Are you considering purchasing a new Android smartphone or tablet but are concerned that it won’t support the Google Play Store and Google apps like Gmail, Google Photos, Google Maps, and others? In this guide, we are going to share “How to Verify If a Phone or Tablet is Android-Certified Before Purchasing.”
However, Google licences the operating system and its apps to OEMs. As a result, you may buy Android phones not just from Google but also from Samsung, Nokia, Huawei, and other manufacturers. Google needs devices to pass a number of compatibility tests in order to assure uniformity and security throughout the Android ecosystem. This is not a confirmation, but rather a stamp indicating that the device is genuine Android. Those that fail are labelled as untested. You should avoid using an uncertified Android smartphone. This is due to Google’s inability to verify that the apps on the device are real.
In addition, the device may not get system or app upgrades, leaving it open to security threats. This also implies that you can’t backup or sync your data with Google services. If your phone wasn’t verified when you set it up, Google will tell you. This will restrict your access to the Play Store and some applications, and you may even delete them entirely. If you want to save money and buy or recommend a smartphone or tablet for yourself, a relative or a friend may be looking for a deal on a lesser-known manufacturer’s Android smartphone or tablet. Online merchants are brimming with these devices, many of which are from unknown Chinese manufacturers.
Due to these tricks’ success, Google didn’t seem to care about its own Google Mobile Services programme (GMS). Which manufacturers must sign up to pre-install Google apps and services? A device must pass the Compatibility Test Suite (CTS) for a particular Android version in order to achieve GMS certification. The Android operating system is an open-source operating system. Which makes this important: Since anyone can take Android and slap it on a smartphone or tablet, Google can only ensure consistency across Android devices by making manufacturers sign up for GMS so they can preinstall Google Play, Gmail, and Maps.
For the purpose of enforcing GMS provisions, Google has recently begun blocking access to GApps from uncertified GMS Android devices. The problem can be circumvented by manually signing up for a whitelist, but I wouldn’t recommend it to a friend or relative who isn’t tech-savvy. Before purchasing a device, I would like to know if it is certified Android.
How to Verify If a Phone or Tablet is Android-Certified
- Click here to visit this website.
- Click “View as PDF” or “View as CSV” under “Complete list of supported devices.”.
- Downloading this file will provide you with a list of all devices that are certified to access the Play Store.
- You can open the file in your favorite PDF or CSV viewer (the latter can be imported into any spreadsheet application such as Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, LibreOffice Calc, etc.).
- Enter the business name or codename of your device (if you know it) by pressing Ctrl+F (Windows, Linux, and Chrome OS) or Command+F (MacOS).
- You should be able to use the Play Store if your device is listed as a certified Android device.