Android: what are the Google Play services?

You can find the Google Play services on every current Android device. But what this app is used for cannot be found anywhere in the system. In this tip you can read what the services are for.

What are the Google Play services used for?

Google Play services were introduced by Google to disconnect certain functions related to Google from Android. For example, these services take care of the synchronization of your contacts or provide battery-saving location services.

• Google can take care of updating important services itself, which was previously only possible by updating Android.
• By outsourcing it to Google Play services, Google is able to update parts of Android itself, even without the smartphone manufacturers.

Google services: the advantages

This outsourcing has many advantages for you.

• The Play services take care of security, such as storing and authenticating your Google account. This way you can get updates quickly if a security vulnerability is found.
• The Play Store is also updated with the help of Google Play services. If you uninstall or delete the play services, Google apps may no longer work.

You can read how to update Android apps in this practical tip.