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Does 'Maps SDK for Android v.3.0.0 BETA' work on devices without Google Play Services?

From the doc:

Version 3.0.0 beta of the Maps SDK for Android is a new implementation with the same API surface as the previous version (...). The main areas of change are as follows:

  • The Maps SDK for Android is now distributed via a standalone static library. Previously, the Maps SDK for Android was made available as part of Google Play services.

I have followed the guide and run these new maps on an emulator without Google Play Services. The app opens fine but the map view doesn't display the map of an area. Instead, the map view shows the following text: This app won't run without the Google Play services.

My take is that this static library won't work on devices without the Google Play Services (e.g: Amazon Fire tablets, newest Huawei phones, etc)

Community
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questioner
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1 Answers1

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No, version 3.0.0 beta of the Maps SDK for Android does not work on devices without Google Play Services.

While it does not use com.google.android.gms:play-services-maps:17.0.0, it does use the following Google Play Services dependencies:

implementation 'com.google.android.gms:play-services-basement:17.2.1'
implementation 'com.google.android.gms:play-services-base:17.2.1'
implementation 'com.google.android.gms:play-services-gcm:17.0.0'
implementation 'com.google.android.gms:play-services-location:17.0.0'

For now and the foreseeable future, the Google Play Services remain a mandatory dependency of the Maps SDK for Android, the 3.0.0 BETA included. In general, Google SDKs and software on Android depend by design on the Play Services.

Dharman
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evan
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  • Hi there. Thanks for looking into this. Perhaps my q wasn't 100% clear. I have edited it to be as precise as possible. – questioner May 25 '20 at 13:53
  • Heya, I've checked your edits but I'm not sure what was unclear about my answer or Google's doc. Yes you need Google Play Services as you need the above dependencies, even though `com.google.android.gms:play-services-maps` is not used in the beta version anymore (hence the standalone static library mention). So when you say "My take is that this static library won't work on devices without the Google Play Services" -> you're correct. – evan May 25 '20 at 14:10
  • To me, your answer is a guide on adding this new library, which, as you can see I'd successfully added to the app. Your answer doesn't explicitly say whether a device needs to have Google Play Services and if it does need them - why that is a case since this new static maps library is not a part of Google Play Services. In a way your comment explains more than the answer you've given. – questioner May 25 '20 at 16:35
  • Oh I see, so your question is more about why this is the case. Let me edit my answer later today. Will ping you once I do. – evan May 26 '20 at 09:59
  • @questioner please check out my edited answer. Hope it's clearer now. :) – evan May 26 '20 at 11:54
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    Yeah, it is, thanks. It's a shame that the new library still depends on Google Play Services. The library itself is relatively big, has some native files and yet it still won't work in its own. – questioner May 26 '20 at 14:07