I generated an app manifest file with the Defold App Manifest generator (Defold App Manifest generator) by excluding Physics3D, Record, Profiler, Gameroom.
I then pasted it into an empty project and set it up in the native extensions section of the project settings.
I get the following mysterious error at Android bundling:
ManifestBug.zip (1.9 KB)
I can build the project you sent for Android without any problems. Could you show me dependencies from the original project where you have the problem?
UPD:
It could be that you are using an extension that depends on gps base extension.
From the Slack chat:
Hmmm, the example program attached, shows me this error. It has no extensions.
Update: The same error occurs even if I do not exclude anything in the app manifest file. So the error occurs when I set up an app manifest file.
https://github.com/defold/extension-gps/archive/master.zip
Add to your dependencies in game.project and it might solve it.
It seems like your manifest is outdated. Please copy/paste new manifest from builtins/manifests/android/AndroidManifest.xml and then apply your custom changes if you have it, or just set up the default manifest.
Thanks, that really solves the problem. However, this dependency should be included if I use an app manifest. So, for the time being, I don’t understand the benefits of having google play services as an external extension 
The example program uses the built-in AndroidManifest.xml file.
Anyone can contribute to it now where before they could not. That is benefit enough!
Ideally it shouldn’t be required but it’s possible there are missing dependencies or the builtin Android manifest is not updated yet to use the extension properly.
I tested your sample and did get the same error. And got it to bundle with gps as a dep.
Hmm, I just found that I can reproduce this issue only on Windows. It’s really strange. I’ll check it the next week. (on Mac I can build it without gps)
Yes, sorry, I did not write that I build from windows.
It’s strange to me, as if there was some gps dependency left in the engine.
Update: What I did see was that the same example program was built error-free with version 1.2.161. 
I think I know where the problem, I’ll try to fix it in the next build 1.2.163 (Issue-#4458)
Solved in 1.2.163
