You have probably heard of Google Play. Google Play Services, however, is a whole different app, and you probably did not know it even existed. Actually, if you have a device with Android as its operating system, then you most probably have this app on your phone or tablet without even knowing it.

The Google Play Services app is one of the most important and powerful apps on any Android device, and it runs in the background, hidden, without you even noticing. Now, you may be wondering what the Google Play Services app does if it is that important. Well, keep reading to find out.

What it does

The Google Play Services app is a software package created by Google to be installed on Android devices. This app provides services and libraries that run in the background and help other apps work properly. To make it clearer, the Google Play Services app is a software layer that works between Android and the applications on your phone.

The main aim of Google Play Services is to help developers create better apps without unnecessary work. Google Play Services achieves this by incorporating APIs that developers can then use for their own apps.

Another advantage of this app is that it allows Google to incorporate new features and functionalities without having to rely on Android OS updates. All they need to do when they want to include a new update is simply add a new API to the Google Play Services app and then update the app on your phone for it to pick up the new API.

What is an API?

An API, or Application Programming Interface, is a set of rules that enables software apps to communicate with each other in order to exchange data, features, and functionalities. APIs make it easier for developers to create new apps because they allow them to integrate data, services, and capabilities from other apps (in this case Google Play Services), instead of having to develop them from scratch.

Information sharing and data collection

The Google Play Services app connects apps to other Google apps and services, such as Google Sign-In and Google Maps. By doing so, Google Play Services is sharing the information you have provided to one app to the other. 

Another thing to take into account is that Google Play Services collects data from the apps it is connected to. They claim to collect only limited basic information that allows them to support core device features, such as your IP address, your location, and your contacts. Bear in mind that you can control the data and information that apps collect on your device settings.

How to install the app

If you get yourself a smartphone or tablet with the Android operating system, it is very likely that the app will already be installed on your phone. If your phone has the Google Play app installed, then it will have the Google Play Services app as well.

Bear in mind that this app is supported on devices with the Android 5.0 version or higher. If this app is not included on your smartphone, simply visit the Google Play app, search for the Google Play Services app, and tap the Install button.

What happens if you uninstall the Google Play Services app

The only way to uninstall the Google Play Services app is if you have root access, so, you will likely not be able to uninstall the app. If you did, however, you would probably have issues with some of the apps downloaded on your phone, since most rely on the Google Play Services app for their proper functioning.