Can e/os handle payments for apps or in app payments without Google Play? I would like to buy maps for Topo GPS, but that seems to be impossible without Google Play?
I have searched the net, but did not find a clear how to or a clear ‘impossible’ so far.
Regards
Why pay for topo maps when you can get them for free with OsmAnd.
If you install the open source version (OsmAnd~) from App Lounge, you can even get free map updates every month.
Thanks for the tip. I tried OsmAnd for a bit, but found the Topo GPS maps more detailed.
Apart from that, I would like to know if in e/os getting a paid app or an in app purchase is at all possible without Google Play.
In App Purchases such as this may be handled by micro-G. You might try to experiment with Handle billing requests.
The image is a view from Settings > System > microG > Play store services
3 Likes
So it might be possible, but is still experimental. I will try it. Thanks a lot for pointing the way.
1 Like
I’m able to buy apps using Aurora Store. No setting changes were required. The payments and downloads have gone through without issue. Of course you need to be logged into your Google account and have a payment method set up at myaccount.google.com
2 Likes
Thanks aibd CraigHB,
This was where I was looking for.
- Do I also need to register the device with Google in micro-g when I would like to use the payment options?
And does anyone know if…
2. … you can delete your Google account after paying without consequences for the functioning of what you paid for, such as an addition to the app or an event ticket for a game?
3. … Google, after removal (and possibly after disabling the device registration) in micro-g, Google can still track you?
I would suggest that @CraigHB’s suggestion is quite different from the micro-G method.
Billing via micro-G is said to be experimental, so you may have to experiment! but I would suggest in the first place you do not involve Google at all, rather that you try to take micro-G as far as will go.
My take on Google is full avoidance, so will try to avoid a judgement on your further points.
1 Like
If you want to buy apps from the Google Store then you have to log in to Google with a personal account to access a payment method.
In many cases you can avoid Google store by downloading an apk from a non-Google site, and I do that myself when an app has a dedicated web site, but Google pretty much has a lock on paid apps.
It may be possible to buy apps from a dedicated web site and download an apk outside of Google, but I’ve not seen that commonly myself.
Hi @CraigHB I guess in the full sentence I was just stating my position to @sent who asked 3 questions. I am in no position to comment or help with any transaction through Google.
To buy an app you need to log in with a personal account via MicroG or Aurora Store (which interfaces with MicroG). Your phone will automatically be registered under your Google account. The phone will appear in the Play store device list and on the myaccount page.
When you’re done downloading, log out from MicroG or Aurora. However the device will still be registered with Google. Even though you logged out from MicroG, the login will remain active on the Google servers until you go into the web site and kill it. I don’t know if that means the servers can still communicate with the phone, but I always remove the phone from my account just to be sure.
To remove a device you need to log into Google from a web browser. First go to play.google.com and from settings->apps & devices “uncheck” it as an available device.
Then go to the logins section of myaccount.google.com and kill the login. The phone will no longer communicate with Google even though it’s still listed under under the account for a time. After a month or so the phone will fall off the account.
I wouldn’t delete the account. All you need to do is remove the device from Google servers. After all you might want to buy another app down the road. I’ve not run into any issue with apps functioning after removing the device from Google. I haven’t updated any paid apps yet so I can’t say for sure, but you may have to log back in to update paid apps, or maybe not.
Once you’ve killed the login from myaccount.google.com, the device can no longer communicate with Google. That’s really all you need to do. In fact simply logging out through MicroG or Aurora may be adequate. I do all that extra stuff to ghost my phone from Google, it may not be necessary.
1 Like
… but the subject here is In App Payments which may be possible through Handle billing requests.
Hi @aibd,
I think I’ll try your suggestion first, because I do indeed want to keep Google out as much as possible. Especially to protect our child from big tech at a later stage (when we have given our child a phone).
Hi @CraigHB,
The above does not mean that I do not appreciate your very extensive explanation or do not try it at all. On the contrary, if the experiment advised by aibd does not succeed, I will certainly go for your step-by-step plan.
By the way, I expressed myself incorrectly by deleting the hedge account. I did indeed mean removjng of the phone/from microG. English is not my native language.
Thanks again to both. You are fantastic!
Have a great weekend!