Is READ_GSERVICES permission still required for Google Maps?

Question

To add Google Maps to your android application, you need to include a few permissions:

Answer 1

All permissions you need for Google Maps Android API are in the docs:

You must also request the android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE permission.

Note: If you're targeting the Android M SDK (23) and the latest version of the Google Play services SDK (8.1), you no longer need the WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE.

From the next release of the Google Play services SDK, the requirement for the WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE permission will be completely dropped from the Google Maps Android API.

So the answer is NO, you don't need it if you use current latest GPS, i.e. 8.1.0.