app.**
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Since April 2023 GrapheneOS is able to run Gcam without additional steps. Here is the relevant part of
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the [changelog](https://grapheneos.org/releases#2023040400):
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> add generic compatibility shim catching the exception from the Gservices provider being missing to enable apps like
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> Google Camera [...] to work without GSF installed since they don't have any actual hard dependency on either GSF or
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> Play
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> services
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Before that, back in July 2021, GrapheneOS implemented a compatibility layer to use the original Google Play services
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without advanced permissions. For Gcam it was sufficient to install the Google Service Framework (GSF). <ins>If you
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already use the Sandboxed Play services, or you plan to use an app that requires Play services, you cannot use the Gcam
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Services Provider for technical reasons. This limitation applies beyond the boundaries of a user profile.</ins>
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### Comparison: [microG](https://github.com/microg)
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microG is a open source re-implementation of the Google Play Services (client side). Among other
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things, [signature spoofing](https://github.com/microg/android_packages_apps_GmsCore/wiki/Signature-Spoofing) is used to
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achieve this goal. In comparison, this app only aims to get Gcam running without Play Services. Therefore this app does
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not need any security compromising hacks or permissions (no Internet access, no storage access and of course no root
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access).
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## How to install this app?
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> Using GrapheneOS? Make sure you read the comparison with *GrapheneOS' Gcam support* above!
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Currently there are two versions of this app named "basic" and "photos". "Basic" includes everything you need to get
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Gcam running but the button showing the last taken photo in full size will not work. The "photos" version has all
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features from "basic" and adds support for this button but you cannot have the Google Photos app installed for technical
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reasons.
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Note that this app comes without UI and therefore has no icon in the app drawer. But of course it is listed in the
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Android settings (e.g. for uninstallation).
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| | Incompatible apps | Download |
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|----------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
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| Basic version | - Google Service Framework (GSF)<br/>- microg | [GitHub](https://github.com/lukaspieper/Gcam-Services-Provider/releases)<br/>[F-Droid](https://f-droid.org/de/packages/de.lukaspieper.gcam.services/) |
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| Photos version | - Google Service Framework (GSF)<br/>- microg<br/>- Google Photos | [GitHub](https://github.com/lukaspieper/Gcam-Services-Provider/releases) |
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### Gcam Compatibility
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| Google camera version | Requirements | Relevant issues |
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|-----------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
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| 7.4 & 7.5 | | |
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| >=7.6 | [Compatible Android OS](https://github.com/lukaspieper/Gcam-Services-Provider/discussions/28) or modded Gcam | [#22](https://github.com/lukaspieper/Gcam-Services-Provider/issues/22#issuecomment-814239882) |
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## Known from/recommended by
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- [XDA Developers](https://www.xda-developers.com/google-camera-port-hub/)
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- [GCam Hub (celsoazevedo)](https://www.celsoazevedo.com/files/android/google-camera/troubleshooting/)
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- [Kuketz-Blog (German IT security and privacy blog)](https://www.kuketz-blog.de/?s=gcam+services+provider)
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