How to install Android apps if Google doesn't support your smartphone

[Jamie McKane]

How to install Android apps if Google doesn't support your smartphone

Following orders from the United States government in an attempt to curb technology trade with China, Google has revoked Huawei's Android licence.

This move could have serious implications for the manufacturer’s smartphone business, as its upcoming handsets will not run licensed versions of Android.

 

[Thor]

Lol.

Won't work if US companies enforce it.

 

[Nobody Important]

Would a phone running vanilla open-source Android and devoid of Google's bloatware be such a bad thing?

 

[Icemanbrfc]

Lol.

Won't work if US companies enforce it.

What won't work?

 

[RedViking]

Lol.

Won't work if US companies enforce it.

Why?

 

[Swa]

So are people on LineageOS missing out on anything?

 

[Totempole]

I used an "Uncertified" Google device for ages and never ran into any issues. It's not the same as having a rooted device, so most apps should work.

If anyone remembers the Zest T1 marketed by Afrihost? Those "Doogee" phones sold at Cash Crusaders? Mobicel Devices?

All uncertified. The Play Store and Google Apps are obviously sideloaded into the ROM somehow before being sold here.

I'm sure there are certain drawbacks, such as apps that have strict requirements about Google Certification, but generally I don't foresee a big issue for their smartphone users.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but pretty sure even DSTV Now and Netflix work just fine on many (non-rooted) Uncertified devices.

Generally speaking though, you'd rather want a Google Certified Android phone than an Uncertified Android phone so it will no doubt hurt Huawei sales significantly.

 

[Johnatan56]

Would a phone running vanilla open-source Android and devoid of Google's bloatware be such a bad thing?

Yes, on a daily case I use:
- Gmail
- Photos
- Maps (inc. Waze)
- YouTube
- Google search
- Google Assistant (how else do I shout at my phone to set an alarm? )
- Google Camera (side loaded)
- Google Calendar
- Google Calling
- Drive
- News
- Chrome (though also use FF as addblock, depends on whether I got there via Google Assistant)
- Files
- Home (not pre-installed though)
- Keep Note (not pre-installed either)
- Play store (updates)

Weekly:
- Google Lens to copy text via camera
- Photo scan (from app store)
- Google Slides, Docs, sheets

The only thing I don't use that's from Google and comes pre-installed is:
- Google Keyboard
- Duo (since I use Telegram, and rarely WhatsApp for stragglers)

 

[Geoff.D]

I used an "Uncertified" Google device for ages and never ran into any issues. It's not the same as having a rooted device, so most apps should work.

If anyone remembers the Zest T1 marketed by Afrihost? Those "Doogee" phones sold at Cash Crusaders? Mobicel Devices?

All uncertified. The Play Store and Google Apps are obviously sideloaded into the ROM somehow before being sold here.

I'm sure there are certain drawbacks, such as apps that have strict requirements about Google Certification, but generally I don't foresee a big issue for their smartphone users.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but pretty sure even DSTV Now and Netflix work just fine on many (non-rooted) Uncertified devices.

Generally speaking though, you'd rather want a Google Certified Android phone than an Uncertified Android phone so it will no doubt hurt Huawei sales significantly.

DSTV apps won't work on non-certified and rooted devices.

 

[Reneo]

So Huawei just ships their new phones with their own OS like how it was before the android OS existed, then when i buy my new P5000 or whatever i can just download the android OS and all is well? Is this correct?

 

[Totempole]

DSTV apps won't work on non-certified and rooted devices.

I've seen it work just fine on uncertified devices, as long as they're not rooted. I've also seen both Netflix and DSTV working on cheap, uncertified Android TV boxes as well.

 

[Geoff.D]

Good luck with that. How long ago?

 

[ToxicBunny]

So Huawei just ships their new phones with their own OS like how it was before the android OS existed, then when i buy my new P5000 or whatever i can just download the android OS and all is well? Is this correct?

Not at all...

 

[irBosOtter]

Huawei is proper farked now lol. Who in their right minds will still buy a phone from them now with all this crap going on

 

[shooter69]

PureAPK. I donwloaded it a while ago to get a geo blocked weather app.
PureAPK is a "play store" type of app but it downloads and updates via APK's

 

[KleinBoontjie]

Aptoide?

 

[shooter69]

Yes, on a daily case I use:
- Gmail
- Photos
- Maps (inc. Waze)
- YouTube
- Google search
- Google Assistant (how else do I shout at my phone to set an alarm? )
- Google Camera (side loaded)
- Google Calendar
- Google Calling
- Drive
- News
- Chrome (though also use FF as addblock, depends on whether I got there via Google Assistant)
- Files
- Home (not pre-installed though)
- Keep Note (not pre-installed either)
- Play store (updates)

Weekly:
- Google Lens to copy text via camera
- Photo scan (from app store)
- Google Slides, Docs, sheets

The only thing I don't use that's from Google and comes pre-installed is:
- Google Keyboard
- Duo (since I use Telegram, and rarely WhatsApp for stragglers)

All of the above can still be used. Example, you can connect to gmail and calendar via the apps supplied by Huawei.
PureAPK can be used to update all your apps.
Plenty alternatives for things like news/keep notes/chrome.
Maps - Downloaded Here Maps(used it years ago on Nokia)

I actually decided yesterday to go on this journey to see how much I can do without google and I am surprising myself here. Don't get me wrong, I like google. Always been a user/customer of google products. I am just curious to see how bad it would be to not be invested entirely into one company. You realize quickly how much of you google run/own and this is not necessarily a good thing if they can just revoke all your "google" apps because a idiot with a wig said they must. We are placing too much power into the hands of Google and even Facebook.

 

[elf_lord_ZC5]

DSTV apps won't work on non-certified and rooted devices.

So who cares about DSTV anyhow

 

[elf_lord_ZC5]

Huawei is proper farked now lol. Who in their right minds will still buy a phone from them now with all this crap going on

Phones are a new venture by Huawei, not their core business

 

[Park@82]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but pretty sure even DSTV Now and Netflix work just fine on many (non-rooted) Uncertified devices.

Plenty of issues with that, take the Skyworth Android box for example:

Same chip as the Netflix certified Xiaomi Mi box. Skyworth box = not Netflix certified but it is Google Certified and a huge pain to try to run Netflix on it. Someone finds a working apk, sideloads it, and the next month Netflix updates their servers and bricks the apk.

Skyworth Box = R900
Mi Box S = R1500

Most people are opting and recommending the Mi box instead because of the Netflix issue.