However, it is possible to have your smartphone running completely free of Google apps and services, thanks to the availability of custom ROMS like LineageOS. While it was possible to disable Google Play Services in the past, nowadays it's too indispensable to simply disable on your own: all your Google apps require it to run smoothly.
This does not include all apps, however it’s mostly for Google’s home-brewed apps (Gmail, Google+, Google Play, etc.). Google Play Services thus allows your smartphone to benefit from the latest versions of apps without upgrading to the latest version of Android. Google apps, like Chrome, are updated through Google Play Services / © NextPit
Google Play Services remains mysterious to many Android users / © NextPit It's a package of APIs (things that assist programmers and allow apps to easily communicate with other apps) that ensure fewer apps are dependent upon Android OS updates to run. In short, Google Play Services is an app that is very closely linked to the Android system itself. Everything goes: access to and control over SMS, access to sensitive log data, access to all the information from Google apps the list goes on. It also sees regular updates, and the number of permissions it requires is impressive. However, it is installed by default on all Android devices. When you attempt to open it, nothing will happen. Google Play Services is not an app in the way most people think of apps.