I have developed an android .apk file and I need to put it on my website for OTA installation (For some reasons, I cannot put it on Android Market). The idea is, I will send sms with the link of .apk file to the android device and by clicking the application should start download and installation process.
At the moment, when I try, it is a two step process -
1. it downloads the .apk file
2. I need to click on .apk file to install it.
Is there anyway to remove step 2 (click on .apk file to install it) and by clicking on url of .apk file, it gets downloaded and installed (of course by asking all the necessary permission from user so it is not a security threat to user).
I have done similar thing on Blackberry/Symbian/Winmo and it is just one step process (clicking on the link downloads and runs the installer) so I thought there should be a way on android as well.
Any help would be appreciated.
Regards
Simple answer: No.
If you already have an application running on the user's device, you could register for a special URI and download and open the file yourself. Android itself does not have such an option (for obivous reasons).
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I know this is may or may not be possible,but I just want to confirm is it possible in android or not?
So here it goes,Let's say I have an android app ( example my_app.apk) ,I copied my_app.apk from my computer or through pendrive or downloaded from website to my android device( let's say I copied to /sdcard/).I have also activated install app from unknown sources in my phone settings.
Now is there any way through which I can make the App to auto install on the device as soon as I copied to /sdcard folder? I mean my_app.apk should kick auto installation on the device without user navigating to /sdcard of the device and selecting the app and clicking the install option.
I just want to know is this possible in Android? if Yes how can I achieve that? I don't want to use other third party applications to kick off installation,instead the app should kick installation itself as soon as it gets copied to /sdcard folder.
Any help would be appreciated.
I think that is not possible. It is possible to have Android app which checks some folders and detects new file and automatically install new apk files. To install apk package ordinary (from SD card) you should activated installing from Unknown sources in settings. Auto instalation packages aren't possible, because it could be security problem.
I wrote a simple application for android, it works fine on my phone, but i want to run it on my phone without connecting my phone to the computer, i mean i want to install the application on my computer. How can i do this? Also what if i want to send this app to a frind? Do i have to install it to market? Thanks
The first thing you need to do is create an .apk file.
Here is a question about creating it.
You can then put it on the play store, or upload the .apk to a server and use the URL to download it.
Or you could just copy the .apk from your computer onto your phone then just click the file and it will install.
Using anything other than the market will require the user to 'allow applications from unknown sources'.
After you will run for the first time the application on the phone (launched from the computer), it will remain installed after you disconnect the phone from the computer.
Then you can launch it from the Applications menu.
Preinstalled applications are in /system/app folder. User installed applications are in /data/app. I guess you can't access unless you have a rooted phone. Try to carry with your external memory card.
If you want to reach your .apk file simply try below...
I assumed you are using Eclipse..
in /bin folder of your project you can see appName.apk then copy and send it to your friend.
If you use eclipse you need to do a right click on the project folder.
There you have the menu for android tools.
There you must click the export (un)signed application package button and then a wizard opens where you have to do some settings. (I prefer sigend one).
There you need to create a new keystore and a new certificate. It does not really matter what you insert there.
After you created these files you can save an "apk" and copy it to your device.
There you simply have to open the apk and the app will be installed.
But I don't know how to install the app on your pc. I just know that you can run an emulator and install it there (bluestack is the emulators' name).
I have an app that will be installed by the user from a public webserver (outside android market).
So I hosted the apk in webserver and instructed the users to type the url to download the file and then "open" the downloaded file to install it.
But, almost 100% of users are having difficulties to do those simple tasks (they're are not familiar with technology...).
So, I decided to make a webpage that will simplify the task. The page contains a single big button that will:
Donwload the apk;
After download finish, start "Android's Install Dialog" to install the downloaded apk;
Dowloading file is pretty easy, but now my problem is to open the "Install dialog" from browser!
I'm totally newbie about html/javascript and I don't know how to do it (or even if this is possible).
Normally, you just link to the .apk file. When the user clicks on such a link, the .apk file is downloaded and the installation is automatically started (with a dialog like 'do you want to install this application').
So, just Download and install....
Important! This only works if your users allow installation from 'Unknown sources' in settings/security.
