Google Play Services

Google Play ServicesPicture of the Google Play Services icon

Developer(s)| Google LLC
Initial release| 26 September 2012; 13 years ago (2012-09-26)
Stable release(s) [±]
| Android| 23.50.14 / January 12, 2024; 2 years ago (2024-01-12)[1]

|

Android TV| 23.50.14 / January 16, 2024; 2 years ago (2024-01-16)[2]
Wear OS (Android Wear)| 23.50.14 / January 11, 2024; 2 years ago (2024-01-11)[3]
Operating system| Android
License| Proprietary

Google Play Services is a proprietary software package produced by Google for installation on Android devices. It consists of background services and libraries for use by mobile apps running on the device.[4] When it was introduced in 2012, it provided access to the Google+ APIs and OAuth 2.0. It expanded to cover a variety of Google services, allowing applications to communicate with the services through common means.[5]

The package's services include location tracking and geofencing, single sign-on account services, user health and fitness tracking, payment processing, integrated advertising, and security scanning. Many apps on Android devices depend on the use of Google Play Services, and the package requires the user to use a Google Account and agree to Google's terms of service. Distributing Google Play Services on an Android device requires a license from Google, which contractually prohibits device producers from producing Android devices that are incompatible with Google's Android specifications.

Google Play Services is used by almost all Google apps that have system-level powers. Without Google Play Services, these apps may not work properly.[6]

## Contents

* 1 Services
* 2 Adoption
* 3 Concerns
* 4 See also
* 5 References
* 6 External links

## Services

Google Play Game Services[7] can be used by application developers to allow a competitive and social experience through the use of leaderboards, achievements, and multiplayer sessions.[8] Saved Games API is available to sync game saves on Google's cloud infrastructure.[9]

Location APIs provide specifications about the location technologies, providing geofencing APIs for scheduling specific actions when the user enters or leaves specific geographic boundaries, Fused Location Provider acquires location information such as reduced power usage and activity recognition for allowing applications to adapt to the current action of the user (e.g. cycling, walking, etc.).[7]

The Google Sign-in Android API provides single sign-on, authenticating the user inside applications using Google Account credentials.[10]

The 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 a means of adding custom markers and map overlays.[11]

The Google Drive Android API allows Google Drive to be used as a storage structure, providing lookup and syncing of documents along with other file manipulation tools.[12]

The 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.[13]

Google Mobile Ads integrates advertisements into applications, allowing monetization by targeting ads based on factors such as user location.[14] The Google Pay API allows purchases of services and goods via Google Pay.[15] Other APIs include the Google Fit API, account authentication methods, and Google Analytics.[5]

Google Play Protect is a unification of Android security systems.[16][17][18] In 2019, the company announced that the software was scanning 50 million apps per day.[19] On 6 November 2019, Google announced the App Defense Alliance. Partners can request Google Play Protect to analyze an app. Results are sent to the partner and Google Play Protect receives results from partners. As of November, 2019, partners of the App Defense Alliance included ESET, Lookout and Zimperium.[20][21] In October 2023, Google announced that Play Protect would scan sideloaded apps for malware at install time.[22]

In May 2016, Google announced Instant Apps, a feature provided via Google Play Services for Android 4.2 and later that allows app developers to provide lightweight versions of their apps without first having to install them from the Play Store.[23] The feature debuted in 2017. In June 2025, Google announced through Android Studio that Instant Apps support would be removed that December.[24] The decision was attributed to low usage of the functionality.[25]

## Adoption

Google Play Services is automatically updated through Google Play on devices with Android 6.0 or newer.[4] This means Google can deliver updates without manufacturers having to update the Android firmware, working around the fragmentation of the platform that has become infamous for Android products.[6][26]

## Concerns

The Android Open Source Project (AOSP) was announced in 2007, and functioned as the baseline system for all OEMs and firmware modifications such as CyanogenMod and LineageOS. Various AOSP apps were transferred to Google Play with a closed-source model. Many apps (such as Lyft, Uber, and many of the Google apps like Gmail and YouTube) function only when the Google Play Services package is available and enabled.[6]

Distributing Google Play Services as a part of the Google Apps package requires a license from Google, which contractually prohibits device producers from producing Android devices that are incompatible with Google's Android specifications. Others who are interested in modifying the Android system are required to either opt-out of Google Play Services or to obtain the Google apps package from either a device that has them pre-installed or an unofficial source.[6][26]

In order to circumvent this tight coupling with Google products, there have been several initiatives of developers launching and maintaining custom android distributions, such as LineageOS, CalyxOS, iodéOS or /e/OS, that replace Google Play Services for MicroG, an open source implementation.[27][28] On the other hand, distributions like GrapheneOS, implement a sandboxed version of Google Play Services, that have them run with regular privileges as any other app would.[29] In that way, the privacy issues are mitigated and they can interact with Google APIs while not breaking compatibility with some of google apps.[citation needed]

