Pixel Camera (Gcam) Best way to implement within GrapheneOS?

GemStater

Topic: Do I or don't I NEED luckaspieper Gcam-Services-Provider to run Pixel Camera on GrapheneOS?

Background: I've been using Google Camera and Google Photos via implementation of the luckaspieper Gcam-Services-Provider app. Here: https://github.com/lukaspieper/Gcam-Services-Provider

However, releases 2023040400 included this:

add generic compatibility shim catching the exception from the Gservices provider being missing to enable apps like Google Camera and the Pixel eSIM firmware app (Google eSIM activation app is separate) to work without GSF installed since they don't have any actual hard dependency on either GSF or Play services

So my question is, as a tech novice, I'm getting lost in the lingo. Can someone help clarify, in clear terms, how to implement Gcam on GrapheneOS.

Dumdum

GemStater
According to this thread, you can just use it without any GSF stuff (see Treequell's comments at the bottom)

GemStater

Dumdum So to clarify, on a current version of GrapheneOS, I can install Google Camera and Google Photos and everything will work as it should with no other spoofing apps?

matchboxbananasynergy

GemStater Correct. This has been the case since https://grapheneos.org/releases#2023040400

add generic compatibility shim catching the exception from the Gservices provider being missing to enable apps like Google Camera and the Pixel eSIM firmware app (Google eSIM activation app is separate) to work without GSF installed since they don't have any actual hard dependency on either GSF or Play services

GemStater

matchboxbananasynergy Okay, to test it out, I went ahead and uninstalled Gcam-Services-Provider. Google Camera and Google Photos works fine without crashing. Since I don't like bloating my phone with unneeded apps, this has been a great finding. Thanks everyone!

User2288

matchboxbananasynergy
Does this include google photos as well?

Will google photos work without any of the 3 google components now?

chock-a-block

matchboxbananasynergy does this mean I can install an esim without Google Services as well?

fromTom

GemStater Hello, please, how do you download & update Pixel Camera without Google play services? Via Aurora store, from Apkpure or somewhere else? Thank you.

doublefree

User2288 The local usage as gallery and photo editing works fine without them. For network based features sync/backup to you G-Account or Lens or ... you will need them I guess.

GemStater

User2288 Yes.

GlytchMeister

chock-a-block

I did not need to "install" google services on mine. I did have to enable ESIM functionality. GOS ships with this, but it is turned off by default, because it is proprietary/non-FOSS code owned by Google (?).

I don't actually know if it's okay to turn that option off once the ESIM itself has been installed. I... Have not been having a good time with my ESIMS but I am by all accounts an exception, not the rule, and it doesn't revolve around GOS functionality regardless... Anyway, hopefully someone else can fill us both in regarding this detail.

GemStater

fromTom I downloaded Google Camera and Google Photos from Aurora Store.

User2288

doublefree
GemStater

I should have clarified more. In particular one problem is that when you take a photo with Gcam and you click on the picture to access it in gallery this didn't work. Im wondering does this aspect work as well now without gsf?

doublefree

User2288 This never required GSF IIRC. However Pcam/Gcam always opens in Google Photos. If it is not installed, it will fail. The capture and redirect to your gallery feature of one gcam service provider flavours is a different story. If you want that it opens AOSP Gallery/Aves/Simple Gallery/..., you still need gcam service provider and will continue to do so until google decides to change that.

RemoverFan

User2288 You can use a shim, "fake" Google Photos stub app to modify this behavior and have Pixel Camera open your gallery of choice instead.

https://github.com/CaramelFur/GPhotosShim

Edit: to clarify, I don't think needs the Services Provider app to work. So if you like minimalism, all you may need is this and the Pixel Camera app, sans any other dependencies.

User2288

GemStater
doublefree

Thank you for this.

I had been wanting to set these two apps on my phone to use them. Its great to hear that now they can be setup without requiring any google elements any more.

GemStater

...or install Google Photos. It works offline, not signed into account and can be restricted from network privileges.

Onlyfun

P8 simple install from Aurora, only strictly necessary permissions allowed. Tried a couple times, looks a viable improvement on top of GOS camera. Crashed once on switch to video. Planning to do a field comparison to Sam20.

Onlyfun

Onlyfun so comparison to s20 has different results to me. Night photo obviously won by P8, S20 has only some glowing points on black background. But not in the day, here s20 stands strong still. Plus a side observation stock GOS cam is way ahead of Pixel Cam when doing macro photo. So both are to be kept for full feature availability.