GMS (Google Mobile Services) Certification

Every mobile device that hosts Android operating system needs the following to operate safely and properly:

• Android apps
• App updates
• Android OS updates

Getting timely security updates from Google is especially important in light of increasing cyber attaches and breaching the privacy of users through mobile devices.

Google provides these resources to users of Android OS at no cost if the device that they are using is GMS (Google Mobile Service) certified. A device manufacturer obtains this certificate for each model of mobile device it produces that uses Android OS. Without this license, the users are not able to get automatic updates, or download apps from Google Play app store.

GMS comes with several essential mobile apps by Google, namely Gmail, Google Chrome, Hangouts, Google Play, Google Maps, YouTube etc. Other advantages of a GMS-certified device are:

• Availability of OTA (Over-The-Air) software updates
• Complete compatibility of the device with Google OS and apps
• Applications stability
• Latest updates for apps
• Proven security
• Access to a large pool of Google apps in Google Play

As a contract manufacturer, Cetrix helps its clients to prepare for and obtain GMS certificates. We cooperate with testing labs that are Google certified and have been carrying out the certification testing for many manufacturers.

Below is a summary of the process we go through to obtain GMS certification for Android mobile devices:

1. Compatibility Test Suite (CTS): CTS is an automated test suite that includes unit tests, functional tests, and reference application tests
2. CTS Verifier: At this stage, some of the functionalities of the device are tested manually, such as touchscreen, camera, audio, accelerometer, etc.
3. CTS Audio Test (CAT): This test verifies the audio playback and recording quality of Android devices.
4. Google GMS Test Suite (GTS): This is an automated test suite like CTS, CTS Verifier and CAT.

Because we have gone through certification process many times, we can include it in our manufacturing plan so to help you take your device to market as soon as it is mass-produced.

Compliance Testing & Certification

Compliance with safety and environmental regulations of a country is a requirement for introducing a new electronics product into that country. There are also technology standards that must be met by these products. As mentioned in the Design for Manufacturing and Assembly above, these standards and regulations must be integrated into the design process in order to for the final product to pass compliancy tests.

When Cetrix is commissioned with designing and manufacturing a new electronic device, it can incorporate this certification in the process. We have the knowledge and experience for product design and development and material selection according to internationally accepted quality standards, and the standards of major countries. This makes certification easier and shorter for the products we manufacture.

At the end of the product development and depending on the certification that our customer requests, complete working sample products will be submitted to a certified third party organization for testing and certification of the new product. Some of the certificates we have obtained for our customers in the past are:

• FCC (Federal Communications Commission)
• CE (European Conformity)
• UL (Underwriters Laboratories)
• ROHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive)
• TÜV (Technischer Überwachungsverein; Technical Inspection Association of Germany)
• WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment)