Bphone B86 fails to achieve Google’s Play Protect certification
Recently, some users discovered that the Bphone B86 failed to obtain Google’s Play Protect security certification. Specifically, in the Settings section of the Play Store on the Bphone B86, under the “Play Protect certification” section, there is a message stating “Device not certified”.
According to official information from Google’s website, a device that does not achieve Play Protect certification will:
– May not be safe.
– May not receive Android system updates or app updates.
– Google apps on devices not certified by Play Protect are not authorized and may not be actual Google apps.
– Apps and features on devices not certified by Play Protect may not function normally.
– Data on devices not certified by Play Protect may not be securely backed up.
Nevertheless, one of the most obvious issues users will encounter with a device that does not achieve Play Protect certification is the absence of the Netflix app on the Play Store. To protect copyrighted content, Netflix has stricter requirements than other applications and can only be installed on devices that achieve Play Protect certification. Since BKAV does not have this certification, users cannot install Netflix directly from the Play Store and must resort to installing via an APK file.
In addition to these issues, the lack of Play Protect certification for the Bphone B86 raises another question: are the Google apps installed on the Bphone B86 legitimate, or are they “pirated”?
To further explain, Android is a free and open-source operating system that anyone can use; however, Google apps and services (such as Gmail, YouTube, Maps…) are closed-source. Manufacturers must pay a certain amount to Google to be able to integrate these services into their products.
The fact that Bphone does not achieve Play Protect certification, combined with the absence of BKAV on the Google’s Android partner list, raises valid suspicions. It is worth mentioning that Google’s partner list includes many Vietnamese names such as Vsmart, FPT, and even smaller brands like Itel, Mobiistar, and Masstel.
BKAV’s Response: Must Achieve 1 Million Units/Year for Google to Grant It
In response to the mixed opinions regarding this issue, BKAV has recently issued an official statement about the matter.
Specifically, BKAV stated the following information:
– In 2015, when launching Bphone 1, BKAV signed a MADA agreement with Google to use Google services such as Gmail, Play Store, YouTube… like other manufacturers. The agreement between BKAV and Google was extended in 2017.
– However, Google later changed its policy, stating that the current number of devices that Bphone has released in the market is not large enough, if BKAV surpasses the threshold of 1 million devices/year, Google will directly renew the agreement.
– Google has instructed BKAV to sign with another manufacturer that already has an agreement with Google and has reached a sufficiently large number of devices released in the market as mentioned above. If following this route, BKAV would have to purchase devices designed and produced in the factory of a manufacturer that has an agreement with Google. Currently, only a few Chinese companies provide such services. They will design and produce everything for partners but carry the partner’s brand.
– However, BKAV aims to master core technology and design and manufacture Bphone products in Vietnam to promote the smartphone industry in Vietnam sustainably, therefore cannot proceed in that manner.
– While waiting to achieve the number of 1 million devices/year, BKAV is signing an agreement with an authorized partner of Google in the testing of CTS, GMS, and the latest security patches for Bphone devices released in the market.
BKAV affirms: “In essence, Bphone devices are also evaluated according to the same procedures as other manufacturers. Thus, BKAV is only lacking direct approval from Google, and instead, there is verification by Google’s authorized partner.”
There are still many questions that need answers
However, BKAV’s answer raises many additional doubts for users:
– Who is the “authorized partner of Google”? What is their credibility and what authority do they have in certifying Play Protect? Why is it that the partner BKAV cooperates with “is authorized by Google” yet the Bphone B86 still “fails” the Play Protect certification?
– BKAV mentions Google “advising” them to rely on some Chinese ODMs that already have agreements with Google to produce phones. In reality, Mobiistar and Masstel are two manufacturers following this model, yet why do these two manufacturers still appear on Google’s partner list while BKAV does not? (Note that there is a separate section in Google’s partner list for ODMs).
– BKAV states they are “waiting to achieve the number of 1 million devices/year” to renew the agreement directly with Google… so how long will users have to wait? Comparatively, just a few days ago, Vsmart announced selling 1.2 million smartphones in Vietnam after 1.5 years – yet Vsmart smartphones have had Play Protect certification for a long time.
Regarding the Netflix application, BKAV stated that they are working with Netflix and will release an OTA update soon. However, it remains unclear whether this update will change the current situation. Will it help the Bphone B86 obtain Play Protect certification, or will it simply pre-install the Netflix app on customer devices?
Let us continue to wait for BKAV’s next moves regarding this issue.