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[Q] What's the simplest way to fool the store into letting my N5 install an app?

I'm using a modified APK of Hearthstone on my N5 w/ 5.0.1 that runs well, but in-app purchases aren't working due to sideloading it. So I'd like to install it "properly". The game officially requires a 6"+ screen to install, though I don't know if spoofing the screen size/DPI is all that's needed to install it properly. Not sure if I have to make the store think I have a different device entirely. If that is the case, is editing build.prop the best solution? Info about spoofing the device with build.prop is a bit sketchy, not sure about keys etc.
I was recommended something called Market Helper but it seems that has been retired.

Sideload the market helper apk.

Is there any besides this one? http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2146216 Comments said it's no longer being maintained and doesn't work on Android 5.

bought p30 from China but can't play pokemon go. no netflix

Hi, Forum
I bought a brand new p30 from China and I live in USA. I am super happy with the phone overall. However, I found out that
1. I can't play pokemon go. I think it's due to it failed saftenet test api. I downloaded various saftenet test app, they all failed.
2. I can't download netflix. based on netflix's own troubleshoot guide, I found out that my play store is not play protect certified.
3. I can't use google pay. in the last step of the google pay setup, it complained my phone was maybe rooted, thus can not use google pay.
After some extensive research, I think it's due to the "china version" of the phone.
Anyway to remediate this? those 3 apps, specially pokemon go and netflix are 2 of my most used apps.
I am open to root or flash rom. but can't find any instructions regarding p30 yet.
thanks a lot!
--Eric

Root Philips Signage 10BDL4151T/00

Hi,
Has anyone been able to root Philips Signage 10BDL4151T/00 (https://www.philips.co.uk/p-p/10BDL4151T_00/signage-solutions-multi-touch-display)?
It comes with Android 7.1.2, but without Gapps. I would need Google play store in order to download some apps (tasker and other autotools) to make it my home control center.
I have found nothing for this device.
Any good way to have a try?
Tutorial?
Do I dare to use Iroot or other one click root apk? As I have heard they install a lot of spyware etc.
I have rooted several phones but always by the help of tutorials for specific models.
Best wishes,
Henrik

Clarification on no GMS please

Looking to grab the mate 30 Pro.. Or potentially the p40 Pro after tomorrows launch. But really wanna check out the slow mo on the mate, plus love the design
I'm an android user.
Been doing a lot of reading and still struggling to grasp if I actually need google services on my phone or not? I know I won't have generic Google apps, but there a possibility to install them. Done some custom rom installs many moons ago.
I'll still have my Samsung s10e work phone.
Can anyone clarify or point me in the direction of an an article that explains the pros and cons?
Failing this it looks like the p30 pro is by best alternate. As I tend not to go mainbsteam Samsung

Hi there,
The installation of gms right now is unstable or tricky. For example using Chatpartner+Ice Box+Island is the most stable as it gets, but it has its own drawbacks(you can see info about the methods in the other threads). I don't know if we will get a clean permanent solution. I hope we get.
So let's assume you don't get gms, because you don't want to mess with the current unstable solutions. The drawbacks from my point of view are:
- no PlayStore -> So you don't get your paid apps. Also you can't get all apps from the Huawei store, because some of them are missing. Some partial solution: Use ApkPure or some other app store to get your apps.
- no Youtube -> Youtube requires gms. Solution: use Youtube Vanced;
- no Google Maps -> It requires gms. Solution: use Waze;
- no Google Drive/Photos -> It requires gms. Solution: use Microsoft OneDrive or any other cloud;
- no Contact Sync -> It requires gms. Solution: export contacts from Google and import them.(here I decided again to go with Microsoft so I sync my future new contacts in a cloud after all)
- no Gmail -> It requires gms. Solution: use Outlook app or any other email app like Nine. You can add you gmail account there.
Some people suggested to use the google apps through a browser and put shortcuts on your home screen, but this is not a replacement for the actual apps in my oppinion.
Bottom line:
- If you don't want any hassle and you want everything everywhere working then get P30 Pro;
- If you want to try the available workarounds for google apps and you won't get overwhelmed or irritated when some errors occur and you have to tinker again then get the Mate 30 Pro;
- If you want to detach from google ecosystem and try some new apps then get the Mate 30 Pro(just make sure you thought of all apps that you need and found a comfortable replacement);
- For the P40 Pro I can't speak;
I have one of the workarounds of GMS on my phone and the apps are working. However I am trying to move away a bit from gms, because I want to be free to try new tech and use all my apps. I am a heavy Google user paying for subscriptions for some services so I am dependent on their apps. However with this phone I realized that Google is closing their services forcing users to have certain hardware which I dislike. This is why I will make an attempt to use alternatives(mostly I will use Microsoft products) so I can buy whatever phone I like and use it seamlessly.
I hope this helps!

xchatter what GMS work around are you using on your current device?

