Stop reporting to Google

Boomkop3

Why are the Kagi apps trying to reach google?
This pertains to Kagi News, Kagi Translate, and the Kagi Summariser app.

The Kagi apps should use Kagi services, not Google services

Dustin

Boomkop3 The Kagi apps should use Kagi services, not Google services

Google Play Services are providing core functionality to apps on Android. Things like notifications, authentication and lots of other services. You are able to avoid this by running an Android ROM which does not include Google Play Services and instead opt for third party substitutions such as microG or what's been built into GrapheneOS.

Matteo

Boomkop3 Hello! I tried reproducing this on GrapheneOS without Play Services and News and Translate work fine, what OS are you using, and where did you install the apps from?

Boomkop3

Dustin What core services does this app need exactly? Unless it's got a license check for purchase from google play it shouldn't need them.

And no, you don't need to substitute them unless your app explicitly calls upon Google's services installed on the android device itself. I suppose you can get lazy and use Google's notification service. But Kagi is anything but Lazy

fxgn

Dustin that is not true, Google Services don't provide anything "core" and there are a lot of apps that manage just fine without them (in fact, the vast majority of apps do). Kagi apps don't integrate any Google features, so there's no reason for GMS to be a hard dependency.

Dustin

fxgn and there are a lot of apps that manage just fine without them (in fact, the vast majority of apps do).

I would hazard a guess that the vast majority of apps that offer notifications are doing so with FCM. But either way, I am interested to see what the reply is to @Boomkop3's question.

magiruuvelvet

To warm up an old finding of mine. The Kagi apps are using PairIP (Play Integrity Check). This "service" can be bypassed with Magisk and LSPosed; without it you are pretty much out of luck I think. As to why Kagi is using this "service" I can only speculate, but since some requests for direct APK distribution or custom F-Droid repo got ignored I don't think they are interested in removing this malware.

EDIT: I use Kagi services in the web browser on my phone. I'm not interested in apps that don't respect device ownership and user autonomy.

PC-SPEZIALIST

Boomkop3

PC-SPEZIALIST That would be nice, Kagi could just host their own repository and share it. It's ez pz to get running too: https://f-droid.org/docs/Setup_an_F-Droid_App_Repo/