The functionality of mobile devices running the Android operating system, the most used mobile operating system globally, can be extended using 'apps' – specialized software designed to offer users the means to use their devices for certain additional purposes. Such apps are compiled in the Android-native APK file format which allows easy redistribution of apps to end-users.
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Most apps are distributed through Google's Play Store but many alternative software repositories, or app stores, exist. Alternative app stores use the 'Unknown Sources' option of Android devices to install APK files directly via the Android Package Manager.
Google Play Store[edit]
The Google Play Store (originally the Android Market), operated and developed by Google, serves as the official app store for the Android, allowing users to download apps developed with the Android software development kit (SDK) and published through Google. The store offers both free and paid apps. Apps exploiting hardware capabilities of a device can be targeted to users of devices with specific hardware components, such as a motion sensor (for motion-dependent games) or a front-facing camera (for online video calling). The Google Play store had over 50 billion app downloads in 2013 and has reached over 2.96 million apps published in 2020.
Although bundled with most Android devices, the Play Store is only available on devices that are certified within the 'Android Compatibility Program'. As a result, manufacturers of so-called 'custom ROMs', i .e. modified versions of Android, are not allowed to bundle Google apps, including the Play Store, with their software. Compatibility can be restored by installing the Google apps from another source, such as OpenGApps, or using alternative app stores.
Manufacturer app stores[edit]
In addition to some manufacturers not creating certified compatible versions of Android, some manufacturers have decided to bundle their own app stores, either in addition to the Play Store or as a replacement.
Such app stores include:
- Samsung Galaxy Store, which is installed on Samsung mobile devices alongside the Play Store. In India, the Samsung Galaxy store is being powered by Indus App Bazaar and is offering a localized experience in 12 Indian languages to all its users.[1]
- Amazon Appstore, which is installed instead of the Play Store on Amazon'sFire Phone and Kindle Fire. The Amazon Appstore can also be installed on other Android devices by downloading it from the Amazon website.
- Xiaomi Mi GetApps
- OPPO App Market
- VIVO App Store
Third-party app stores[edit]
App stores that do not rely on pre-installation by the manufacturer are an alternate option for finding Android applications. Apps offered through third-party app stores or websites, created by parties not affiliated with the device or operating system (OS), are also third-party apps.
Such stores include:
Google Play Android Apps
- HappyMod[2]
- Uptodown.[3][4][5]
This form of app store is often used by web developers to distribute apps that are not allowed in the Google Play Store; this may be due to an app allowing users wider access to the app-system, or offering apps for 'niche users' who choose to use only free and open-source software (F-Droid) or prefer to play indie games (Itch.io). Moreover, there are alternative stores that serve to distribute 'hacked' versions of paid apps, for no cost.[3]
Reasons to use alternative app stores[edit]
Some users prefer using alternative app stores to avoid using Google services as part of their philosophy.[6] Alternative app stores may also be easier to navigate for users, allowing them to find specific apps quicker, due to different search algorithms or the user interface design implemented for displaying available apps.[7] However, users preferring to utilize either, third-party app stores or the Google Play store, cannot be certain that the apps they are installing have been checked for malware or computer viruses.[3]
In addition, alternative app stores may be used for downloading android applications due to limited availability of full–Google Play functionality. For example, users in China are not able to purchase apps from the Google Play Store, in turn, limiting their options for app purchasing to alternative app stores, such as, AppChina and Wandoujia.[8]
References[edit]
- ^Khan, Danish (2019-03-15). 'Samsung steps up software localisation game; inks app store deal with IndusOS'. Economic Times.Cite has empty unknown parameter:
|1=(help) - ^Agarwal, Nitin (2020-03-14). 'How to download HappyMod App on your Android device'. PC-Tablet. Retrieved 2020-04-14.
- ^ abcHill, Simon (September 24, 2016). 'Tired of Google Play? Check out these alternative Android app stores'. Yahoo! Tech. Retrieved 2017-04-09.
- ^Gordon, Scott Adam (2017-03-31). 'Alternative app store Uptodown launches its Android client'. Android Authority. Retrieved 2017-04-09.
- ^Favre, Loie (June 26, 2015). 'Best Google Play Store alternative app stores - AndroidPIT'. AndroidPIT. Retrieved 2017-04-09.
- ^Schiwy, Nick (2016-04-13). 'How to survive Android without Google'. AndroidGuys. Retrieved 2017-04-09.
- ^Chiles, David (2013). Apps: Everything You Need To Know.
- ^Miller, Paul D.; Matviyenko, Svitlana (2014). The Imaginary App. MIT Press. p. 184. ISBN9780262027489.
Android Apps Game
See also[edit]
Android’s application ecosystem has proven to be versatile and developer-friendly after a bit of a slow start. You are free to develop an app for Android and publish it to the Play Store with Google’s restrictions, or you can distribute it yourself outside the Play Store. This has led to a plethora of really cool Android apps, some of which aren’t available on iOS or other platforms. Even in this age of giant phones, you might occasionally want to use those apps on a bigger screen, like the one connected to your Windows PC. Fortunately, with a little leg work, you can run Android apps on a PC. There are a few different ways to go about it, each with their own strengths and weaknesses.
