Xmader/google-recorder

Get the powerful Google Recorder app run on any Android device (Android >= 9).
Fuck off, device restrictions.

Google Recorder is only officially available for Pixel >=2 phones currently.

Requirements

OpenJDK
Apktool
a keystore for jarsigner to sign the apk file

Usage

export KEYSTORE_FILE=<path to your keystore file>
export KEYSTORE_ALIAS=<your keystore alias>

./patch.sh

How

Google added some restrictions if you want to sideload the app to install it on other Android devices.

The Google Recorder app checks for the com.google.android.feature.PIXEL_2017_EXPERIENCE system feature to ensure that it is running on Pixel 2 or later phones.

If the system feature doesn't exist, it throws an error and the app exits immediately.

pseudocode by decompiling / analysing the com/google/android/apps/recorder/ui/application/RecorderApplication.java file

package com.google.android.apps.recorder.ui.application;

import android.app.Application;

public class RecorderApplication extends Application {
    // …
    public void onCreate() {
        super.onCreate();
        if (isDevBuild() || getPackageManager().hasSystemFeature("com.google.android.feature.PIXEL_2017_EXPERIENCE")) {
            // …
            return;
        }
        throw new IllegalStateException("Cannot start Recorder on unsupported device");
    }
    // …
}

This patch replaces the com.google.android.feature.PIXEL_2017_EXPERIENCE string with android.hardware.microphone that every phone / Android device should have this system feature if the device can record audio,
so that the patched app will only check for the android.hardware.microphone system feature, and won't exit immediately.

patch.sh#L14-L16

STR1="com.google.android.feature.PIXEL_2017_EXPERIENCE"
STR2="android.hardware.microphone"
sed -i "s/$STR1/$STR2/" $FILE_TO_PATCH_0

Download Artifacts

Github Release

License

MIT