Since November 2015 Google updates their Google Dialer application via the Play Store. The Open GApps scripts already supported the inclusion of Google Dialer as a package already before that, in October 2015. But the Google Dialer app faced many problematic issues at the time. I.e. before Google released their Play Store version, installing the Google Dialer would not work on any custom ROM. Because of these issues Google Dialer was not included in the regular Open GApps packages.

In March 2016 we finally enabled, after some testing with the Play Store version, the Google Dialer as an optional extra. Using the DialerGoogle keyword users could install with the dialer to experiment on their device. The feedback from users was that on Nexus devices it worked, but on almost all non-Nexus devices there were problems. But even on Nexus devices, it was obligatory to manually set Google Dialer as the default Phone app, otherwise the device would reboot when making or receiving a phone call.

Instructions how to set the Google Dialer as default phone app

Fast forward to April 2016, and more changes have been applied to DialerGoogle. It ain’t a special keyword anymore, but now acts as a regular include/exclude keyword. Also DialerGoogle has been split into a supporting DialerFramework package, that includes the Framework-files. While DialerGoogle is only in stock and larger, these Framework-files are included in all package variants. The Framework-files are required to be able to install Google Dialer from the Play Store, without them any device is deemed incompatible. The DialerFramework is obligatory if you want to install the DialerGoogle package (if you are using a gapps-config).

DialerFramework is only installed on white-listed devices, currently this white-list only includes Nexus Devices. You can override the white-list using the forcedialer keyword.

It is important to note, that the DialerFramework only receives any security updates if you update your Open GApps installation and not via the Play Store. So make sure to update your Open GApps installation at least once a month, after Google’s monthly security updates are added to the Open GApps repository.