Route Scout Android Version Requirement

[Jim]

I saw no other posts that are recent and might mention this, and are also unlocked.

I appear to be running Android 14. I see online that Android 16 is the most recent OS.

I recall from 2 and 7 years ago that Route Scout will not function properly if attempting to run the most recent version of RS on an old, no longer supported OS. My phone will not be able to update to a newer version, and in time, RS will no longer be supported for use on Android 14. I don't know how far away this is, it could be 2 years, or 6 months. I will not buy a new phone just because.

I typically update to the the newest version of RS, but as far as I can tell, most of the time there is no change to the basic function for which I actually use RS. If all I do is make a GPS route for my own use, will I be able to use an old version of RS to continue making routes to load here? Long after android 14 is supported and most likely using a long outdated version of RS? I would think that using a version of RS that is now 5 years old could work just fine to create a GPS route or file, and load to the website for either a triplog or a description/ guide's official route.

[TooOld2Hike_EP]

I'm running Android 12 and the last time I tried to update to an RS 7.x version, it didn't complain on startup.

But since you titled this thread "Android Requirements," it seems that one requirement is that the user has to have Google Play installed as well as a Google Play Account. (I haven’t seen this documented. But it seems to be the case.)

Since I have neither, I've been running 6.0.2. I've still been able to record routes and upload them for trip reports, although I’m missing the Quality of Life improvements in later versions of RS.

[Jim]

@TooOld2Hike_EP
Thanks. Sounds like my phone will be good for at least another year or two.

[joebartels]

If installed, RS currently runs back to Android Nougat 7.0
updates "Supported"

Jan 2026

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Android_version_history

Google Play Services is required on all Android RS versions to provide location, the primary function, and background. Google Play is needed to update, but Google Play Services will persist on de-Googled Android devices.

[TooOld2Hike_EP]

Update: I thought to check the Required Permissions for RS on Play after writing below. The requirement to have Play and a Google Account for RS is the same as the screen shot below.

Perhaps it's the way that I've set up my phone, but it seems that after RS v6.0.2, Google Play is required - at least to go past the start screen for the first time - to perform some kind of app verification. (When I enable Play and try a later version of RS, RS opens Play, and Play tries to log in to my non-existent Google account. Which results in a dead end for me.)

I read on line about Google changing the way apps work last year to defeat the side-loading of apps. (I was trying to install a Food Store's Reward app on my friend's iPhone, but her phone/OS was too old. When I started a work around to install the Android version on my phone, there was a notice in Play that the app needed Play AND an Play account to work. (See Permission Requirement screenshot from Play.) Although whatever Google did must not be universal because I'm still able to install other apps current that I did not download from Play.

Whatever, I'm happy to have a old version of RS working on my semi de-Googled phone. So thanks!