this post was submitted on 22 Apr 2024
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Android

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34
Android app dependency? (slrpnk.net)
submitted 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
12 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

I have found the translation from camera source feature useful in Google Translate and I use it from time to time. Last night was one such occasion, yet when I attempted to enable camera mode, I received the message shown in the screenshot, "Please install the latest Google app in order to use camera translation". I currently have a Pixel phone and I have had the Google app disabled since shortly after I got it.

I left negative feedback on the Play Store after I discovered this new wrinkle as I feel Google thinks they have struck upon a way to prevent users from disabling or uninstalling the Google app. The developer responded that Translate camera is "now powered by Google Lens which is part of the Google app".

I have been struggling to remember another occasion where an app has been dependent on the presence of another app to function in either Android or iOS. Besides the obvious Google shittiness, I feel like introducing these sorts of application interdependencies opens the door to... idk, something bad.

Thoughts?

Edit: As I have noted in the comments, this is not a problem unique to the Google Pixel phone. If the Google app is disabled on the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4, the same behavior occurs.

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[–] [email protected] 30 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Buying the Google Pixel and getting upset that it needs the Google App to fully function seems silly

[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 year ago (2 children)

many people buy oogle Pixel to use it with GrapheneOS. It doesn't sound silly at all

[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 year ago

You have to switch the ROM completely for that, this seems to be a stock pixel thing.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

You and I have wildly different definitions of the word "many" lol

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

very few, compared to the current world population

happy now?

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I haven't had the opportunity to test on another brand phone but atm I'm assuming from the developer statement that this will be true of Google Translate on all Android phones. Thanks for your contribution, though.

Edit: If the Google app is disabled on the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4, the same behavior occurs.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago

Try DeepL app instead

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago

It's part of the never ending death march of every decent Google product.

First it's a name change, then they'll tweak a core functionality so it's really really helpful, then they'll either kill it immediately or move it into another package (thus fracturing older apps and devices from the functionality completely), then they pay wall it or kill it abruptly.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

Google loves to merge apps into one so you are forced to use the rootkit virus that is the Google app.

It's a consequence of Android, but you can use GrapheneOS if you want to break away.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I use Google Lens and I also have to keep Google app installed. I agree it's annoying that they just can't make the apps work standalone. There already is a package that nearly all Google apps dependend on. The package is Google Play Services. Why can't they implement this into Google Play Services as they do with all the other stuff (quick share, find my phone, location services etc...)?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

What if you install an older version of the Translate app?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Interesting idea. Have not tried. Currently installed version is 8.6.69.622227155.2-release if that is helpful to anyone making the attempt.