1mo ago

How do you handle non working apps on DivestOS or MicroG version of LineageOS?

I have an issue with a few apps that do not work at all or work poorly without google play services.

Is there anything a person can do? Eg. use google play services just for those apps or something like that?

So how do you overcome broken app issues?Is there an alternative to just not using those apps? Do you have separate not degoogled phones? Or do you use those apps in mobile browser? What about mobile

4 comments

This is a very difficult question. In general, stuff such as microg tries to provide a layer that "translates" calls from google services to something else and tries to give a response back. However, as you can imagine, not all calls are there because either: they are not documented, or people at microg didn't have the time/manpower to do them, or it requires some sort of authentication method(s) and/or keys that google holds of. For situations like this, most of the time there isn't really a good solution for this. You either:
try to use a web version of whatever you need to use
check if there is some sort of wrapper for that service that you can use (I.e. something like fritter from back in the day, to access "indirectly" to twitter)
have a separate device that have the google services as expected
I am aware this does not answer your question, but graphene os for instance does have the full (sandboxed) google services available for install (even this on certain edge cases can give issues, but its rare). Other Roms such as divest and calyx use microg instead. Either approach have good and bad things, but as far as comparability goes, sandboxed services is always better.
- but as far as comparability goes, sandboxed services is always better.
  Pretty sure you meant "compatibility", which I agree with, since you're running the actual Google software just isolated in user profile.
  I think you've covered it all pretty well. Moving away from Google Services comes with tradeoffs that we have to decide how to address, individually.
  For me, I've found there's stuff I was used to having that I really don't need anymore, things that can be accessed through a browser such as Hermit or Native Alpha (like my bank, The Free Dictionary and Etymonline).
  Other stuff I'll have to address through some self-hosting, like location sharing which was through Google Maps.
  
  Yes for sure meant compatibility. Auto correct likes to do it's stuff from time to time

I will find another app that's FOSS and does more or less the same thing. Otherwise I learn how to do without it