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Garmin Connect does not open since latest app update 5.17.1

  • /e/OS version: 3.1.3-a15-Official
  • Device model(s): All (tested on Fairphone 6)
  • Impacted Application: microG
  • Affected application/URL: Garmin Connect
  • Browser/client and version:/e/OS 138.0.7204.179

The problem

Describe precisely the problem you're facing and add screenshots to illustrate

Since latest Garmin Connect update 5.17.1, the app does not open. Instead, the application will simply stay forever on the startup screen (Black screen with “Connect” logo in the middle).

Steps to reproduce

Open Garmin Connect, it won't open

Technical details

Paste any relevant logs (adb logcat) in the codeblock below if you have any

Logs from another user:

09-18 18:01:41.103 4638 6139 W SplitInstallService: refusing to perform split installation for com.garmin.android.apps.connectmobile as the service is disabled

Then, the user was able to bypass warning by activating “Installation à la demande composants” option in MicroG, which gives him now:

09-18 18:17:26.422 10199 21676 I PlayCore: UID: [10196]  PID: [10199] SplitInstallService : startInstall([gcm_on_demand_resources],[])
09-18 18:17:26.424 10199 10497 I PlayCore: UID: [10196]  PID: [10199] SplitInstallService : Initiate binding to the service.
09-18 18:17:26.437  4638  4638 D SplitInstallService: onBind: 
09-18 18:17:26.453 10199 10199 I PlayCore: UID: [10196]  PID: [10199] SplitInstallService : ServiceConnectionImpl.onServiceConnected(ComponentInfo{com.android.vending/com.google.android.finsky.splitinstallservice.SplitInstallService})
09-18 18:17:26.456 10199 10497 I PlayCore: UID: [10196]  PID: [10199] SplitInstallService : linkToDeath
09-18 18:17:26.457  4638  4658 D SplitInstallService: Method <startInstall> Called by package: com.garmin.android.apps.connectmobile
09-18 18:17:26.462  4638  4638 V SplitInstallManager: splitInstallFlow: start
09-18 18:17:26.462  4638  4638 V SplitInstallManager: splitInstallFlow will query for these packages: [gcm_on_demand_resources]
09-18 18:17:26.478  4638  4638 V SplitInstallManager: splitInstallFlow oauthToken: AuthData(email=XXXX, authToken=XXX, gsfId=XXXX, deviceCheckInConsistencyToken=XXXX, deviceConfigToken=, experimentsConfigToken=, dfeCookie=)
09-18 18:17:26.869  4638  4638 V SplitInstallManager: splitInstallFlow requestDownloadUrls returned these components: null
09-18 18:17:26.869  4638  4638 D SplitInstallService: startInstall: installStatus -> false

But still doesn't work.

Here's a summary of ChatGPT concerning this issue, after having fully analyzed all the logs and the complete description of the problem (consider with caution!):

"The logs show that Garmin Connect tries to use PlayCore / SplitInstallService, a Google component used to download and load additional modules ( the famous Dynamic Feature Modules ) on demand.

Without official Google Play Services → the request fails, as Micro-G only has a partial implementation of this.

When the user activates ‘On-demand component installation’ in MicroG, it goes a little further (simulated service connection), but in the end requestDownloadUrls returns null → so the app remains blocked.

In summary:

This is not just a ‘UI’ bug, Garmin Connect really needs a service that MicroG does not yet fully imitate.

The GPX workaround just bypasses the initial phase where the app looks for this module.

So, the ball is effectively in MicroG's court, which will have to improve its support for SplitInstallService. In the meantime, we either stick with the GPX trick or... downgrade Garmin Connect to a version prior to this dependency."

Edited by Steve Kueffer