## See also

* Google Mobile Services
* Huawei Mobile Services
* MicroG – open source implementation
* Sandboxed Google Play Services – implementation without system-level privileges

## References

1. ↑ "Google Play Services". Android Police. https://www.apkmirror.com/apk/google-inc/google-play-services.
2. ↑ "Google Play Services (Android TV)". Android Police. https://www.apkmirror.com/apk/google-inc/google-play-services-android-tv/.
3. ↑ "Google Play Services (Wear OS)". Android Police. https://www.apkmirror.com/apk/google-inc/google-play-services-android-wear/.
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Overview of Google Play Services". https://developers.google.com/android/guides/overview.
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Package Index". https://developers.google.com/android/reference/packages.
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Ron Amadeo (3 September 2013). "Balky carriers and slow OEMs step aside: Google is defragging Android". Ars Technica. https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2013/09/balky-carriers-and-slow-oems-step-aside-google-is-defragging-android/.
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Build location-aware apps". https://developer.android.com/training/location.
8. ↑ "Play Game Services". https://developers.google.com/games/services.
9. ↑ "Saved Games in Android | Play Games Services". https://developers.google.com/games/services/android/savedgames.
10. ↑ "Add sign-in workflow". https://developer.android.com/training/sign-in.
11. ↑ "Add maps". https://developer.android.com/training/maps.
12. ↑ "Drive API for Android". https://developers.google.com/drive/android.
13. ↑ "Cast". https://developers.google.com/cast.
14. ↑ "Mobile Ads SDK". https://developers.google.com/ad-manager/mobile-ads-sdk.
15. ↑ "Google Pay". https://developers.google.com/pay.
16. ↑ "Google's security suite 'Play Protect' rolling out to Android phones". Android Authority. http://www.androidauthority.com/google-play-protect-rolling-out-788614/.
17. ↑ "Google's Play Protect didn't catch obfuscated malware with up to 20 million installs on the Play Store". Android Police. http://www.androidpolice.com/2017/09/16/googles-play-protect-didnt-catch-obfuscated-malware-20-million-installs-play-store/.
18. ↑ "Keeping you safe with Google Play Protect". Google Blog. https://www.blog.google/products/android/google-play-protect/.
19. ↑ "Google Play Protect Now Scans More Than 50 Million Apps Per Day". Beebom. 9 May 2019. https://app.beebom.com/google-play-protect-now-scans-50-million-apps-per-day.
20. ↑ "The App Defense Alliance: Bringing the security industry together to fight bad apps" (in en). https://security.googleblog.com/2019/11/the-app-defense-alliance-bringing.html.
21. ↑ "App Defense Alliance | Play Protect" (in en). https://developers.google.com/android/play-protect/app-defense-alliance.
22. ↑ Amadeo, Ron (2023-10-18). "Android will now scan sideloaded apps for malware at install time" (in en-us). https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2023/10/android-will-now-scan-sideloaded-apps-for-malware-at-install-time/.
23. ↑ Cunningham, Andrew (19 May 2016). "Android Instant Apps will blur the lines between apps and mobile sites". https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2016/05/android-instant-apps-will-blur-the-lines-between-apps-and-mobile-sites.
24. ↑ Whitwam, Ryan (13 Jun 2025). "Another one for the graveyard: Google to kill Instant Apps in December". https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/06/another-one-for-the-graveyard-google-to-kill-instant-apps-in-december/.
25. ↑ Preston, Dominic (13 Jun 2025). "Google is shutting down Android Instant Apps over 'low' usage". https://www.theverge.com/news/686573/google-android-instant-apps-shutdown.
26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 Ron Amadeo (21 October 2013). "Google's iron grip on Android: Controlling open source by any means necessary". Ars Technica. https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2013/10/googles-iron-grip-on-android-controlling-open-source-by-any-means-necessary/.
27. ↑ Barker, Shane (2026-01-09). "Reclaiming Your Android Phone: The Ultimate Guide to LineageOS with microG". https://expertbeacon.com/reclaiming-your-android-phone-the-ultimate-guide-to-lineageos-with-microg/.
28. ↑ Name; Milano, Matt (2025-02-28). "GrapheneOS Review: The Most Private and Secure Android OS" (in en). https://www.webpronews.com/grapheneos-review-the-most-private-and-secure-android-os/.
29. ↑ Lamont, Jonathan (2022-03-20). "A week with GrapheneOS exposed my over-reliance on Google" (in en). https://mobilesyrup.com/2022/03/20/using-grapheneos-for-one-week/.

## External links

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* Overview of Google Play Services on Google Developers

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