Why do I need Google Play Services?

[gerryp123]

Trying to maxamize performance and minimize battery drain.
I see two instances of Google Play Services running full time (even when no wifi connection).
Google threatens "bad things" if I delete Play Services, but what is the real consequence of getting ris of these processes that I don't think I need?

 

[Golfdriver97]

Quote copied directly from the Play store decription: 'Google Play services is used to update Google apps and apps from Google Play.
This component provides core functionality like authentication to your Google services, synchronized contacts, access to all the latest user privacy settings, and higher quality, lower-powered location based services.
Google Play services also enhances your app experience. It speeds up offline searches, provides more immersive maps, and improves gaming experiences.
Apps may not work if you uninstall Google Play services.'

I would leave it.

 

[Paul627g]

Bottom line if you remove Google Play first you may have bad effects removing it.... Second... If you don't want Google then I question why you decided on an Android based product, especially a Nexus that is Pure Vanilla Android at its finest.

 

[Aquila]

It serves several purposes, but many apps require it for access to Google API's that they're not necessarily given, but are allowed to access. Disabling it, stopping it, etc will obviously have a detrimental effect on Google's apps, but will also likely break many, if not most, of your other apps (from the Play Store). I think it'll also restore itself eventually, because it's more or less a core process.

If it's causing problems, such as wake-locks, sometimes we recommend a force stop to isolate processes run rampant as it recycles on, but I don't think you're going to meet anyone that recommends disabling core functionality to improve "performance", as that's one of the things needed for the device to do much of anything at all. A phone without these services is basically a touch screen dumb phone, and while there are some things you can do without this (people do create ROMs with no Google apps, services, etc at all), it can be fairly crippling to the overall experience.

This tablet will run for a week or two easily when off of WiFi and sleeping, and Google Play services running in the background with WiFi off is usually syncing info between apps that share services and it'll still notify you about appointments, reminders, etc that it's already aware.

 

[gerryp123]

Good reply!
Just trying to get rid of the stuff I don't (think that) I need. Seems that GPS is not one of them.
Thanks

 

[Golfdriver97]

Good reply!
Just trying to get rid of the stuff I don't (think that) I need. Seems that GPS is not one of them.
Thanks

Nexus devices are pretty bare as it is. Now if we were talking about any carrier branded Samsung device, that would be full of garbage that would be worth discussing what is truly needed or not.

From a Sprint Moto X using AC Forums app

 

[rgeese]

I've stopped (NOT deleted) Google Play Services many times on my Nexus 7 trying to reduce battery drain and nothing adverse has happened. And it always has a way of eventually resurrecting itself. I don't know if stopping it has helped battery drain or not, but stopping several running apps at once seems to help. I was getting a lot better battery life before the update to 4.4.x, but it's still not too bad. I just enjoy tweaking things. My Nexus 10 also has 4.4.2, but the battery life is awesome on it. I'm not sure what the difference is, other than battery size.

 

[Daniel Shawen]

I disagree.

I needed a phone. It so happens, this is a "smart" one with lots of interesting apps, but after using it for a year, the battery just won't stay charged enough for it to be mobile anymore, and the culprit is most definitely the Google Play Services app.

After uninstalling it, my battery life more than quadrupled. I won't be reinstalling it anytime soon. As soon as I launch any app that claims to need it, that app will be uninstalled along with it. Nothing Google needs to know about me or my phone should need that much battery capacity. If it does, this goes back to "dumb phone" mode, because more than occasionally, I need the longer battery life a whole lot more than Google needs to know what I am doing with my phone.

 

[BBDB2014]

I got Android because I hate iCrap, and don't trust Windows since they screwed up their OS to make it look like a phone. What's left in a smart phone? Android. But I didn't expect it to be chock full of crap I'll never use, wasting my phone storage.

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! Android is a Google product, so I think it's perfectly reasonable for them to install various Google apps on their phones. You can always root your phone and delete almost all Google apps if you want. Google Play Services have other important functions, like allowing components of the OS to be updated separately, instead of having to wait much longer for a total system update.

If you want a phone that doesn't have any major company's influence, maybe you could look into Ubuntu.

Posted via Android Central App--please excuse the brevity and any typos!

 

[UJ95x]

Welcome to Android Central! Android is a Google product, so I think it's perfectly reasonable for them to install various Google apps on their phones. You can always root your phone and delete almost all Google apps if you want. Google Play Services have other important functions, like allowing components of the OS to be updated separately, instead of having to wait much longer for a total system update.

If you want a phone that doesn't have any major company's influence, maybe you could look into Ubuntu.

Posted via Android Central App--please excuse the brevity and any typos!

In addition to this, you can always root and flash an AOSP-based ROM, minus the gapps. What you'll be left with though is minimal, and it will be difficult to install any apps. I find most, if not all of them very useful. You can't however free up more storage on the device than what it comes with out of the box.

 

[laollis]

Google Services was stopped, now nothing will update. How to get Google Services back to running normal. Unlocked rooted note 2. Thanks!

