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Although academic sources are preferred, the Springer source doesn't say much besides the fact that the researchers used MicroG for their study
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Although [[Google]] initially released the [[Android (operating system)|Android]] operating system as [[open-source software]] in 2007, the company began replacing Android's open-source components with [[proprietary software]] as Android grew in popularity.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2013/10/googles-iron-grip-on-android-controlling-open-source-by-any-means-necessary|title=Google’s iron grip on Android: Controlling open source by any means necessary|date=2013-10-21|website=[[Ars Technica]]|access-date=2019-12-31}}</ref> Marvin Wißfeld, a German software developer, created the NOGAPPS project in 2012 as a [[free and open-source]] [[drop-in replacement]] for [[Google Play Services]], Google's closed-source [[system software]] that was [[pre-installed]] on almost all Android devices.<ref name="LWN">{{Cite web|url=https://lwn.net/Articles/681758/|title=Replacing Google with microG|last=Willis|first=Nathan|date=March 30, 2016|website=[[LWN.net]]|access-date=2020-01-06}}</ref> The NOGAPPS project was renamed to MicroG by 2016.<ref name="LWN" />
Although [[Google]] initially released the [[Android (operating system)|Android]] operating system as [[open-source software]] in 2007, the company began replacing Android's open-source components with [[proprietary software]] as Android grew in popularity.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2013/10/googles-iron-grip-on-android-controlling-open-source-by-any-means-necessary|title=Google’s iron grip on Android: Controlling open source by any means necessary|date=2013-10-21|website=[[Ars Technica]]|access-date=2019-12-31}}</ref> Marvin Wißfeld, a German software developer, created the NOGAPPS project in 2012 as a [[free and open-source]] [[drop-in replacement]] for [[Google Play Services]], Google's closed-source [[system software]] that was [[pre-installed]] on almost all Android devices.<ref name="LWN">{{Cite web|url=https://lwn.net/Articles/681758/|title=Replacing Google with microG|last=Willis|first=Nathan|date=March 30, 2016|website=[[LWN.net]]|access-date=2020-01-06}}</ref> The NOGAPPS project was renamed to MicroG by 2016.<ref name="LWN" />


Other custom ROMs have adopted signature spoofing and MicroG support for several Android phones,<ref name="Springer1" /> including [[Essential Phone]]'s "Project Gem".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2019/10/essentials-new-smartphone-has-the-aspect-ratio-of-a-tv-remote/|title=Essential’s new smartphone has the aspect ratio of a TV remote|last=Amadeo|first=Ron|date=2019-10-09|website=Ars Technica|language=en-us|access-date=2019-10-14}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.xda-developers.com/essential-next-device-early-testing/|title=Essential Confirms its Next Device is in Early Testing|date=2019-09-23|website=xda-developers|language=en-US|access-date=2019-10-14}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.xda-developers.com/essential-hiring-software-engineers-india/|title=Essential starts hiring software engineers in India|date=2019-10-08|website=xda-developers|language=en-US|access-date=2019-10-14}}</ref>
Other custom ROMs have adopted signature spoofing and MicroG support for several Android phones, including [[Essential Phone]]'s "Project Gem".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2019/10/essentials-new-smartphone-has-the-aspect-ratio-of-a-tv-remote/|title=Essential’s new smartphone has the aspect ratio of a TV remote|last=Amadeo|first=Ron|date=2019-10-09|website=Ars Technica|language=en-us|access-date=2019-10-14}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.xda-developers.com/essential-next-device-early-testing/|title=Essential Confirms its Next Device is in Early Testing|date=2019-09-23|website=xda-developers|language=en-US|access-date=2019-10-14}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.xda-developers.com/essential-hiring-software-engineers-india/|title=Essential starts hiring software engineers in India|date=2019-10-08|website=xda-developers|language=en-US|access-date=2019-10-14}}</ref>


== LineageOS for MicroG ==
== LineageOS for MicroG ==
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<ref name="lineage.microg.org">{{Citation |mode=cs1 |url=https://lineage.microg.org/#faq |title=LineageOS for microG |at=FAQ |date=1 June 2019 |website=microG.org |publisher=microG}}</ref>
<ref name="lineage.microg.org">{{Citation |mode=cs1 |url=https://lineage.microg.org/#faq |title=LineageOS for microG |at=FAQ |date=1 June 2019 |website=microG.org |publisher=microG}}</ref>
<ref name="Springer1">{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kl1oDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA150&dq=microg+android&hl=en#v=snippet&q=microg&f=false |title=Advances in Information and Computer Security: 13th International Workshop on Security, IWSEC 2018, Sendai, Japan, September 3-5, 2018, Proceedings |last=Inomata |first=Atsuo |last2=Yasuda |first2=Kan |date=8 August 2018 |series=Lecture Notes in Computer Science |publisher=Springer |isbn=9783319979168}}</ref>
}}


== External links ==
== External links ==

Revision as of 07:14, 19 January 2020

MicroG
Developer(s)Marvin Wißfeld
Repositorygithub.com/microg
Written inJava
Operating systemAndroid
LicenseApache 2.0
Websitemicrog.org

MicroG is a free and open-source implementation of proprietary Google libraries that serves as a replacement for Google Play Services on the Android operating system.[1][2] It is maintained by German developer Marvin Wißfeld.[1] In a presentation, he described MicroG as "the framework (libraries, services, patches) to create a fully-compatible Android distribution without any proprietary Google components".[3]

