Need Help Setting Up Play Store on Chinese Phone

[Makineko]

Hello, I recently bought an Android phone in China, not exactly sure the model, a 9X something or other, it was written in Chinese, but it's the brand DOOV.

I was able to get my VPN set up, no problem, but I was reading somewhere that in order to get the play store set up on Androids purchased in China, you need to set up the Google Firmware and such, so I downloaded it, it seems to install just fine, but once I open the play store it's just a blank white page.

Sorry I can't be more specific, if you need any more information, feel free to ask. Thanks in advance!

 

[ocnbrze]

yep they are made so that the play store does not come with it....maybe try and find an apk version of it.

 

[mikedt]

I believe the Doov is China only. Which means really there is no Google for it. Basically there are two ways of installing Gapps onto PRC version phones:

1. The device is rooted, a custom recovery is installed, and a suitable Gapps package is flashed. However that does not exist for this phone. Most China phones these days are not easily rootable, and there's not the dev interest in them as there once was.

2. The manufacturer provides a modified version of the Google Play Store for optional installation by their own app stores. Vivo, Oppo, Huawei, and Xiaomi used to do this for some of their PRC version phones. But that seems to have gone away, presumably because it was never officially sanctioned by Google. Plus it needed a VPN to use it in China, and it's now illegal to use a VPN here.

However you could try this hacked version of the Google Play Store app, installed from App China. It may work on your Doov if you're lucky. Good luck.
http://share.appchina.com/app/com.android.vending

BTW are you actually in China?

 

[Makineko]

@ocnbrze Yes, I tried getting an apk, no luck. Doesn't even attempt to open it.

I believe the Doov is China only. Which means really there is no Google for it. Basically there are two ways of installing Gapps onto PRC version phones:

1. The device is rooted, a custom recovery is installed, and a suitable Gapps package is flashed. However that does not exist for this phone. Most China phones these days are not easily rootable, and there's not the dev interest in them as there once was.

2. The manufacturer provides a modified version of the Google Play Store for optional installation by their own app stores. Vivo, Oppo, Huawei, and Xiaomi used to do this for some of their PRC version phones. But that seems to have gone away, presumably because it was never officially sanctioned by Google. Plus it needed a VPN to use it in China, and it's now illegal to use a VPN here.

However you could try this hacked version of the Google Play Store app, installed from App China. It may work on your Doov if you're lucky. Good luck.
http://share.appchina.com/app/com.android.vending

BTW are you actually in China?

I am in China, although I got my VPN running no problem

The link you sent doesn't seem to open though, do you have another mirror? Also, I was checking on the Droi Market, and it's all in Chinese so it's hard to navigate, but there is some apps that have the Android logo when I search"Play Store" so I don't know if those are the Play Store?

 

[Unforgiven]

When I put play on my Kindle there were four or five other supporting framework apks that needed to be installed. These files were generic, not kindle specific, so they may work on your device as well. See if you can find instructions on XDA for installing play on a kindle fire.

 

[Makineko]

When I put play on my Kindle there were four or five other supporting framework apks that needed to be installed. These files were generic, not kindle specific, so they may work on your device as well. See if you can find instructions on XDA for installing play on a kindle fire.

I'm not sure, I used Google Installer 2.0 which says it installs all the required files for running Google Play, including Google Play.

 

[Unforgiven]

I'm not sure, I used Google Installer 2.0 which says it installs all the required files for running Google Play, including Google Play.

Here are the four files I had to install for the Fire.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/amazon-fire/general/how-to-install-google-play-store-fire-t3486603

• Account Manager
• Google Services Framework
• Google Play Services
• Google Play Store.

I'm not sure if Chinese phones are more handicapped than Kindle Fire's though.

 

[Makineko]

Here are the four files I had to install for the Fire.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/amazon-fire/general/how-to-install-google-play-store-fire-t3486603

• Account Manager
• Google Services Framework
• Google Play Services
• Google Play Store.

I'm not sure if Chinese phones are more handicapped than Kindle Fire's though.

Yeah, those are all the files the Google Installer installed. When I open the Play Store after, it just has a pure white background and a never ending loading circle.

 

[Unforgiven]

Yeah, those are all the files the Google Installer installed. When I open the Play Store after, it just has a pure white background and a never ending loading circle.

