Sandboxed Google Play Service without Google Play Store

ToddCrimson

So I decided to uninstall Google Play Store, but keep GMS Compat Config and Google Play services itself.
Several Apps are now giving me a message that "<app_name> won't run without Google Play services, which are not supported by your device". Even though "play services" are installed. I can ignore that message, and some apps continue running, while others just crash.

Is there an issue at this point, whereby some how there is a link between Google Play Services and Google Play Store? Or do I need a special setting?

Thanks.

Probably9857

ToddCrimson

Google Play services and Google Play Store...are interdependent

https://grapheneos.org/usage#sandboxed-google-play-installation

ToddCrimson

Probably9857

Thank you, yes I had read that before asking.
Let me rephrase ==> Why are they both interdependent?
Google Services with GMS COMPAT should work without google play store?
Is there some place I can read their inter-dependency?

Probably9857

ToddCrimson Why are they both interdependent?

Because Google designed them that way.

Google Services with GMS COMPAT should work without google play store?

The fact is that they don't, and if you need the functionality they provide, you'll have to accept that.

Is there some place I can read their inter-dependency?

I don't know...Google assumes they will both exist on any device running their OS. It seems unlikely they would publish their internal architecture. But maybe such a document does exist somewhere?

ToddCrimson

Probably9857

Thanks again for the prompt response. Appreciate that.
I'm going to go check something, and apologies in advance, please don't take offense. I'm just trying to learn here.
What I'm going to check:

Go to a custom ROM phone like LineageOS with GAPPS installed, and remove only Google Play Store. And see the functionality.
Go to default ROM phone (another Pixel 8 Pro) and see if I can disable (probably yes) and or remove (probably not) google play store, and see the functionality.

Just going here purely by memory, the statement "Google designed them that way" seems a bit off. Not saying you're not right, but memory is telling me (and I could be wrong) that at one point, in a prior version, I had NOT installed Google Play Store, and I never got that message for "Google Play Services" error when Play Services is installed without Google Play Store.

Thanks.

Probably9857

ToddCrimson

No offense taken. I approve of your approach to try to verify.

Just going here purely by memory, the statement "Google designed them that way" seems a bit off.

In my imagination, Google thinks of these as integral parts of the OS, that are just assumed to be available to use if another app wants some functionality they can provide.

Much like the GrapheneOS team warns that disabling a system app can result in unexpected errors (but might not, if you never encounter a situation that requires that app).

de0u

ToddCrimson My memory is telling me (and I could be wrong) that at one point, in a prior version, I had NOT installed Google Play Store, and I never got that message for "Google Play Services" error when Play Services is installed without Google Play Store.

You may well be right! Over time more Google apps require more Google services (and more of them require a login to a Google account). It's easier for their developers if they can just assume more of their infrastructure, because it makes the apps smaller and faster to update. Other motives are possible, but there are plausible technical advantages for them to take those steps.

Oggyo

A year ago I kept my GP Store disabled. All worked as expected and GP services did their job.
Then I re-enabled GP Store as per Graphene project account advice - apparently, it is needed to provide updates of GP Services.
Nowadays, I have two apps that even refuse to start/operate if the GP Store is not present or disabled.