History

Although Google initially released the Android operating system as open-source software in 2007, the company began replacing Android's open-source components with proprietary software as Android grew in popularity.[4] Marvin Wißfeld, a German software developer, created the NOGAPPS project in 2012 as a free and open-source drop-in replacement for Google Play Services, Google's closed-source system software that was pre-installed on almost all Android devices.[5] The NOGAPPS project was renamed to MicroG by 2016.[5]

Other custom ROMs have adopted signature spoofing and MicroG support for several Android phones, including Essential Phone's "Project Gem".[6][7][8]

LineageOS for MicroG

In 2017, MicroG released "LineageOS for MicroG", a fork of LineageOS – a free and open-source Android-based operating system – that includes both MicroG and the F-Droid app store as pre-installed software. LineageOS for MicroG was created after LineageOS developers declined to integrate MicroG into LineageOS; the developers cited MicroG's need to spoof code signatures as a security concern.[9][10] To enable MicroG's functionality, LineageOS for MicroG includes limited support for signature spoofing. MicroG developers claim that older smartphones consume less battery power using LineageOS for MicroG compared to operating systems that use Google Play Services.[9] LineageOS for MicroG supported 39 device models in 2017,[9] and now supports the same device models as LineageOS.[11] Devices receive updates to LineageOS for MicroG through weekly over-the-air updates.[11]

Current status

There is an unofficial fork of the LineageOS Android distribution that comes with MicroG pre-installed,[12][13] and refurbished phones have been sold with MicroG pre-installed.[14][15] It can also be installed with other Android ROMs (custom firmware).[16] While it continues to be a work in progress, several components have been functional for years.[17][18][9] Some users have reported being offered money to return to Google Services,[19][20] and it has been considered as a way around Google's Huawei ban.[21][22][23]

Reception

In 2016, Nathan Willis of LWN.net expected MicroG to be a "welcome addition" for users of alternative Android-based projects, including CyanogenMod, Replicant, and Blackphone. Willis suggested that MicroG could increase its adoption by collaborating with these projects.[5]

References

{{reflist|refs= [1] [2] [12] [13] [16] [17] [18] [9] [14] [15] [19] [20] [21] [22] [23] [10]

[11]

External links

  1. ^ a b c Gordon, Arielle (7 June 2019). "The Open Source Project That Keeps Google's Hands Off Your Android Data". Vice.
  2. ^ a b Hesse, Brendan (8 November 2018). "The Comprehensive Guide to Quitting Google". Lifehacker.
  3. ^ "MicroG - what it is and where it's going". SFSCon. Retrieved 2019-12-21.
  4. ^ "Google's iron grip on Android: Controlling open source by any means necessary". Ars Technica. 2013-10-21. Retrieved 2019-12-31.
  5. ^ a b c Willis, Nathan (March 30, 2016). "Replacing Google with microG". LWN.net. Retrieved 2020-01-06.
  6. ^ Amadeo, Ron (2019-10-09). "Essential's new smartphone has the aspect ratio of a TV remote". Ars Technica. Retrieved 2019-10-14.
  7. ^ "Essential Confirms its Next Device is in Early Testing". xda-developers. 2019-09-23. Retrieved 2019-10-14.
  8. ^ "Essential starts hiring software engineers in India". xda-developers. 2019-10-08. Retrieved 2019-10-14.
  9. ^ a b c d e Leemhuis, Thorsten (4 November 2017). "LineageOS-Ableger vermeidet Google-Code" [LineageOS offshoot avoids Google code]. Heise Online. Heise Medien.
  10. ^ a b "195284: [RFC] Add signature spoofing permission". LineageOS Gerrit. 11 December 2017.
  11. ^ a b c "LineageOS for microG". microG.org. microG. FAQ. 1 June 2019.
  12. ^ a b Conway, Adam (4 November 2017). "Unofficial LineageOS Fork with microG Lets You Avoid Google Services". XDA Developers.
  13. ^ a b Hoff, John (6 November 2017). "LineageOS puts out a build with microG as alternative to Google Play Services". Android Community.
  14. ^ a b Wang, Jules (15 May 2019). "This company will sell refurbished Android phones with all of Google's services removed". Android Police. Illogical Robot.
  15. ^ a b Singh, Charanjeet (25 November 2018). "Privacy-focused /e/ Smartphone OS Gets Support For More Devices". Fossbytes. Fossbytes Media.
  16. ^ a b Davenport, Corbin (29 April 2018). "This is what it's like using only open-source software on Android". Android Police. Illogical Robot.
  17. ^ a b Burns, Chris (28 March 2016). "Android "microG" aims to cut out Google (sort of)". SlashGear.
  18. ^ a b Hoff, John (7 October 2015). "MicroG GmsCore will run Google apps without Play Services". Android Community.
  19. ^ a b Burns, Chris (6 April 2016). "Leave Google for MicroG on Android, receive two dollars". SlashGear.
  20. ^ a b Torres, Ida (7 April 2016). "Google reportedly giving $2 to those who left for MicroG". Android Community.
  21. ^ a b Simons, Hadlee (20 May 2019). "What does the Huawei ban mean for your Huawei or Honor phone? (Updated)". Android Authority.
  22. ^ a b Kateliev, Preslav (17 June 2019). "What do you lose when your Android phone is not supported by Google? A lot..." Phone Arena.
  23. ^ a b Ferrari-Herrmann, Eric (26 May 2019). "How does Android feel without Google?". AndroidPIT.
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