Hmmm... ...and you said you have a VPN working. Sounds like the googles can't phone home.

 

[Makineko]

Well, not sure if it helps, but I've managed to narrow it down to the Google Play Store Services that is causing the problem. Whenever I install it, it just randomly crashed almost every app. I was able to get the APK Pure store, but there is still a few apps that I purchased on the Google Play Store I would like to get back

 

[mikedt]

Well, not sure if it helps, but I've managed to narrow it down to the Google Play Store Services that is causing the problem. Whenever I install it, it just randomly crashed almost every app. I was able to get the APK Pure store, but there is still a few apps that I purchased on the Google Play Store I would like to get back

FYI, Usually with Googleless China phones you can't just sideload Google Play, it will crash. And the only times I've seen installing Google Play successfully like this, is where a manufacturer has put out an unofficial and patched version via their own app distribution channels, like Xiaomi, Vivo, Oppo and Huawei in China. But they don't do this any more. Also the rooting and custom recovery method of installing Google Play, etc., that just doesn't exist for Doov devices.

 

[mikedt]

@ocnbrze Yes, I tried getting an apk, no luck. Doesn't even attempt to open it.

Did you see something like this, from the App China URL I posted? The blue circle is the download button. And I did successfully install it on a friends Vivo a few months ago. Of course this isn't sanctioned by Google, and it's really good luck.

If you can't download, or are unsure, I maybe able to share that Play Store APK on Google Drive later.

I am in China, although I got my VPN running no problem

The link you sent doesn't seem to open though, do you have another mirror? Also, I was checking on the Droi Market, and it's all in Chinese so it's hard to navigate, but there is some apps that have the Android logo when I search"Play Store" so I don't know if those are the Play Store?

Usually I'm in China myself, but I'm Ireland this week and so I don't need a VPN at the moment.

 

[Makineko]

Did you see something like this, from the App China URL I posted? The blue circle is the download button. And I did successfully install it on a friends Vivo a few months ago. Of course this isn't sanctioned by Google, and it's really good luck.
View attachment 146989

If you can't download, or are unsure, I maybe able to share that Play Store APK on Google Drive later.




Usually I'm in China myself, but I'm Ireland this week and so I don't need a VPN at the moment.

Sorry, I didn't realize the link you provided can only be opened in china, haha. I had it somewhat working, wouldn't let me sign in but it had a sign in button, so it's an improvement XD

But then I installed the update from the link you provided and now it's back to white screen lol.

 

[Makineko]

I was able to get play services installed and the play store opens again. But it's just a sign in button, the button lights up when i click it but nothing else happens. Am i missing something? Haha

 

[puppykickr]

Are you able to get F-Droid?
The reason that I ask is that there is an app called GApps that will do much of what the Google Apps Suite will do.

It allows simple access to the web versions of Google apps (Play Store included)

Another solution might be to have a Webview based browser with the Google homepage set as the startpage.

This will give simple access to the web versions of Google apps.

 

[Makineko]

Are you able to get F-Droid?
The reason that I ask is that there is an app called GApps that will do much of what the Google Apps Suite will do.

It allows simple access to the web versions of Google apps (Play Store included)

Another solution might be to have a Webview based browser with the Google homepage set as the startpage.

This will give simple access to the web versions of Google apps.

Hey, i was able to get F Droid, but my phone is picky as to which apps you can install. Can't install Gapps. But what is the URL for the store?

 

[puppykickr]

Hey, i was able to get F Droid, but my phone is picky as to which apps you can install. Can't install Gapps. But what is the URL for the store?

The URL for F-Droid?

https://f-droid.org/en/

 

[puppykickr]

If you cannot install GApps, then I would suggest just going with the browser route.

Lightning is an excellent browser (F-Droid) and has Google as a homepage already. (I recommend changing this if you are going to use the browser. You can save the Google page as a bookmark to use later.)

Simply touch the icon cluster on the Google homescreen to access the web versions of Google apps.

 

[puppykickr]

If you cannot install GApps, then I would suggest just going with the browser route.

Lightning is an excellent browser (F-Droid) and has Google as a homepage already. (I recommend changing this if you are going to use the browser. You can save the Google page as a bookmark to use later.)

Simply touch the icon cluster on the Google homescreen to access the web versions of Google apps.