Android Studio
One popular way to get Android apps running on a PC is to go through the Android emulator released by Google as part of the official Android Studio. The emulator can be used to create virtual devices running any version of Android you want with different resolutions and hardware configurations. The first downside of this process is the somewhat complicated setup process.
You’ll need to grab the installer from Google’s site and run through the setup process to download the platforms you want — probably whatever the most recent version of Android happens to be at the time (7.1 at the time of publishing). Google has some pre-configured emulation options available in the menu for Nexus/Pixel devices, but you can set the parameters manually, too. Once you’ve booted your virtual device, you’ll need to get apps installed, but the emulator is the bone stock open source version of Android — no Google apps included.
Since there’s no Play Store, you need to do some file management. Take the APK you want to install (be it Google’s app package or something else) and drop the file into the tools folder in your SDK directory. Then use the command prompt while your AVD is running to enter (in that directory) adb install filename.apk. The app should be added to the app list of your virtual device.
The big upside here is that the emulator is unmodified Android right from the source. The way apps render in the emulator will be the same as they render on devices, and almost everything should run. It’s great for testing app builds before loading them onto test devices. The biggest problem is that the emulator is sluggish enough that you won’t want to make a habit of running apps in it. Games are really out of the question as well.
BlueStacks
If you’re looking to get multiple apps and games up and running on your computer with the minimum of effort, BlueStacks is your friend. BlueStacks presents itself as just a way to get apps working, but it actually runs a full (heavily modified) version of Android behind the scenes. Not only that, but it has the Play Store built-in, so you have instant access to all of your purchased content. It actually adds an entry to your Google Play device list, masquerading as an Android device.
Android Apps Free Download
The BlueStacks client will load up in a desktop window with different app categories like games, social, and so on. Clicking on an app or searching does something unexpected — it brings up the full Play Store client as rendered on tablets. You can actually navigate around in this interface just as you would on a real Android device, which makes it clear there’s a lot more to BlueStacks than the “App Player” front end. The main screen in BlueStacks with the app categories is just a custom home screen, so replacing it makes BlueStacks feel almost like a regular Android device.
Having full Play Store access means you won’t be messing around with sideloading apps, and BlueStacks manages to run apps pretty well (and better if you have a CPU that supports hardware virtualization). Most games are playable, but keep in mind you’ll have trouble operating many of them with a mouse. If your PC has a touch screen, you can still use apps and games that rely on more than one touch input. BlueStacks can essentially make a Windows tablet PC into a part-time Android tablet.
The only real issue with BlueStacks is that it’s not running a standard Android build. All the alterations the company made to get apps working on a PC can cause issues — some apps fail to run or crash unexpectedly. This customized environment is also of little value as a development tool because there’s no guarantee things will render the same on BlueStacks as they might on a real Android device without all the back-end modifications. It’s also a freemium service with a $2 pro subscription, or you can install a few sponsored apps.
Samsung Link to Windows
Samsung’s latest high-end phones have enhanced support for Microsoft’s Your Phone Windows 10 client, offering access to your messages, notifications, photos, and yes, apps. The apps aren’t technically running on the PC — they’re mirrored from your phone. However, this system is very fleshed out and officially supported. Everything else we’ve talked about is a bit of a hack or not for regular users, but you can be up and running with Link to Windows in a few minutes.
You will need a Samsung phone that works with the latest Your Phone features. As of this writing, that’s just the Note20 family. The feature will expand to more Samsung phones in the coming months, though.
First, make sure you’ve got the Your Phone app on your Windows PC. Next, launch the Link to Windows client on your Samsung phone — it should be accessible under Advanced Features and from the quick settings. You’ll have to scan a QR code on your computer with the phone and sign into your Microsoft account. And that’s it.
Your app list appears in the Your Phone app, and you can launch any of them. Your phone doesn’t need to be plugged in, but Wi-Fi is recommended. Currently, you can only run a single app, but multi-app support is coming in late 2020.
So What’s the Best Way?
If you need to test something with the intention of putting it on other Android devices, the emulator is still the best way. This is best suited to developers as the configuration and management of apps is complicated. It’s slow, but you’ll be able to see how things will work on the real deal. If you’re interested in getting more than a handful of apps running on your PC so you can actually use and enjoy them, BlueStacks App Player is the best solution for most people. It’s easy, has Play Store access, and works on multitouch Windows devices.
If you happen to have a Samsung phone compatible with Microsoft’s latest Your Phone features, that’s by far the easiest way to get Android apps on your PC. These phones are expensive, so it’s not worth buying one just for this single use case. However, if you’re due for an upgrade and running Android apps on a PC is on your list of priorities, this might influence your decision.
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