It still does? In the resulting build or the original source code? I would have thought the newer versions didn’t need GCM/GMS stuff… But my experience so far hasn’t been that positive, e.g.:
opened 01:16PM - 14 Mar 17 UTC
closed 05:00PM - 02 Jun 17 UTC
I have:
- [x] searched open and closed issues for duplicates
- [x] read https:… //github.com/WhisperSystems/Signal-Android/wiki/Submitting-useful-bug-reports
----------------------------------------
### Bug description
I was eager to try out the new non gcm functionality, got an android phone and promptly disabled the Google Play Apps (precise lising below). Trying to sign up for Signal resulted in a failure, as the App requires me for some reason to update the Play Services before continuing. This locks me out.
[I dont think this is wanted behavior.
Looking into src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/RegistrationActivity.java, it looks like
ConnectionResult.SERVICE_DISABLED
is supposed to be treated as MISSING but that doesn't seem to work.]
### Steps to reproduce
- Disable all 3 Google Play "Core Apps" (listed below)
- Open a freshly installed Signal
- Type in Country and Phone Number and press Register
**Actual result:**
A pop up appears:
Update Google Play Services
Signal won't run unless you update Google Play Services.
This is impossible as they are intentionally disabled and unwanted as we want to use Websocket push.
**Expected result:**
The registration happens and Signal sets up so that gcmdisabled true is set. Signal can be used.
(Treat this as if the Google Play service components were just MISSING)
### Device info
**Android version:** 6.0.1
**Signal version:** 3.31.4
Stock Rom. Newly of the shelf bought phone.
disabled apps:
com.google.android.gms
com.android.vending
com.google.android.gsf
### Debug log not available as signup is impossible.
A fix would be greatly appreaciated, as it would allow to quickly setup an android burner phone for Signal without much technical sophistication.
One thing that could help F-Droid inclusion is making it buildable with MicroG:
opened 11:05AM - 19 Dec 16 UTC
closed 12:51AM - 03 Apr 18 UTC
I have an android smartphone without Google Play services. The reason for that i… s that I don't trust Google to not add NSA backdoors if asked or possibly snoop around my data in other intrusive ways, and while I'm aware Android also has a rather spotty security track record and might contain backdoors directly, at least it provides a reasonable possibility for external code reviews to discover such issues.
This tweet made me look into the open-source microG to run Signal: https://twitter.com/whispersystems/status/783817903120318465 (as per the rationale given above, I'm somewhat ok with additional open-source components on my phone and not very happy about more closed-source components)
However, even with microG installed, I'm getting the popup "Google Play Services - Signal relies on google Play Services, which is not supported by your device. Contact the manufacturer for assistance". I would assume this is because I don't have spoofing enabled, which allows microG to seamlessly replace the google services transparently for any installed apps. https://github.com/microg/android_packages_apps_GmsCore/wiki/Signature-Spoofing makes it very clear that 99% of custom ROM builds can be expected to *not* have this spoofing enabled, and therefore I would need to either custom build my Android (which is way beyond my capabilities) or install the Xposed Framework, which seems to be a very intrusive component that is also not, at least not in any way obvious to me, offered open-source, which is a very dangerous combination. Since spoofing is rarely patched in, this situation will be similar for most other people without Google Play services.
Therefore, is it technically possible to maybe add support for microG as an alternative directly into Signal without the need to do this intrusive and technically non-trivial to add signature spoofing? As I'm understanding the API should be exactly the same, just the name is different. It would be very helpful to anyone trying to use Signal with microG on phones free of closed-source Google components.
… but microg would first need to enter f-droid.