This device is no longer supported by the app. Contact the developer.

[Dixit]

Hello all,

Whilst desparately waiting for my Astro to replace my dieing Gemini, the Gemini developed yet another problem.

Some apps do not longer work as they require an update. Fair enough. But when I want to update them through Google Play, it shows "This app is no longer supported on your device. Contact the developer."

OK, the most logical issue would be the Android version (8.1), but this is not the case.
A recent and rather scary example is Itsme, the app needed to sign into Belgian government websites. Quite critical, I'd say. (For people living in Belgium...).

itsme.be clearly states that it works on all Android smartphones as of version 6.
The Itsme app produces a pop-up that it will no longer work and that an update is needed.
Alas, Google Play states, that this app does no longer work on this device.

Now, itsme.be also says that it is available in the Huawei (!!!) app store. I therefore downloaded the official APK from the Huawei website and registered for the Huawei app store. And lo and behold... it did update Itsme !
And it also fixed some other apps Missing In Action, such as My BPOST.

Itsme seems to work fine, be it this time with some Chinese spyware incorporated.

But more seriously: any idea why Google Play suddenly states that my Gemini is no longer compatible with these apps, even if their developers are happy to support 'any smartphone with Android 6 or higher' ?

I have the eery feeling that Planet yet again fl?nked up some certification, needed for Google Play. Once a new device is being developed, all support to its predecessors immediately stops.

[Daniel W]

TL;DR: Likely a certification issue. I have no solution. Hopefully AZERTY Astros arrives soon.

I also think it's a certification issue. I certainly think it was, when I had similar issues with the somewhat similar app BankID, which is used in Sweden, for identification and payments (sometimes as the only way). It too supports Android 6 and newer, if the device has Google Play Services or Huawei Mobile Services, and a usable rear camera (one of few things I find the Gemini add-on camera useful for, is QR codes and similar).

The original Gemini Android firmware wasn't Google certified at launch. My unit showed the S/N 01234567890ABCDEF, which clearly wasn't true. BankID would install but didn't work. A later Gemini Android firmware was Google certified, showed the true serial number and BankID worked. Then came Android 8.1.1 for the Gemini. It no longer showed its certification status, but as the S/N again said 0123... I'm quite sure it wasn't, and BankID stopped working, just briefly showing its logo before exiting to the home screen with no message or anything.

When I, out of curiosity, read the itsme FAQ, it said "to guarantee your security, itsme doesn't work on jailbroken or rooted devices", so it (and likely BankID too) tries to see if the device is stock. My Gemini always was, but without Google (or Huawei) certification, that test likely fails.

So yes, I think it's a Google certification thing. Whether Planet screwed up, were screwed over or Google raised some bar out of their reach, I don't know. By choice or not, they don't seem to work much on older devices. Even the Cosmo patch level is January 2021. After updating BankID on my Gemini yesterday, it did start, but as I didn't update its certificate, I don't know if it would work.

The BankID FAQ suggested making sure the Android System WebView app is up to date. If itsme also uses a WebView, there could be some overlap, but likely you'll have to wait for the Astro, lest you can go back to Android 7, which probably isn't reasonable. Update #67 from last tuesday (UTC+2) at least said production had begun on Astros with French keyboards. Since I know of no particular Astro version for Belgium, I guess you're waiting for such a device, so I hope you won't have to wait that much longer.