Available even without Google Play Store

Hi there.

I use Kurviger app for 3 years yet. Kurviger Pro since it is available. I am super happy with it and recommended it several times to friends and known people. I understand the need of a different cost model and will definitely stay with Kurviger 2 app (if possible).

My problem yet: I have purchased the latest Fairphone and would like to recommend it wholeheartedly. Also, I changed the system to the (Google-) free Android Lineage OS. Runs perfectly so far! The problem to solve is that I can no longer use the Google Play Store. Through the usual workarounds, I can extract and install the free of charge Kurviger app from the Google Store. But unfortunately, not the Kurviger PRO app. I ASSUME the problem relates to the charging for the app.

Long story short: I would ask if the upcoming Kurviger app will be distributed not through the Google Play Store only but as an APK download from the Kurviger Portal and / or through free Android app stores. Since the upcoming Kurviger app 2 will be only one app (free and pro merged into one) this should work without major additional effort. Thank you!

Your opinion about?

The app uses Google Play Services and subscriptions.

It can not work without Google Play and all its services.

Hi devemux86

NO need to become annoyed!

I assume I had been not clear enough and I apologize for it. For YOUR development there is absolutely no need for any rewrite of the app (0, zero, nothing). You develop the app as you always do for the original Google-Android. No change, nothing different and no additional effort for you. No extra line of code, nor testing and no extra error handling. Nothing. I understand very well that you cannot spend any extra effort into the app for that.

The only thing I (we) ask you to do is to distribute the APK file not only through the Google Play Store, but in addition to that (for example) as a download from one of your websites. Or in consultation with kurviger.de from their website.

Nevertheless, please let me explain a bit more. Since almost all Android apps are based on services like Location, Push Services (or even the very new Exposure Framework), there is a replacement for the Google Play services called “MicroG” for people who do not want to run Google-Android but a free Android instead. MicroG deliver exactly the same features as the original Google Services. And even if an app doesn’t work with MicroG, it would be the MicroG developers’ problem, not the app developer’s problem. So really no extra work for you for the Kurviger app.

Maybe you see your extra effort is nearly to nothing but a major step forward for people like me who try to avoid ‘our friend’ Google in their life as far as possible. And again. You are the boss, the captain. If you decide for any reason not to distribute in a different way it is absolutely up to you. This is only MY problem and only I have to handle it somehow.

Again thank you for your time and attention.
Mathias

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Thank you again for your attention. I cannot judge about the technical implications, so I assume you are right. And I doubt your list will be empty sometimes. :slight_smile:

But in the meanwhile, I found a workaround. And maybe it is worth adding it to your FAQ:
If someone without Google Store looks for the kurviger pro app they should try via the “Aurora Store”. It looks like you can buy it there.

Kurviger app is legally distributed only through Google Play.

Kurviger 1 Pro will not receive any new features (only fixes).

Kurviger 2 requires subscriptions from Google Play to work.

Hello,
I use a google free android phone with lineageOS.
So I think it could be difficult to use a feature like “in-app-subscription”, because the google play services are missing.
Can you confirm this or which payment methods are then provided?

Please see the discussion / answer above:

https://wiki.lineageos.org/gapps.html

What’s about “Open GApps nano” ?
Is it from the LineageOS developers (no native google) ?
Do they function with kurviger?

We do not know anything about all this.
You can contact them for more details.


Kurviger app is legally distributed (and supported) only through Google Play.

Hi livehook

As much as I know Open Gapps Nano is just another fork of Google-free services. The problem is (as much as I understood) the absence of the GPS (= Google Play Services). With MicroG (and I guess Open Gapps is the same) we have the problem rhat not all services are rebuilt. Some services (and the abo service is one of them) cannot be rebuild due to a licensing issue. I asked within a MicroG forum, and the developer told me that he did not build the abo-APIs and will never do. That is a major pity! And honestly at this point in time I do not have an answer with Kurviger app but to use the old Pro app I bought years before. But how to proceed after the suport will end…?!? No idea yet!

Hello,
I also use lineageos 17.1 together with GApps nano on an older MotoG3. Internet access for Google services is blocked by a firewall (Afwall +). The Kurviger app still runs flawlessly. The Playstore can also be used after deactivating the firewall rules. After the apps have been downloaded, the rules are reactivated. Maybe that would be an option.

Hi mzimbo

First of all, welcome to the club. The system marks your post as your first one. Thank you for your contribution.

And I wonder! If you write Kurviger app is still working even with blocked network access to the Google servers. Since there are several possibilities at this point in time (‘old’ but sill maintained Kurviger Apps (version 1.x) and new Kurviger app (version 2.x)). May I ask which version you are running? As long as it is a 1.x version this should work fine since this version is not build on top of the GPS (= Google Play Services) abo APIs. This (Pro) version is running fine for me as well but will not have an endless live. If you have the new version 2.x you might double check if you are running the base version (without active subscription) or are you able to run WITH actice subscription? Without active subscription it should work fine as well. But my experience is that it is not possible to establish a subscription without original Google Play Services installed and activ.

Thanks a LOT
Mathias

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I am using a “deGoogled” Fairphone 4 with /e/OS based on Android 12:

Should not have GSF (Google Services Framework). I am using „Aurora Store“ or the store app by murena and at the moment, I am able to run Kurviger 3.0.10 Beta.

Would be bad if Kurviger would stop working.

Cannot tell if subscription will work.

Without Google Services, you will have a worse experience. If you subscribe through the website, you should be able to use premium features.