However, that's not its only function, as it covers others such as contact synchronization, access to the user's last privacy configuration or speeding up offline searches. Is it absolutely necessary for my phone to work? No, it isn't, as you could be using an Android version that doesn't depend on Google's ecosystem, from its app store to its maps and other services.
The tool that keeps your Android device updated. Therefore, it's an essential tool that's a key aspect for the correct functioning of your phone. In other words, when you download an APK and install the application it makes it blend in better with all the operating system's functions and all Google's products: from maps to the application store. Well, we could define it in plain words as the middle man between your Android and all your device's apps. We're talking about Google Play Services. This management is carried out by means of an application that works like an extra system layer of the operating system.
On any Android device like a smartphone or tablet, there's a centralized management of the updates of all the applications installed.