gms.vision in microG

[mehdiae]

Hi,
Any intent to add gms.vision into microG GmsCore in close future?

[ravilov]

Seconded. Using the latest microG, most things work well but getting stuck at anything to do with barcode/QR code scanning. Apps either report an error right away, or show the feedback from camera but don't recognize any barcode I throw at them.

A workaround would also be appreciated.

[mar-v-in]

Vision Barcode API is now added via 5e39818. Vision Text and Face APIs are not available yet.

[ArchangeGabriel]

They are three issues (#1637, #1639 and #1640) that seem to show there has been a change with this API somehow. @lfxgroove, since you initially implemented that, could you have a look?

[Jeroen0494]

DigiD in the Netherlands also doesn't work, which means you cannot use is to login to any Government service. Especially during tax season this is a problem...

[voorstad]

DigiD in the Netherlands also doesn't work, which means you cannot use is to login to any Government service. Especially during tax season this is a problem...

Indeed this is causing an issue when trying to scan a QR-code within the DigID app. Would be great if this implementation could be made fully working.

[MaeIsBad]

DigiD in the Netherlands also doesn't work, which means you cannot use is to login to any Government service. Especially during tax season this is a problem...

there are two problems with digid:

• the qr code generated by the website is extremely low quality, and zxing fails to scan it(try going to https://digid.nl/en/inloggen_app_qr?utf8=%E2%9C%93&app_verification_code%5Bverification_code%5D=AAAA&button=). I found that the cpp port is actually capable of scanning it(https://github.com/markusfisch/zxing-cpp)

• the most recent version is using the play-services-mlkit-barcode-scanning api instead, which isn't implemented by microg

[ale5000-git]

• the qr code generated by the website is extremely low quality, and zxing fails to scan it(try going to ...)

The link isn't working, it would be nice if you can screenshot the qr code and post it here as sample.

[MaeIsBad]

The link isn't working, it would be nice if you can screenshot the qr code and post it here as sample.

I thought the state was stored fully in the URL. You can instead go to https://digid.nl/inloggen, click digid and type in "XXXX".

The code without the logo:

I could've sworn I wasn't even able to scan the code from a screenshot with zxing before, but I am unable to reproduce that. Regardless after trying for a very long time while debugging this I never got zxing to scan the code from a camera(even when using android emulator's virtual scene instead of a real camera), while zxing-cpp managed to scan it without much trouble.

the most recent version is using the play-services-mlkit-barcode-scanning api instead, which isn't implemented by microg

I think this is incorrect, it looks like they use mlkit as a library directly and mlkit itself makes calls to some play-services apis

Disregard, the stack trace mislead me

[MaeIsBad]

now I feel like I'm going insane. I am able to scan the codes I just generated, but the one example I kept from debugging yesterday still refuses to scan, even when directly uploading the screenshot to zxing.org, while zxing-cpp is able to easily scan it by just pointing the camera at my screen

[Foxite]

the most recent version is using the play-services-mlkit-barcode-scanning api instead, which isn't implemented by microg

I need this to work very soon. I would like to place an €80 bounty for microg to support DigiD. Is there a preferred way to do this?

[zeekoe]

@mar-v-in I second that I would like to sponsor support for MLKit QR code functionality, as also proposed in #2018. Is this something that you could do? What would be the cost; perhaps we could do a crowdfunding for this feature? Or is this not how it works?
Quite some Dutch apps (banking, government identification) started relying on MLKit for QR scanning.

[MaeIsBad]

I started reversing this API a few months ago, I'd be happy to pick it back up if someone knowledgeable about the inner workings of gms/microg would be willing assist me by answering questions along the way

[Redsandro]

DigiD used to work for users that want to evade invasive Internet oligopolies by using privacy-focused alternatives like /e/OS or LineageOS-MicroG. However, as of January this year, DigiD has taken a concerning turn. An update has introduced a hard-coded, unnecessary feature availability check for Google Mobile Services. An honest mistake at best, or masquerading as an anti-tampering measure at worst. In reality, it does nothing more than create a vendor lock-in, directly contradicting the government's stated goal of reducing dependence on foreign tech giants and increasing the accessibility to digital government services. The DigiD team needs to acknowledge the problem lies with their app, not our devices.

This is a pivotal moment where the Dutch government must practice what it preaches. By enforcing this update, they are pushing users away from privacy-respecting solutions and further into the arms of invasive big tech companies. It's a step in the wrong direction.