Darkisde said:
xchatter what GMS work around are you using on your current device?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Chatpartner+Ice Box+Island , but I see someone just created a thread saying that ChatPartner doesn't work now(I don't know if it is true). However Chatpartner is just the first part for getting the gms on the device which can be achieved also with other methods like restoring a backup which has this chinese app for installing gms(you can search, videos are everywhere showing it). Then afterwards probably you will start getting the non-stop notifications that your device is not certified. From that point you will need to follow the guides to add your account and then use Ice Box to freeze some google apps(playstore and services). This way you won't get the notifications, but any installed google apps will work. From there you can use Island to activate your work profile and unfreeze those apps in an isolated scope where you can have your Play Store to get apps or you can just use some other app store. You can get more details in the other threads, basically this is the main topic in the whole Mate 30 Pro forum.

Nesiah said:
Looking to grab the mate 30 Pro.. Or potentially the p40 Pro after tomorrows launch. But really wanna check out the slow mo on the mate, plus love the design
I'm an android user.
Been doing a lot of reading and still struggling to grasp if I actually need google services on my phone or not? I know I won't have generic Google apps, but there a possibility to install them. Done some custom rom installs many moons ago.
I'll still have my Samsung s10e work phone.
Can anyone clarify or point me in the direction of an an article that explains the pros and cons?
Failing this it looks like the p30 pro is by best alternate. As I tend not to go mainbsteam Samsung
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
the installation of gms is tricky complicated for most users, but it can be done if you want to learn. it works for now but no one knows till when.
the P40 definitely wont have GMS too, so if this is a problem, go with another brand or P30 or mate 20 if you still want huawei.

Understanding the current state of Google-use on P40-line

I got a few of questions regarding the current state of using Google services on the P40-series devices to make sure my understanding of the situation is up to date (I'm specifically using P40 Lite but my guess is all this applies to any P40 device):
What did I actually do to the phone currently? - I keep reading about multiple methods to get things working, mentioning freezes and other modifications, so I want to know what exactly I did myself. To get the phone working on my side, I went through a firmware downgrade, then installed Googlefier and went through the steps in it. Is this the freeze-thing that people mention or is it something completely different?
As far as I understand, we have currently only 2 options, would this be a correct way to describe them?:
Googlefier - to allow logging in Google accounts, use of Google apps however with non-working notifications (and notification delays)
MicroG - resolves all/almost all notification issues however no use of Google account/apps is possible
Updating the Google Play Services the normal way through Google Play Store is pretty much not possible, is that correct?
As far as I understand, if a factory reset is performed on a phone that previously had Googlefier installed and working, re-installing it will not require a firmware downgrade (only installing Googlefier and setting it up will be needed, not a whole downgrade again). If that is correct, is there a way to fully restore a stock firmware that would leave the phone in its factory state?
Any information or clarifications would definitely be welcome.
I just wanted to make sure the information I have is up to date since there are so many things floating around and a lot of them appear to be very outdated.

I have the same questions, I just bought a P40 pro, and don't really now what to do, to solve this problem

Gato.evolution said:
I have the same questions, I just bought a P40 pro, and don't really now what to do, to solve this problem
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I didn't ask anything regarding a problem, I just want to know what type of workaround the method I used was along with a few general questions, I'm not actually asking how to get something working (other than notifications in some apps, everything else is fine on my end).

So googlefier was a package of apps that simplified the process of downloading and installing multiple apks manually. The app that it came with is lzplay and it becomes a device admin.
I don't know much past that, but how did you get most notifications to work?

I just bought a P40 pro last week and working on exploring best option going forward too
Googlefier is actually a wrapper work which eventually uses LZPlay to get the job done. B/c of the limitations in LZPlay, people need to get P40 phones downgrade to an old firmware so that LZPlay could work - I find it not really possible as I couldn't find the correct firmware for my P40 pro now (maybe it's b/c of my region ... )
Then recently there is DualSpace, haven't tried it but looks like an easy go
It looks like a method of separating a new user/app space (sounds like a VM on a physical computer sort of concept ?)
Google actually has very similar thing called "work profile" I remember that can setup a personal as well as a work related dual accounts on same phone and the data space are separate also allows diff. security policies
Work profiles | Android Developers
Learn how to make sure your apps operate smoothly in a corporate environment by following some best practices.
developer.android.com

ykjae said:
So googlefier was a package of apps that simplified the process of downloading and installing multiple apks manually. The app that it came with is lzplay and it becomes a device admin.
I don't know much past that, but how did you get most notifications to work?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No clue, they just work on my side, only did a downgrade followed by the Googlefier process and then update to the latest security patch.
Google Play Services version is highly out of date though (v20.09.13).
Anyway, could still use information on my original questions.

@CrisR82
I can tell you if you factory reset the device it would just wipe it. Which in theory should leave it at its current software firmware version. So no you wouldn't need to downgrade again. (Unless you upgraded after getting Google services to work)
I also got most of everything working perfectly now. But I decided to freeze gsf with icebox so I could get all notifications.
It's actually not bad. I was able to find all apps that I use on Huawei app store and if not I then use apkpure or aurora.