From Newsgroup: misc.phone.mobile.iphone

Slowly but inexorably, Google is becoming Apple & Apple is becoming Google. This thread was posted today on the Android newsgroup by Richmond.


Newsgroups: comp.mobile.android
Subject: Re: Google Broke reCAPTCHA for De-Googled Android Users
Date: Sat, 9 May 2026 01:01:23 -0600
Message-ID: <10tmm43$11ct$1@nnrp.usenet.blueworldhosting.com>

Richmond wrote:

https://reclaimthenet.org/google-broke-recaptcha-for-de-googled-android-users

"The company that decides whether you're a bot now also requires you run its software to prove
otherwise.

Google has tied its next-generation reCAPTCHA system to Google Play Services on Android,
meaning anyone running a de-Googled phone will automatically fail verification when the system
decides to challenge them.

The requirement forces Android users to run Google's proprietary app framework version
25.41.30 or higher just to prove they're human.

When reCAPTCHA flags what it considers suspicious activity, it abandons the old image puzzles
and demands you scan a QR code. That scan requires Play Services running in the background,
communicating with Google's servers. If you're using GrapheneOS or any other custom ROM that
strips out Google's software, the verification fails.

I just checked, and apparently it's true.
<https://www.androidauthority.com/google-recaptcha-play-services-requirement-3664806/>

Even iOS is apparently affected!
<https://support.google.com/recaptcha/answer/16609652?hl=en>
"If verifying on iOS/iPadOS device with version 15.0-16.4, download
the reCAPTCHA app in the App Store. After installation, return to
the challenge to try again."
<https://piunikaweb.com/2026/05/07/google-recaptcha-play-services-requirement/>

This requirement kicks in only when reCAPTCHA escalates to the new QR-code verification step.
<https://byteiota.com/google-recaptcha-breaks-de-googled-android-devices/>

Slowly but inexorably, Google is becoming Apple & Apple is becoming Google.
a. iOS 16.4+ can complete the verification natively
b. It's only older iOS which requires the reCaptcha app

My USA-unrootable Samsung is partially degoogled so I checked a few things:
1. First I checked if adb was working (since I'm sitting at the PC)
adb devices -l
List of devices attached
SERIAL device product:a32xsq model:SM_A326U device:a32x transport_id:1

2. Then I checked if I have Google Play Services installed, which I do.
adb shell pm list packages | grep com.google.android.gms
package:com.google.android.gms

3. Then I checked if Play Services was disabled, and it's not disabled.
adb shell pm list packages -d | grep gms
returns nothing

4. Then I checked if my Play Services version is newer than required
adb shell dumpsys package com.google.android.gms | grep versionName
versionName=26.12.33 (190400-892550550)
versionName=23.16.13 (190400-527363516)

Google's new reCAPTCHA requires 25.41.30 or higher.

5. Had it not been higher than required, I'd have to install the checker APK.
<https://github.com/1nikolas/play-integrity-checker-app>
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=gr.nikolasspyr.integritycheck>
adb install play-integrity-checker.apk

--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: misc.phone.mobile.iphone

Maria Sophia wrote:

Even iOS is apparently affected!
<https://support.google.com/recaptcha/answer/16609652?hl=en>
"If verifying on iOS/iPadOS device with version 15.0-16.4, download
the reCAPTCHA app in the App Store. After installation, return to
the challenge to try again."
<https://piunikaweb.com/2026/05/07/google-recaptcha-play-services-requirement/>

It sad how much Google is copying restrictive prison environments of iOS.

If you have an older iOS version, you're stuck unless you get this app.
<https://apps.apple.com/us/app/recaptcha/id6746882749>

If you know any other way around this on older iOS versions, let us know.
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: misc.phone.mobile.iphone

On 2026-05-13 23:41, Maria Sophia wrote:

Maria Sophia wrote:

Even iOS is apparently affected!
<https://support.google.com/recaptcha/answer/16609652?hl=en>
"If verifying on iOS/iPadOS device with version 15.0-16.4, download
the reCAPTCHA app in the App Store. After installation, return to
the challenge to try again."
<https://piunikaweb.com/2026/05/07/google-recaptcha-play-services-requirement/>

It sad how much Google is copying restrictive prison environments of iOS.

If you have an older iOS version, you're stuck unless you get this app.
<https://apps.apple.com/us/app/recaptcha/id6746882749>

If you know any other way around this on older iOS versions, let us know.

And in what circumstances would I need to use that on an iOS device?
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: misc.phone.mobile.iphone

On 5/14/26 9:44 PM, Alan wrote:

On 2026-05-13 23:41, Maria Sophia wrote:

Maria Sophia wrote:

Even iOS is apparently affected!
-a <https://support.google.com/recaptcha/answer/16609652?hl=en>
-a-a "If verifying on iOS/iPadOS device with version 15.0-16.4, download >>> -a-a-a the reCAPTCHA app in the App Store. After installation, return to >>> -a-a-a the challenge to try again."
-a <https://piunikaweb.com/2026/05/07/google-recaptcha-play-services-
requirement/>

It sad how much Google is copying restrictive prison environments of iOS.

If you have an older iOS version, you're stuck unless you get this app.
-a <https://apps.apple.com/us/app/recaptcha/id6746882749>

If you know any other way around this on older iOS versions, let us know.

And in what circumstances would I need to use that on an iOS device?

I don't see an issue. reCAPTCHA is a common security check, even on W11
and latest Apple OS versions. I just used it on my iPad today.
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: misc.phone.mobile.iphone

Tom Elam wrote:

If you have an older iOS version, you're stuck unless you get this app.
a <https://apps.apple.com/us/app/recaptcha/id6746882749>

If you know any other way around this on older iOS versions, let us know. >>

And in what circumstances would I need to use that on an iOS device?

I don't see an issue. reCAPTCHA is a common security check, even on W11
and latest Apple OS versions. I just used it on my iPad today.

Hi Tom Elam,

Everything depends on the version. What iOS version is your iPad on?
The well documented problem only kicks in for versions older than iOS 16.4.

This is a sad day when Google and Apple are in cahoots, but it is what it
is, and we just have to deal with it if we're on an older iOS version.

The problem was well explained in the referenced article, so let me know
what it is about the referenced article that you want help understanding.
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2