Is it possible to program an android app that behaves similar to google's Play Store?

StackOverflow https://stackoverflow.com/questions/22358402

Question

Is it possible for an android application to act as a custom market place?

The imagined behavior of the app:

  • Download XYZ app from the built in Google Play Store
  • Opening XYZ app yields a UI similar to that seen in the Play Store
  • The user can navigate through XYZ app and select a custom app supported by XYZ to install on their phone
  • This custom app would not be located on the Play Store and the .apk would be directly installed from the context of the XYZ app/marketplace to the users phone

I did some research and found alternative Android App Stores such as:

But is it possible to have an alternative marketplace like this that can be accessed from an app that was downloaded from the Google Play Store? Does google allow this type of practice?

So I suppose the heart of my questions is: Is it possible to create an android application that has permissions to install other 3rd party applications directly to a users phone? (without needing to leverage the Play Store or needing to jailbreak the phone)

Thanks in advance for the answers and insights! And please let me know if anything I'm saying doesn't make sense.

(Extra Credit: I would also be curious to learn about the feasibility of doing this with an iOS app as well)

Was it helpful?

Solution

To add to the other answers, you will have problems with some of Google Play's rules. AFAIK they don't allow your app to direct users to a different store. So you won't be able to keep your app on Google Play store in that case.

EDIT

It is not in the Terms and Conditions, as confirmed by @Cumulo Nimbus.

It is in clause 4.5 of the Developer Distribution Agreement:

4.5 Non-Compete. You may not use the Market to distribute or make available any Product whose primary purpose is to facilitate the distribution of software applications and games for use on Android devices outside of the Market.

My interpretation of the above was, and still is, that we can't point people to a different app store.

Kudos to @zmarties for pointing me at the Developer Program Policy which links out to the Developer Distribution Agreement. I knew I'd seen this somewhere...

In terms of iOS, Apple does not allow different app stores unless you jailbreak (iOS-speak for rooting) your phone. They are not as open minded as the Google.

OTHER TIPS

Android apps don't need to be rooted in order to install third party apk's. The use just needs to allow this in their settings. The apps you have listed simply instruct their users to enable this setting.

The best example of a third-party "free as in freedom" app store would be F-Droid

Technically it's possible.

The current Developer Program Policy does not seem to prohibit it either - all they have to say on the matter relates to installing "dangerous products" from outside the play store:

Dangerous Products: We don't allow content that harms, interferes with the operation of, or accesses in an unauthorized manner, networks, servers, or other infrastructure.

  • Malicious scripts and password phishing scams are also prohibited on Google Play, as are apps that cause users to unknowingly download or install apps from sources outside of Google Play.

Having said that, I can't quickly see any alternative apps stores that are themselves in the Play Store.

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