GAC – Tizen Client for Google Authenticator

This version of app and Wiki are obsolete and no longer supported. Please visit the following URL for the new apps that support mored devices and provide more features: https://credelius.com/credelius/?p=241

Supported Devices

This application is to support legacy Gear devices only, and it’s not actively developed anymore.  It’s recommended for the following devices:

  • Gear Neo
  • Gear II
  • Gear S

You can use it with Gear S2, S3, and Galaxy Watch as well, but it’s not recommended, and some features like import accounts from an MP3 file might not work, because newer devices validate the format of MP3 file, and a text file with accounts will be rejected.

New Features

With the new Android GAC Services app release it’s possible to create MP3 init file easily. Navigate to Backup page and select “Legacy backup” menu or press MP3 button on the bottom. A file named gac-codes.mp3 will be created in Music directory. Use Samsung Android Gear app to transfer that file to your Gear device and then use “Init from file” menu in your Gear GAC app for importing all accounts from gac-codes.mp3 file.

GAC App Description

GAC is a Tizen Application for Gear wearable devices. It has been tested and can run on Gear, Gear 2, Neo, Gear S, Gear S.

It can be installed on any of the devices above through Gear App available for Android and iOS smartphones.

A user would need to obtain a Google’s 2-step verification code before she can use the application.

Detailed instructions about how you can get the Google’s code could be found here. After receiving the code a user can either enter it directly to the device if it has a proper keyboard (Gear S, Gear S2) or create a gac-codes text files and import it to the device using “Init from File” menu as described in this link.

On Gear S2 you can toggle accounts while on an account page by rotating a bezel:

gac

Here how adding a new code screen looks like on a Gear S device:

auth-screen4

Application’s menu allows selecting either an account or another menu item such as “Init from File” or “New Account’:

gac-menu

Help pages are always available on either Gear device to improve a user’s experience. This is how the look like on Gear S:

gac-square-menu

 

15 thoughts on “GAC – Tizen Client for Google Authenticator

    1. somehobbit Post author

      It is. Go to “Gear->Galaxy Apps” and search for “Client for Google Authenticator”. It’s available for many Gear models: Gear 2, Gear 2 Neo, Gear S, Gear S2, and Gear S3. What is your model?
      Finding GAC in Gear App

      Reply
    2. somehobbit Post author

      @ruky – what I’ve posted is a screenshot of a Gear app on my Android (Galaxy 6) device:
      1. Install the Gear app on your mobile device
      2. Make sure that your Gear device is connected to your mobile device
      3. Open Gear app and select “Galaxy Apps”
      4. Search “Client for Google Authenticator”
      5. Install it on your Gear device

      What Gear model do you have?

      Reply
  1. Miguel

    Done,
    It works like a charm.
    However, I have to mention that the configuration is kindda tricky, even more adding the changes to the google interface. But it works

    Reply
    1. somehobbit Post author

      I know, config is tricky, but using MP3 approach should not be that bad. I wish Google to release an interface for getting a shared secret directly from the mobile app, but they don’t have any incentives to do that.

      Thanks for using.

      Reply
  2. Duncan Wright

    Just Updated the OS on my Gear, and this has stopped working – revolving blue/white cricle when I open it. Any suggestions as to what me be wrong?

    Reply
    1. somehobbit Post author

      Thanks for using. Unfortunately, it’s a common problem during the OS upgrade. It deletes the database and the only way to restore it is to re-install the application again. It’s not only happen to my app, but to others as well, e.g. check this rant:
      Rant

      Reply
  3. Scott

    This seems to only support the “time based one time password” (TOTP). Google Authenticator works with both time based and counter based. I am looking for a counter based app for my S3 phone. Any chance you have support for this that I can’t find?

    Reply
    1. credelius

      That’s correct. It currently supports TOTP only. I’ll consider counter, but tell me why. If you use a watch, it always has time. Having a watch that doesn’t have a correct time set, doesn’t make much sense. I’ve just checked stock Google Auth app and didn’t see a “counter” option there in settings. Can you please point me to the place where I can choose “counter” as an option? Thanks.

      Reply
  4. RobertG

    The app to control the Galaxy Watch is now called Galaxy Wearable. But the text file gac-codes.mp3 it is not regognised as a valid MP3 file, so it doesn’t show up when you select “Init from File”.
    I had to buy Gear File Manager Pro to get the file to the Music folder on my Galaxy Watch.

    Reply
    1. somehobbit Post author

      Sorry for the inconvenience, but the MP3 file was meant for legacy devices like Gear Neo, Gear S, etc. For newer ones including Galaxy Watch you should use companion app for transferring accounts.

      Reply

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