Use Google apps in the emulator

Question

Would it be possible to provide a emulator image that has all the Google apps that come with real devices, like Gmail etc? I don't have access to a 2.0 device which makes it close to impossible for me to develop/debug apps which uses AccountManager etc.

Answer 1

Given the trouble that Cyanogenmod had with trying to redistribute Google's apps, I would say it's not an option. However, if it's something in the Android source (like the calendar), you can compile it yourself.

Answer 2

Download the Android Dev Phone system image from http://developer.htc.com/adp.html.

Then, create a new AVD (using the android tool or adb) with the matching version. The avd directory will appear at the .android directory inside your home directory (Run %USERPROFILE% on windows). Then, put system.img file downloaded into the <name of avd>.avd directory. Start the emulator and you will use Android with Google apps installed.

Disclaimer: about whether it is legal or not to download and use such images, I don't know. Please read the text there and decide yourself.

Answer 3

If you just want to debug the app, you don't need to create a new image. You can run some of the google apps including gmail and google maps in the emulator. If you go to the Android SDK and AVD manager in the Eclipse Android plugin, and then go to "available packages", for every SDK there are two downloads for each version of the api. There is the one with Google Apps and one with out. The one with Google apps has apps such as gmail and google maps. It does not have all Google apps. The market is not there for instance .