Some Android Apps are incompatible with SailfishX, why?

answered 2017-10-27 20:41:41 +0300

DrYak
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http://www.sympato.ch/

updated 2019-07-23 03:12:16 +0300

Reason for incompatibilites :

Version of Android

Alien-Dalvik only supports:

• Android 8.1 Pie on Xperia XA2
• Android 4.4 Kit-Kat on Xperia X
• Android 4.1 Jelly Bean on Jolla 1

If your application relies on a more recent version (e.g.: Android 5.0 Lollipop) it will refuse to install on any Sailfish OS except the latest.

• e.g.: Migros app doesn't work with the older 4.2 Jelly Bean inside the Jolla 1 phone.

Android Libraries / Frameworks / Services

Alien-Dalvik only comes with the same set of libraries as the open-source android (AOSP). Lots of applications can require services that are only provided by Google as extra proprietary blobs.

• Google's Play Service (com.google.android.gms) and Store (com.android.vending) are examples with plenty of documentation on this site.

  microG is an opensource alternative for the same APIs (and since 3.1.0 Seitseminen, Jolla has put effort to make more usable for XA2's Android 8.1 Pie compatibility layers)

• Coop's SuperCard requires the library com.google.android.maps
  • For Google Play Service using devices, one possible solution is to copy it from another working devices
  • For microG, they have a .jar file that you can install also on XA2's Android 8.1 Pie layer

Hardware availibility

Some hardware elements either don't have the same AP, or are outright missing.

• Bluetooth is one example of differing API
  • Sailfish OS relies on BlueZ 5 (or BlueZ 4 on Jolla 1) to access directly the bluetooth devices like any other full-blown GNU/Linux distribution
  • Android uses instead Bluedroid starting with version 4.2 JellyBean.
  • Alien-dalvik doesn't have a BlueZ to Bluedroid translation layer
  • Therefore any application that needs a direct control of Bluetooth devices (e.g.: like UE Boom, the app to configure Logitech UE wireless speaker cans) doesn't work
  • But any application relying on standard interfaces works (a media player can play audio on the same speaker can if it's paired with Sailfish. To the application, it's just "Audio Out", no bluetooth details involved).
    (Same with Bluetooth HID keyboard, they just seem like any input device to Android apps).
• NFC is another problematic.
  • The low-level device driver is here, so you get a device showing up in /dev/.
  • But there's no software talking to it. Not even an Android daemon
  • therefore TWINT cannot work
    (in wireless mode - and thus shows as not supported in Play Store. You can still manually install the APK, and still use all the other functionality like sending money to your contacts, using it in some online shops, etc. Just the contactless payments at store counters are non functional)
    Note: TWINT requirements has recently been bumped up to 5.0, it will only work with XA2

Root access

Sailfish X does have a /usr/bin/su executable (because it's a phone where you, the user, have full access to everything) and thus is considered as a Rooted Android by several apps

• e.g.: some e-Banking and some DRM-ed media players will either display a warning (e.g.: Raiffeisen's photoTAN) or always refuse to work, unless you rename it to something that it doesn't recognize.