 

[jerrykur]

Google Services was stopped, now nothing will update. How to get Google Services back to running normal. Unlocked rooted note 2. Thanks!

If you just stopped the service then it should come back when you reboot. If you uninstalled it ....

 

[edglenn]

Bottom line if you remove Google Play first you may have bad effects removing it.... Second... If you don't want Google then I question why you decided on an Android based product, especially a Nexus that is Pure Vanilla Android at its finest.

Paul, that's rather rude.
The question was if Google Play Services could be disabled because it appears to be draining battery life, not whether Google products would work without it. Also, why make fun of the Nexus product? Is your phone "cooler" than everyone elses?
I think the OP's question is a good one. That's why I followed this link: My Android phone suddenly started consuming a huge amount of battery after the latest "required" Google Play Service update.
If you'r so intelligent, then maybe you have a suggestion about whether or not Google Play Service is causing users batteries to discharge at a very high rate, and what "we" can do about it.
Some of us come to the forum for answers, not to be made fun of.

 

[raymaane]

Paul, that's rather rude.
The question was if Google Play Services could be disabled because it appears to be draining battery life, not whether Google products would work without it. Also, why make fun of the Nexus product? Is your phone "cooler" than everyone elses?
I think the OP's question is a good one. That's why I followed this link: My Android phone suddenly started consuming a huge amount of battery after the latest "required" Google Play Service update.
If you'r so intelligent, then maybe you have a suggestion about whether or not Google Play Service is causing users batteries to discharge at a very high rate, and what "we" can do about it.
Some of us come to the forum for answers, not to be made fun of.

You might be reading too much into it...

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using AC Forums mobile app

 

[edglenn]

So, to re-phrase the original question:
After "Google Play Services" updated recently, my battery is discharging really quickly (the battery is only a couple months old). This didn't happen before the update.
Under Settings/Applications/Battery Use, it shows "Andriod System" is using 75% of battery, with the remainder Cell Standby and Phone Idle.
It wasn't like this before the update, so it must have been related to the Google Play, which has several copies under Running Services.
How do I fix this problem. Can I "stop" Google Play, or is there something else?
I suspect that the update is now causing the phone to report my location (and who knows what else), which I don't see as a benefit to ME.
If I want to "update" any of my Apps, then I can do that manually.
So, without having to become an expert in Rooting my phone and hacking the OS, what's the best solution to keep my battery life extended as much as possible?

 

[edglenn]

You might be reading too much into it...

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using AC Forums mobile app

No, I don't think I am reading too much into Paul's answer. It was rude to chastise a forum member for asking a valid question.
Plus, the OP's question wasn't answered, except for being told his phone was "vanilla", and maybe he shouldn't have a Google product.

 

[Golfdriver97]

No, I don't think I am reading too much into Paul's answer. It was rude to chastise a forum member for asking a valid question.
Plus, the OP's question wasn't answered, except for being told his phone was "vanilla", and maybe he shouldn't have a Google product.

I copy/pasted the exact wording from Play. If Play Services is disabled, updating the apps that are on your device becomes difficult if even possible. I even responded by stating to leave it alone. The OP, started the question by asking about processes running all the time, as Play services does, because it has to.

From a Carbon M8 and AC Forums app

 

[Almeuit]

No, I don't think I am reading too much into Paul's answer. It was rude to chastise a forum member for asking a valid question.
Plus, the OP's question wasn't answered, except for being told his phone was "vanilla", and maybe he shouldn't have a Google product.

You kind of are.. He simply answered the OP's question and didn't mock him. As you can see I quoted the OP where he said thanks for answering his question.. He didn't find Paul to be rude.. So no reason to try and start something that isn't there. We are all here to help.. Not mock people.. Especially Paul. .

Good reply!
Just trying to get rid of the stuff I don't (think that) I need. Seems that GPS is not one of them.
Thanks

Sent from my Verizon HTC One M8 using AC Forums.

 

[Statler60657]

Bottom line if you remove Google Play first you may have bad effects removing it.... Second... If you don't want Google then I question why you decided on an Android based product, especially a Nexus that is Pure Vanilla Android at its finest.

I agree with edglenn, above.
Paul's answer was indicative of almost every socially inept "techie" I've met throughout my career. Your first statement, "if you remove Google Play you may have bad effects removing it", is barely English, and contains redundancy. I wouldn't mind so much, but you patronize the OP without expounding with a qualifying explanation. The response is akin to, "Look, little boy, don't delete the app. Trust me, you're too stupid to understand why you shouldn't delete it, so I won't bother to explain. If you do, monsters will come for you".

Additionally, nowhere did the OP state he didn't want Google, yet Paul unnecessarily questions him (again, patronizing) as to why he decided on an Andriod based product. This comment was utterly out of place. Again, synonymous with most awkward "IT guys" who've served me during my career.

Finally, the OP was thanking Golfdriver97 for his more appropriate and direct answer to the question posed.