What You Can Do:

1. Voice your concerns: Reach out to the DigiD X/Twitter account (or other contact options) and express your concerns.
2. Stay Informed: Don't be discouraged or misled by irrelevant suggestions such as increasing your screen size, changing your camera settings, or using a different browser. The core issue lies within the app itself, is logged by logcat, and is well-understood.
3. Explore Alternatives: Until now, it was and sometimes still is possible to use SMS-verification in stead of scanning a QR-code, but this option is slowly disappearing from government services because it is deemed unsafe. SMS is not encrypted and SIM swap attacks are on the rise. For this reason, it is no longer possible to activate "Identity card login" using this method.
4. Mobilize: If anyone you know faces similar problems, convince them to voice their concerns to DigiD as well.

Now is the time to take action and ensure that the Dutch government aligns its actions with its principles of privacy and data sovereignty. Don't let this update hinder your choice of a privacy-conscious digital environment.

[Iey4iej3]

An update has introduced a hard-coded, unnecessary feature availability check for Google Mobile Services. An honest mistake at best, or masquerading as an anti-tampering measure at worst.

I am not sure that DigiD is performing a feature availability check. Instead, they are just using MLKit API (cf. https://developers.google.com/ml-kit/vision/barcode-scanning), which seems to be strongly recommended by Google. Sooner or later, many apps (which depends on GMS) will use that, I think.

[baahver]

Since MicroG Services version 0.29.233013 (but maybe earlier) I'm able to scan the Digid-app QR-code! Digid-app version 6.9.3. But only if I zoom in the QR-code a bit.

[Foxite]

Awesome! Is that because digid switched back away from gms.vision or because microG implemented it?

I'll test it later and if it works because of microG, I'll be ready to deliver the bounty I offered, if anyone wants it.

[Evanyoub]

Why can't I log in to my Google account in Micro G?

[baahver]

Awesome! Is that because digid switched back away from gms.vision or because microG implemented it?

I'll test it later and if it works because of microG, I'll be ready to deliver the bounty I offered, if anyone wants it.

I'm not sure. I know that Digid developers where working on this Google vendor lockin.

[baahver]

Why can't I log in to my Google account in Micro G?

Why would you login to your Google account within MicroG!?

[rugk]

@Evanyoub You can, just go into the microG settings and select the option. Also, this is off-topic. For further questions or issues regarding this, please open a new issue.

[Redsandro]

Since MicroG Services version 0.29.233013 (but maybe earlier) I'm able to scan the Digid-app QR-code! Digid-app version 6.9.3. But only if I zoom in the QR-code a bit.

@baahver this could be good news. I have those same versions but I can't get it to work. What do you mean exactly with "zoom in a bit"? You don't have any Gapps package installed?

Also, I noticed that the N26 bank app QR-code scanner (for iDeal) is not working with MicroG in stead of GMS. Perhaps it's the same issue.

[Sjoerdfc]

The fact that the DigiD app now works has nothing to do with changes in MicroG. The developers of the DigiD app changed the QR code scanner part and it does not depend on Google Play Services anymore, as you can read here (in Dutch):
https://www.logius.nl/domeinen/toegang/digid/releases-updates/digid-app-release-693

So it's good news, but nothing has changed for this issue. As far as I know other apps which use ML kit still don't work.

[zeekoe]

Great!
A workaround that might or might not work for other apps: use SecScanQR, scan the QR code and tap "Open in Web". This works if the app in question can be opened by intent, and the QR code in question contains such an intent URL. Specifically SecScanQR supports opening these intent URLs.

[matthijskooijman]

Great! A workaround that might or might not work for other apps: use SecScanQR, scan the QR code and tap "Open in Web". This works if the app in question can be opened by intent, and the QR code in question contains such an intent URL. Specifically SecScanQR supports opening these intent URLs.

Ah, nice trick! I tried it for the DigiD app (3.9.3) and could not get it to work - SecScanQR could not scan the QR code, and the BinaryEye app which I usually use could scan the code (it contains a digid-app-auth:// url), but does not offer to open it with the DigiD app, only offers a list of search engines (but I'm not sure if this is a limitation in Binary Eye or because Digid does not register te intent).

The fact that the DigiD app now works has nothing to do with changes in MicroG. The developers of the DigiD app changed the QR code scanner part and it does not depend on Google Play Services anymore, as you can read here (in Dutch):

Just tested this and indeed, the DigiD app now works without GMS as expected (though scanning is a bit finnicky, zooming my browser to make the QR bigger on screen seems to help, though also reveals significant JPG artifacts that probably not help with scanning...). I've sent DigiD a message about not working without GMS early september, and even though I did not get any reply to that, apparently they did take my message to heart and fixed it, which is good :-)

But indeed, as mentioned, that does not change the status of this issue - it would be good if microg would also implement this API for other apps that still use it.

[Foxite]

Can confirm, Digid works with some finagling.

As for this issue still being necessary: absolutely. My bounty is still on. :)