Google Camera and Saving Photos

grapheine

I downloaded Google Camera through Aurora Store. When I take a picture, it says I need Google photos. Can you not save pictures without having a Google account?

mythodical

grapheine You can take a picture without Google Photos, but you can't view it within the GCam app without Google Photos (it's hard-coded as the app's image viewer). You'll need to view the pics from outside of Google Camera, or install Google Photos.

grapheine

Thanks! That solves my issue. I didn't realize I can still view them using the photos app.

Is this compromising security allowing access to my photos?

mythodical

grapheine Assuming that you aren't using Play Services, and that GPhotos has no network permission, there shouldn't be any privacy risk. You can even configure GPhotos to be used as a local-only app within its preferences.

italian_job

you may install GCam Photos Preview from the Calyx F-Droid repo and it will open with your Gallery app

ifman13

italian_job

Thanks!! This is the best option i think

matchboxbananasynergy

ifman13 Keep in mind that this option will prevent you from installing Google Photos in any of your user profiles, from the way I understand it, due to that stub app re-using the Google Photos app ID.

grapheine

matchboxbananasynergy thanks. That's ok. I don't use Google photos.

SoulKeeper

Is it still a thing on GrapheneOS without Play Services or did they find a way to bypass this?

treequell

SoulKeeper To take photos with Google Camera on GrapheneOS, you no longer need any of the 3 apps (Google Play Services, Google Services Framework or Google Play Store).

To view your recently captured photos from the Google Camera app, you do still need to install Google Photos.

csis01

SoulKeeper It used to be needed to install "gcam-services-provider" in order to make gcam work in grapheneos (or any other AOSP) without gservices. There was a version of it that included a "photos" workaround. GrapheneOS has implemented the first part, but not the photos workaround, since it would have side-effects.

SoulKeeper

treequell This answers my question. Thank you as always for your quick reply. Have a great day!

GrapheneOS

csis01 There's no need for us to implement a workaround for it using Google Photos. Another app can provide what it expects and it will work with it. The relevant part of Gcam Services Provider can and should be split out into an app only handling the Google Photos dependency of Google Camera.

csis01

GrapheneOS I didn't suggest it should be implemented. I was only explaining that it wasn't.

Fried4650

I haven't tried it yet since there is no posted APK yet, but it supposedly lets you choose the gallery app you'd like to use with gcam: https://github.com/flipreverse/FPCameraPhotoProxy

Fried4650

This one also works: https://github.com/CaramelFur/GPhotosShim