docs/html/google/play-services/index.jd

page.title=Google Play Services
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  <h1 itemprop="name" style="margin-bottom:0;">Google Play Services</h1>
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  <p>Give your apps more features to attract users on a wider range of devices.
  With Google Play services, your app can take advantage
  of the latest, Google-powered features such as Maps, Google+, and more,
  with automatic platform updates distributed as an APK through
  the Google Play store. This makes it faster for your users to receive updates
  and easier for you to integrate the newest that Google has to offer.
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<h4>Google Technology</h4>
<p>Google Play services provides you with easy access to Google services and is tightly
integrated with the Android OS. Easy-to-use client libraries are provided for
each service that let you implement the functionality you want easier and faster.</p>

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<h4>Standard Authorization</h4>
<p>All products in Google Play services share a common authorization API
  that leverages the existing Google accounts on the device. You and your
  users have a consistent and safe way to grant and receive OAuth2 access tokens
  to Google services.</p>

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<h4>Automatic Updates</h4>
<p>Devices running Android 2.2 and newer and that have the Google Play Store
app automatically receive updates to Google Play services. Enhance
your app with the most recent version of Google Play services without worrying
about your users' Android version.</p>

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   <p>To start integrating Google Play services into your app,
   follow the <a href="/google/play-services/setup.html">Setup</a> guide.</p>

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<h2>How It Works</h2>

<h4 id="client-lib">The Google Play services client library</h4>
<p>
    The client library contains the interfaces to the individual Google
    services and allows you to obtain authorization from users to gain access
    to these services with their credentials. It also contains APIs that allow
    you to resolve any issues at  runtime, such as a missing, disabled, or out-of-date
    Google Play services APK. The client library has a light footprint if you use
    <a href="/tools/help/proguard.html">ProGuard</a> as part of your build process, so it won't have
    an adverse impact on your app's file size.  
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<p>
    If you want to access added features or products, you can upgrade to a new version of the
    client library as they are released. However, upgrading is not
    necessary if you don't care about new features or bug fixes.
    We anticipate more Google services to be continuously added, so be on the lookout for
    these updates.
</p>

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    <h4 id="apk">The Google Play services APK</h4>
    <p>
        The Google Play services APK contains the individual Google services and runs
        as a background service in the Android OS. You interact with the background service
        through the client library and the service carries out the actions on your behalf.
        An easy-to-use authorization flow is also
        provided to gain access to the each Google service, which provides consistency for both
        you and your users. 
    </p>
    <p>
      The Google Play services APK is delivered through the Google Play Store, so
      updates to the services are not dependent on carrier or OEM system image updates. In general, devices
      running Android 2.2 (Froyo) or later and have the Google Play Store app installed receive updates within a
      few days. This allows you to use the newest APIs in Google Play services and reach most of the
      devices in the Android ecosystem (devices older than Android 2.2 or devices without the Google
      Play Store app are not supported).
    </p>
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    <p class="img-caption"><em>The Google Play services APK on user devices receives regular updates
    for new APIs, features, and bug fixes.</em></p>
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<h4 id="benefits">The benefits for your app</h4>

<p>Google Play services gives you the freedom to use the newest APIs for popular
Google services without worrying about device support. Updates to Google Play
services are distributed automatically by the Google Play Store and new versions
of the client library are delivered through the Android SDK Manager. This makes it
easy for you to focus on what's important: your users' experience.</p>

<p>To get started, <a href="{@docRoot}google/play-services/setup.html">set up</a> the SDK and check out
the various products in the Google Play services platform now!</p>