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Google Account necessary ?

50Twuncle
50Twuncle Posts: 10,763 Forumite
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in Techie Stuff
My wife has a new Android tablet delivered this morning and we are charging it at the moment - prior to setting it up.

It runs Android 7 - her old tablet ran 4 - She has never had a google account and the old tablet used to let her download and update apps without an account !

The new tablet - instructions appear to require a google account
Is this correct ?
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Comments

  • AndyPix
    AndyPix Posts: 4,847 Forumite
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    No it didn't
  • charlotte1994
    charlotte1994 Posts: 854 Forumite
    I believe you have to have a google account to log into the Google Play store where you download your apps. It is beneficial to have one as all your data will be saved to your account (regarding apps) if you get a new tablet it'll be easy to redownload without losing progress on games etc
  • Farway
    Farway Posts: 15,218 Forumite
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    charlotte1994 wrote: »
    I believe you have to have a google account to log into the Google Play store where you download your apps. It is beneficial to have one as all your data will be saved to your account (regarding apps) if you get a new tablet it'll be easy to redownload without losing progress on games etc

    Also handy because it will automatically upload any photos to be viewed on any platform
    When an eel bites your bum, that's a Moray
  • DoaM
    DoaM Posts: 11,863 Forumite
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    50Twuncle wrote: »
    her old tablet ran 4 - She has never had a google account and the old tablet used to let her download and update apps without an account !
    AndyPix wrote: »
    No it didn't

    For clarity, that's what Andy was replying to. Android 4 (Jellybean or Kitkat, depending on exact version) still needed a Google account to sync to otherwise no apps from the Google Play store could be installed.

    If the device was rooted and another ROM was installed then that's a different matter, but out of the box? You needed a Google account.
  • neilmcl
    neilmcl Posts: 19,460 Forumite
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    Just set up an account, what's the big deal.
  • 50Twuncle
    50Twuncle Posts: 10,763 Forumite
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    neilmcl wrote: »
    Just set up an account, what's the big deal.


    It does look to be the best way - also - it should transfer her email account settings if I create the same account on her old tablet, shouldn't it ?
  • AndyPix
    AndyPix Posts: 4,847 Forumite
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    What on earth are you talking about ??


    You think that if you create a new google account on this new tablet, and then log on to the old tablet with this new account , that it will magically pull whatever account the old tablet was logged into onto the new tablet ??!!!


    Are you sure you work in IT ?
  • Paul_DNAP
    Paul_DNAP Posts: 751 Forumite
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    The correct way is to find out what account the old tablet is/was signing into google as (should be in the settings somewhere) and then sign in the new device under the same details. It will then let you download any previously paid apps, will use the same online photo backup etc.
    (Although I could be wrong, I often am.)
  • macman
    macman Posts: 53,129 Forumite
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    You can set up a Google account without any necessity to use the gmail address that come with it. Just set it up with the hotmail email account.
    No free lunch, and no free laptop ;)
  • Carrot007
    Carrot007 Posts: 4,534 Forumite
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    macman wrote: »
    You can set up a Google account without any necessity to use the gmail address that come with it. Just set it up with the hotmail email account.


    Or set up a gmail address and then get that gmail address to download all your other email addresses. Much easier.
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