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diff --git a/static/faq.html b/static/faq.html index a56f78ab..feee9414 100644 --- a/static/faq.html +++ b/static/faq.html @@ -114,6 +114,7 @@ <li><a href="#file-transfer">How do I transfer files to another device?</a></li> </ul> </li> + <li><a href="#google-services">Will GrapheneOS include support for Google services?</a></li> <li><a href="#features">What features does GrapheneOS implement?</a></li> <li><a href="#anti-theft">Does GrapheneOS provide Factory Reset Protection?</a></li> <li><a href="#bundled-apps">Why aren't my favorite apps bundled with GrapheneOS?</a></li> @@ -1145,6 +1146,55 @@ </article> </section> + <article id="google-services"> + <h2><a href="#google-services">Will GrapheneOS include support for Google services?</a></h2> + + <p>GrapheneOS will never include either Google Play services or another + implementation of Google services like microG. Those are not included in the + Android Open Source Project and are not required for baseline Android + compatibility. Apps designed to run on Android rather than only Android with + bundled Google apps and services already work on GrapheneOS, so a huge number of + both open and closed source apps are already available for it.</p> + + <p>AOSP APIs not tied to Google but that are typically provided via Play services + will continue to be implemented using open source providers like the Seedvault + backup app. Text-to-speech, speech-to-text, geocoding, accessibility services, + etc. are examples of other open Android APIs where we need to develop/bundle an + implementation based on existing open source projects. GrapheneOS is not going to + be implementing these via a Google service compatibility layer because these APIs + are in no way inherently tied to Google services.</p> + + <p>We're developing a minimal Play services compatibility layer as a regular app + without any special privileges. The app will provide a stub implementation of the + entire Play services API pretending the servers are down and the functionality is + unavailable. It will always be disabled by default since apps will detect Play + services is available and will try to use it rather than alternatives. As an + example, Signal would try to use a non-functional FCM implementation rather than + their own server push implementation. The intention is that users will only enable + this in profiles dedicated to running apps with an unnecessary hard dependency on + Play services. We'll likely prevent enabling it in the owner profile to help users + avoid those kinds of pitfalls.</p> + + <p>Our Play services app won't have any special privileges or whitelisting in the + OS like Play services or microG. There will be no support for bypassing arbitrary + signature checks like the microG signature spoofing patch since it substantially + compromises the OS security model and breaks other security features like verified + boot. Instead, our app will be signed with a GrapheneOS Play services key and the + only OS support for the app will be presenting the GrapheneOS Play services key as + the Google Play services key.</p> + + <p>Ideally, Google themselves would support installing the official Play services + as a regular Android app, rather than taking the monopolistic approach of forcing + it to be bundled into the OS in a deeply integrated way with special privileged + permissions and capabilities unavailable to other service providers competing with + them. Even though we would never include it in GrapheneOS, it would be great if + users did have the option to install Play services as a regular app in specific + profiles. It's unfortunate that the approach taken to it is so deeply integrated + and anti-competitive. GrapheneOS users can still choose to use Google services if + they choose, but largely only via a browser. A few of their apps like Google Maps + do work with reduced functionality without Play services but most won't.</p> + </article> + <article id="features"> <h2><a href="#features">What features does GrapheneOS implement?</a></h2> |