App crashes when using latest Smooch version (4.0.5) with Google play service 9.6.1

Question

I'm implementing Smooch in Android app, I use latest version of Smooch(4.0.5) and in my App, I use Google play service v9.6.1. And the app crashes when I start.

In Application class:

Smooch.init(this, BuildConfig.SMOOCH_APP_TOKEN);

This is crash logs:

java.lang.NoSuchMethodError: No static method zzb(Ljava/lang/Object;Ljava/lang/Object;)Ljava/lang/Object; in class Lcom/google/android/gms/common/internal/zzab; or its super classes (declaration of 'com.google.android.gms.common.internal.zzab' appears in /data/app/com.***.***/base.apk) 

at com.google.firebase.provider.FirebaseInitProvider.zza(Unknown Source) 

at com.google.firebase.provider.FirebaseInitProvider.attachInfo(Unknown Source) 

at android.app.ActivityThread.installProvider(ActivityThread.java:6762) 

at android.app.ActivityThread.installContentProviders(ActivityThread.java:6357) 

at android.app.ActivityThread.handleBindApplication(ActivityThread.java:6297) 

at android.app.ActivityThread.access$1800(ActivityThread.java:221) 

at android.app.ActivityThread$H.handleMessage(ActivityThread.java:1860) 

at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:102) 

at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:158) 

at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:7224) 

at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Native Method) 

at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(ZygoteInit.java:1230) 

at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:1120)

I notice that Smooch v4.0.5 is using Firebase v9.4.0 which is not compatible with Google play service v9.6.1. So how can I fix this crash (I can not downgrade Google play service in my app for some reasons)

Answer 1

There have been known issues when using different versions of Firebase and Play Services. To fix this, you can update the Firebase version in your project to be in sync with your Play Services version. Include the Firebase dependency in your project's build.gradle file and set both to the same version, it will override the version provided by Smooch. Ex:

dependencies {
    compile 'com.google.android.gms:play-services:9.6.1'
    compile 'com.google.firebase:firebase-core:9.6.1'
    compile 'com.google.firebase:firebase-messaging:9.6.1'
    // other dependencies
}