Installing Play Services in Private Space fails

rndmE

Hi guys,

Introduction

I guess I'm not the only one who was looking for a feature like Private Space to finally being able to use a Google App which needs network access (in my case it is GMaps) in an encapsulated environment without it being able to have access to my whole GOS-device. You still couldn't be sure about what data Google has been collecting since Inter-app-communication could cause a big data breach without you even noticing.

I'm running a Pixel 7 with build 2024102100, installed just hours ago.

My idea was using the Private Space exclusively for Play Services + GMaps and maybe a few other non-google apps which need Play Services to run.
When I try to install Play Services and Play Store, it throws two different errors.

I split my post in multiple segments, one for each differently behaving Private Space configuration.

First installed Private Space:

The error of the first attempt was:
"Installation failed
Unable to install Google Play Store, Google Play Services.
Details:
0"

Beginning with the second try it fails with this error:

"INSTALL_FAILED_CONFLICTING_PROVIDER: Scanning Failed.: Can't install because provider name com.google.android.gsf.gservices (in package com.google.android.gms) is already used by com.google.android.apps.photos

Second installed Private Space

(just deleted the PS and configured a new one to this what may change):

I'm getting the error with "Details: 0" all the time, doesn't matter if first or fifth try.

My thoughts so far

I'm using the GCam app without network permission in my main profile with combined with the "Gcam Services Provider (Photos)" to make the button in GCam forwarding me to my Fossify photo app and I suspect this to be the problem because this app lies to the system being a part of Google's app framework.
If this is right, how could any app configuration from my main profile even be accessible from within the Private Space and how could this cause any issues?

If this is wrong, what is most likely the issue here?
Is anyone else having the same problems?
Can I provide more informations to figure out what the problem is?
The most important question: Is it a layer 8 problem?

Kind regards

other8026

rndmE You still couldn't be sure about what data Google has been collecting since Inter-app-communication could cause a big data breach without you even noticing.

Not really. Remember that apps can only communicate if they mutually agree to. This means that if data is shared with Google, the developers intended for that to happen. Also, it is important to remember that Google libraries don't necessarily need Google Play to work because they sometimes have backup methods to communicate with Google.

So, if your goal is to keep your personal data away from Google, don't assume that apps that want to share data are safe just because they're not in a profile without Google Play.

rndmE "INSTALL_FAILED_CONFLICTING_PROVIDER: Scanning Failed.: Can't install because provider name com.google.android.gsf.gservices (in package com.google.android.gms) is already used by com.google.android.apps.photos

Sounds like maybe you have gcam services provider installed? You cannot have that installed even in other profiles to install sandboxed Google Play.

rndmE

other8026 So, if your goal is to keep your personal data away from Google, don't assume that apps that want to share data are safe just because they're not in a profile without Google Play.

I know but I didn't want to install the "Google mesh system" on my phone.
My approach so far was to only use the Google Keyboard without network permission and to use GMaps only in a browser to ensure that Google apps can't use their inter-app-communication to tunnle their traffic to Google through that one of their apps that has network permission.
For me, this is the best approach so far. Always open for improvements!

other8026 Sounds like maybe you have gcam services provider installed? You cannot have that installed even in other profiles to install sandboxed Google Play.

Good to know, there seems to be a lack of knowledge.
How can this be a problem?
In my understanding, the apps of two profiles are completely separated from each other.
This issue means that they are not as separated as I have thought.

Yes, I have this app installed.
But I'm wondering why this error only appeared beginning with the second try of my first Private Space and didn't appear at all in my second Private Space. Haven't tried a third one yet...

Naudiz

rndmE In my understanding, the apps of two profiles are completely separated from each other.
This issue means that they are not as separated as I have thought.

If I understand it correctly, the moment you have the same app installed in multiple profiles, they automatically share their installed executables (APKs) between these profiles, which also means that you can never have an older version of a certain app on one profile and a newer version on another - or as in your case two versions of the same package name signed by two different keys.
This logic applies to all kind of profiles - work, user, and private

rndmE

Update:
The installation of Play Services and Maps has worked fine after I've removed the Gcam services provider from my main profile.

GrapheneOS

rndmE You don't need this app to use Pixel Camera on GrapheneOS. Pixel Camera will work without it.