What is the importance of Google Play services?

Usually, we find that all the problems that you may encounter on your Android phone are related to the so-called (Google Play Services) Google Play Services, but what are they, what are they used for, and why they cannot be dispensed with in any Android phone?

Here's everything you need to know about Google Play Services:

First; What are Google Play services?

(Google Play Services) is an application built into your phone, but it is not a regular application that works in the same way that applications work in your phone, and when you try to open it, nothing will happen.

However, it is installed by default in all Android devices, it gets regular updates, and the number of permissions it requires accessing is quite large, reaching almost everything. In short, it is an app that is closely related to Android itself.

(Google Play Services) is a package of APIs that ensure you get app updates in your phone without relying on Android OS updates, as it is responsible for managing the Android app store, it controls the download and running of apps smoothly on your device, It is also constantly updated.

It is also responsible for linking applications with other Google services, such as: logging in with the Google account, the Maps application, and Gmail, and without running Google Play services, you cannot use any of the main Google applications in your phone.

It also hides sensitive information from apps and manages all apps running in the background to preserve battery efficiency. It allows apps in the Google Play Store to communicate with Google APIs and helps do a lot of things in the background.

In fact; We can consider it as a revolution in Android phones over the past few years, for example: before the emergence of (Google Play services), you could only update the Google Maps application by updating the operating system itself, and as we know that updating Android phones depends entirely on the manufacturers of phones. And not just Google.

  Today, there is no longer waiting for application updates, rather it happens automatically through (Google Play services).

Thus, (Google Play services) allow your smartphone to benefit from the latest versions of applications without the need to upgrade the Android system. But this does not include all the applications available in the (Google Play) store, while it is mainly intended for Google applications, such as Gmail, the Google application, the Google Play Store, Google Maps, YouTube, and other Google applications that you use in your phone.

This means that any version of the Android system, starting with Android 4.3 or later, can take advantage of new applications and features, regardless of OS updates. It is a way to segment updates and ensures that as many Android users as possible can enjoy the latest features in apps without having to completely update the system.

Google Play services started as part of the (Android 4.3) version, but it continued to grow gradually with the new versions of the Android system, especially with the arrival of Android 5 and Android 6. Nowadays, with the widespread availability of Android 9, it has become (Google Play Services). An essential part of the Android system.

Can you turn off Google Play services on your phone?

It was possible to turn off (Google Play Services) in the past, but now it is indispensable in Android phones, as it is part of (Google Mobile Services) Google Mobile Services, which is known as GMS. These are the same services that Huawei is prohibited from installing in its new phones since May 2019. Because of the US ban imposed by US President Trump on the company.

 However, it is possible that your smartphone is completely free of Google applications and services and works normally thanks to the new user interfaces provided by all Android phone manufacturers, but you will not be able to use Google applications and services or link them to other applications on your phone.

For example, Samsung phones rely on the One UI interface, and you can download apps from the Galaxy Store, Huawei phones rely on EMUI, and you can download apps from AppGallery, and OPPO phones depend on the ColorOS interface. The same applies to most Android phones.