I've published an app and I have a theoric doubt. In my google play administrator page, it shows me that my app was downloaded by 18 devices, but when I look at the google analytics, on the same period, I have over 100 devices.
I've looked for other links on Google, but every link that I found redirects to Google Play, so Google Play should count it. Is there any way to download the app from google play, and then, get the apk?
The funniest part is that I didn't spread this app and when I look at the place of the users, it's from India, Sudan, etc..(I'm from Brazil, the other side of the world)..
Yes there is a way. Apk can be downloaded from Google Play and than shared as file somewhere else. These downloaded apks are disributed commonly in these countries like India etc.
For example there is an extension to it for chrome https://lekensteyn.nl/apk-downloader/.
So I would say your Google Analytics data are valid.
Is there any way to download the app from google play, and then, get the apk?
Sure. Copying the APK off of a device is not that difficult. In addition, software pirates bulk download pretty much everything uploaded to the Play Store and make it available from their own sites.
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When the play protect says "it do not recognize the developer" when installing the application it means it has not seen the signature used in the application before in any play store application right?
But I have a question, we all have seen certain apps that are not in the play store but we use them now and then.
For example, we have the Fortnite mobile app, I looked into the web about the reason why it's not in the play store and there I found that they distribute the apk from their website directly because they do not want to pay google play the 30% of the in game purchase ammount that they charge from every application for advertising the application and distribution of the app.
There is also the F-Droid application that lets you download other open-source applications which are not available on the play store.
And many others like AdAway, Lawnchair, Venced Manager etc.
There are also modded applications of Prime Videos, Netflix, Spotify and completely separate apps like HotFlix, TeaTv etc. similar to them.
When we install these apps from outside the play store we don't get any error saying "Play protect doesn't recognise this app's developer, apps from unknown developers may be harmful".
So my question is do they use any signature that is for general use which is also known to google play protect like those open-source licenses we see in github while creating a new repo? or do they all have uploaded their apps in the play store and got banned, denied their policies, or something else?
I am asking this question because I could not find a satisfactory answer anywhere and nobody writes about it anywhere, if there are any mod creators reading this then they can help me out too đ.
Note: Turning the play protect off is not a solution and I don't do that while installing other apps mentioned above so don't reply with that đ.
When you release a signed .aab file to Google Play then it will be from a signed Google Partner, (I think that is what it is called). If you download an app that has not been cataloged as an Approved Signature with Google Play, then it is considered side loading.
Side loading is basically installing and .aab or .apk file that has not been verified by Google. So when you side load (install app away from Play Store) Google doesn't recognize the signature. So therefore it says this app is from an untrusted source.
So basically it boils down to whether or not Google has reviewed and approved the signature. This just a security measure that Google puts in place so that it categorized the signature as trusted or not trusted.
It's the same with desktop applications. If it doesn't have a certificate then it's from an unknown publisher.
So with Fortnite the reason why it's not on the Google Play store is because of Google Policy violations with Epic Gaming. So since they would not correct the violation of policy they were removed. So now Fortnite has an .apk file that will run on Android but it is no longer an approved signature in the Google Play database.
That's why Fortnite says it's an untrusted or unrecognizable signature. So it boils down to whether a signature has been added to the database.
You can go into developer mode on your phone and turn on the side loading option and you won't get that message.
Is it possible to publish an iOS App in App Store and Google Play Store, which is unlisted and can't be found by search? Only people, who have the link to the App in the Store can download it. Is this possible?
Both Google Play and Apple's App Store have options for publishing Enterprise apps. The two stores have different options and conditions, but it's possible.
Other options that are available to you is to release the app as an Alpha or Beta version for specific people on the Play Store, or simply create an .apk file and allow people to install it without passing through the store.
On the Apple App Store, you also have the option of having your app approved by the review team and then using codes for specific users to redeem on the store (but you only have about 100 of those per version) or submitting the app for TestFlight review (which is a much shorter process), in which case you'll be able to install the app on 1,000 different devices.
I hope one of these options works for you. Good luck!
Yes, this exact thing is now possible in the Apple ecosystem. It's called "unlisted apps". See here. Not sure about Google/Android.
I'm sure I Just don't quite understand the Google play store or being an android developer, so i apologize if I'm misinformed.
I know if I get a Google developer licences I can make apps and put them onto the Google play store. But what if i don't want my app on the play store? I know I can host the APK files wherever then and let people download them but then they are considered 3rd party apps or unsigned apps. Is there any way I can get my app to be recognized by goggle like in the play store without it being on the play store or without it being able to be searched for in the play store and only attainable by direct link.
The short answer is that only apps installed from the Play Store can get around the problem of users needing to choose to allow apps from "unrecognized" sources.
However, if what you are only looking for is the ability to restrict who has access to the apps (i.e. don't make them visible to just everyone), then you can create a private channel, and choose which users or groups have access. For more information, see https://support.google.com/a/answer/2494992?hl=en
Ive googled for hours trying to find the answer, im sure its out there but i cant find it... I have an app that works fine on google play using google services etc. It uses the expansion obb files to download the majority of the game files. I also use achievements from the google services and IAP.
I need to also distribute via some of the other app stores. While I can find information about IAP using samsung and amazon, what about expansion obb systems and achievements/cloud saves/leaderboards etc.
I appreciate that most devices have google play etc on them, but my understanding is i should be able to run without them so with that in mind
Do I need to host the expansion files myself and download them from my own servers if running from a samsung store/amazon store download etc. (The obb size is nearly 600mb)
The IAP is fine with other stores, i presume i just have a different apk for those stores with the relevant IAP handling code.
Do they support the google services stuff like achievements, should the game handle that not being available on samsung stores etc (and maybe even if downloade from the google store?)
Many Thanks
Its a Good Question,
If you have your app in Google Play and planning to release app on other stores like AMAZON,SAMSUNG the you should have seperate accounts and upload apk files in those stores.
1) Regarding OBB files or expansion files its only in Google Store, Amazon and samsung does not have limit of 50 MB, so if your apk is more than 50mb also your can just upload your apk file.
2) Regarding the In App Billing - amazon and samsung have there own APIs and we need to implement that for IAP to work on those store and these APIs are given in there offical websites and they have even given a sample app to test.
3) Regarding the Game Center - amazon gives us the game center api and we need to implement that inorder for the apps to work.
I hope i have cleared all your points.
Links :
1) Amazon IAP - https://developer.amazon.com/sdk/in-app-purchasing.html
2) Samusng IAP - http://developer.samsung.com/android/tools-sdks/In-App-Purchase-Library
3) Amazon Game Circle - https://developer.amazon.com/sdk/gamecircle.html
Happy Coding :)
I've googled this and have only found bad answers from a year or more ago, so I'm hoping things have changed.
I have developed an app for an apartment complex and they want only their residents to be able to download/see it in the marketplace. It has to do with submitting maintenance requests and rental of common facilities, so, for obvious reasons they don't want just anyone seeing it, but want the convenience of the market place for distribution.
Can this be done without any of the goofy workarounds like garbling the name with a random string or changing the package name?
Here you can do like below:
Publishing on Google Play guide can show you the ins and outs and publishing to Google Play, but in a nutshell you upload the app to the Google Developer Console, and then publish it by going to âProduct Detailsâ, âPublishing Optionsâ, âRestrict Availabilityâ and checking off âMake this application available only to users of my Google Apps domainâ. The app will then be sent to your Private Channel. Source: TechRepublic
But here is My suggestion:
If it's for residents only then you should upload APK some where on web (Instead of uploading on play store) and give them web link. Residents will download APK directly from that link. There way your APK will be hidden from rest of the world.