Google sunsets the APK format for new Android apps

Re:Google sunsets the APK format for new Android apps by PradeetPatel on Thursday July 01, 2021 @12:13AM (#27696210)

It has been established that distributing APK anywhere else (Github, etc.) other than the Play store would have a drastic impact on the exposure and discoverability of the app, which will lessen user engagement and revenue stream.

Disclaimer: I'm not an app developer, but works in PR and marketing.

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Re:Google sunsets the APK format for new Android apps by dataflow on Thursday July 01, 2021 @12:31AM (#27696273)

I think you answered the question of "why distribute on the Play store", not the question of "why not distribute on GitHub". Presumably you could do both?

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Re:Google sunsets the APK format for new Android apps by nextweek2 on Thursday July 01, 2021 @01:44PM (#27702011)

We had an app in the store and a download on our product page.

Months in, a new update and Google banned the app forever with no recourse.

You can distribute it but not as you. T&C violation.

We had to create a new app and remove the download.

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Re:Google sunsets the APK format for new Android apps by dataflow on Thursday July 01, 2021 @01:49PM (#27702090)

The heck. Thanks for sharing that. How is that even legal? Do you happen to remember what clause it violates?

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Re:Google sunsets the APK format for new Android apps by nextweek2 on Friday July 02, 2021 @02:13PM (#27714836)

I had to go look it up, the clause was: Issue: Violation of Malicious Behavior policy

With this as the explanation: Potentially malicious external APKs within the App.

The App had a link to our website on it's dashboard, our website had a download for all installers (we're cross-platform) and it was the same APK but because of potential for it being malicious, they suspended the app with no recourse. (We did remove the APK download, but couldn't update the App to remove the link to the website)

This was in 2018 and we had been in the store for about a year at that point. It was a patch update that triggered it.

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Re:Google sunsets the APK format for new Android apps by rkagerer on Thursday July 01, 2021 @02:11AM (#27696719)

I would love an alternative Android store that's curated to filter out the 90% of crApps that show up for me these days in the Play store. Along with a checkbox to exclude those with ads, in-app purchases and other such tricks.

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Re:Google sunsets the APK format for new Android apps by mod50ack on Thursday July 01, 2021 @04:10AM (#27697235)

Apps on F-Droid/IzzyOnDroid are FOSS and usually pretty good. As for things from Google Play, Aurora Store has some filter capabilities, although the app has some glitchiness.

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Re:Google sunsets the APK format for new Android apps by rvoje on Friday July 02, 2021 @09:42AM (#27711405)

Theres always https://www.apkmirror.com/

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Re:Google sunsets the APK format for new Android apps by grishka on Thursday July 01, 2021 @12:23AM (#27696245)

Established by whom? Many people host their apps on Google Play just so they don't subject their users to warnings about "installing apps from unknown sources" and for convenient updating.

> user engagement and revenue stream

Well, if you're making an app for the sole purpose of making charts go up...

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Re:Google sunsets the APK format for new Android apps by PradeetPatel on Thursday July 01, 2021 @12:26AM (#27696261)

A sizeable portion of Android users are not technology savvy, the "installing apps from unknown sources" message will deter some of them.

>Well, if you're making an app for the sole purpose of making charts go up...

Unless the app is a hobby project, most people would put maximizing their potential revenue stream and marketability of their product as a high priority.

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Re:Google sunsets the APK format for new Android apps by jaimex2 on Thursday July 01, 2021 @12:50AM (#27696348)

Depends on your motive. Some people just make useful apps with no motivation beyond that.

Discussions about the old Internet made me go back to developing and using the web like its 1999. It's quite liberating.

If the tool is good it doesn't need the crap stores to hoist it up. I could care less about the tech unsavy.

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Re:Google sunsets the APK format for new Android apps by vanderZwan on Thursday July 01, 2021 @05:06AM (#27697465)

That's a valid insight in general, but I don't see how that is relevant to apps that are free and have "no adverts or in-app tricks".

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Re:Google sunsets the APK format for new Android apps by stuaxo on Thursday July 01, 2021 @05:51AM (#27697670)

Some free apps don't mind being niche, for others having lots of users is more important.

There are benefits to both.

API churn seems to kill both, but if you can support your app properly having lots of users will certainly alert you to issues more quickly.

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Re:Google sunsets the APK format for new Android apps by badpenny on Thursday July 01, 2021 @03:59AM (#27697195)

Not having the APK available anywhere has an even more drastic impact.

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