Google API Add-on for Play Services

One of the advantage of Google play services was being deployable via Play store and there by updates to the same ins't bottlenecked by device manufacture's software update cycle. However, this wasn't the case with emulator and as per the developer documentation at, an additional step of installing the Google API add-on is required. However, its not clearly documented as to why this is needed and why just for an emulator, especially that it kind of suggests a system image dependency.

    Launching a sample application using Play services API on emulator with and without the Add-on throws some light. Application is able to connect to the play service on the emulator with the Add-on but not on the other one.

   Upon closer look, the emulator with the Add-on actually hosts the play services process (com.google.android.gms) and that makes better sense. An alternative distribution of Play services apk without access to the Play Store.

    


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