If browser is written not by you, then it doesn't know what to do with downloaded apk file. Ask user to download something like EasyInstall to install side-loaded apks or place you apk on Google Play. Google Play app on the device knows how to install apk.
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True at the time of writing: Aug. 2012
You need to ensure your webserver that is going to deliver the APK sets the MIME type properly. It should be application/vnd.android.package-archive for .apk files.
I want a know if it's possible to install a android application that I created but without passing by the market place, because the apps is for my company only. And the solution must also be legal.
Compile into .apk, send the file to everyone (in email) and use android to open the apk file and it will ask if you want to install it.
Moreover, make sure the settings in your phone allows unknown source installation.
Yes, it's possible and 100% legal. Just build the apk (using Eclipse with the plugin or the command line tools) and distribute it as you like.
If you don't have an ATT phone, then you can do this easily by clicking "allow installations of 3rd party apps" or whatever that setting is called. You can then just put the .apk file onto your SD card and open it with a file explorer like astro.
If you have an ATT phone, you'll have to download the android sdk and use ADB to push the app onto your phone.
How can I install an application without any developer tools (Eclipse, Android SDK tools)?
I've compiled and created an .apk file. Now I am gonna send this apk file to my friend.
He is not an Android developer; he doesn't know how to use Eclipse or the SDK.
And I don't want to publish my application to android market.
Is there a way to launch the application on a real device without publishing it or having access to a machine with the SDK?
You can deploy the .apk file on your local server(apache or jboss) with a static IP to make the file available for download. Now just open the download link of the apk file in your mobile browser. The device will automatically start the installation after the download completes.
The way I usually do this is:
Plug in my USB cable to my PC and mount my SD card on my computer
Get the APK file somewhere on my SD card on the phone
Unmount the SD card on my PC, allowing the phone to see the SD card contents again
Use Astro File Manager or some similar app to browse to that file on the SD card and select it, which will prompt you if you want to install the app on your phone.
You should set
Settings -> Application -> Unknown sources
to allow installation from non-Market.
Then, once your application is published somewhere, you can download it an install it.
Also you can use 'adb install ' to install apk's to your device.
Though this approach requires you to have adb available on your computer and adb is part of the sdk.
Another, easier approach, is using DropBox. This enables you to save the apk in the dropbox/public folder, create a URI from there and supply this to your friend. Then have him download the apk. Android will notify him when it's done, so he only has to click the notification and Android will ask him whether or not he wants to install this software.
Try DeployGate. With the service you can generate a download page like this:
https://dply.me/7hmric
Then it will guide your friends to install your app and you can see how is going, e.g. which version is installed or updated, or app is crashed, in realtime.
Though it's a very common question, there were no simple way to achieve it. Even if we can send people an APK file through whatever, they have to change the "Unknown Sources" setting before the installation. We have to take care of this kind stuff everyday. It's simply a waste of time. So we made DeployGate, a tester-friendly private app distribution service to help the developers just like you. :)
Disclaimer: I'm a developer of the service.
Hopefully you will find the answer from here Install Android application on Android Device
Add your APK file to your device SD card and run it, you must allow to install non-market application on your device before you going to install.
Go to Setting -> Application Setting ->Unknown Source and tick check box which will allow to install non-market application on your device
what i usually do is:
1. Through mail: i send the .apk to their mail id.
2. do open his mail in his mobile. and download the attached .apk.
3. it will ask for installation and do run.
If doing from a windows based server with IIS 7.
Setup a website, with a page named default.asp
Add this line to the asp page;
Setup a mime with extension '.apk' and MIME type 'application/vnd.android.package-archive'
When you connect to the page http://yourUrl.co.uk, it will automatically start the download, and include it in the download manager so it can be selected from the drop down menu using default installer.
If the MIME isn't setup correctly then you will have to use a file explorer to open the apk with an installer.
Step-1 : Run Application in AVD First, then Close it.
Step-2 : See in bin/ folder contain AppNm.apk file.Just right click and copy it.
Step-3 : Now Connect Your Phone with Pc and Turn USB Storage on from your phone.
Step-4 : Now go to in your SD card Location and Paste it any location. just remember that location.
Step-5 : Eject/Remove Your phone from pc and check your file in SD card
Step-6 : Now click on it and install....