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I'm a software developer considering releasing a mobile version of my software. Is there a way to completely bypass the iOS app store and allow users to downloa

I'm a software developer considering releasing a mobile version of my software. Is there a way to completely bypass the iOS app store and allow users to download and install iOS apps from Safari? I hear stories like this all the time and don't want to touch the App Store one bit. Can this be done with Android? Perhaps I could release for Android-only and allow the app to be downloaded with Chrome.

jkepler 6y ago
On iOS a user would have to jailbreak their device, voiding their warrantee. Only other way I can think of would be a 100% web app, not an installable app, if you want to avoid the Apple App store. On Android you can distribute your app via the f-droid app store (if its libre/free/open source), or other 3rd party stores like Amazon's app store. You can also allow users to directly download you .apk file from your own website.
hu3 6y ago
Android's let's you download the app from any website. No questions asked. And the app can charge you without giving Google a single dime. For example I can go to itch.io and download this game directly to my phone: https://majorariatto.itch.io/pureya https://majorariatto.itch.io/pureya
- askvictor 6y ago
  Not quite no questions asked - you first need to enable a setting, then get through the warnings. That said, Android comes with an ability to install other _App Stores_
  - osn9363739 6y ago
    Does that setting also stop you from using some apps? such as banking apps etc. I recall something like that. (sorry, Apple user here)
    - hu3 6y ago
      I never heard about any type of application being blocked but I also can't imagine banks wanting to distribute their applications outside of the official playstore.
    - askvictor 6y ago
      This setting won't in itself stop you using any apps. But apps can (I think) determine where they were installed from, so a banking app might be able to detect this and bail out. Google's Android (don't think this is in AOSP; probably tied to Google Play Services) also checks non-play-store apps for malware on your phone, and might reject them if they contain malware. Some apps also try to detect rooted/jailbroken phones and won't run (or at least give a warning) in that situation.
  - hu3 6y ago
    Well yeah it warns me that applications from other sources can be harmful and points me to the settings that allows me to run it. Which is fair and reasonable. I wouldn't want my non tech savy parents to run apps by misclicking links. But I do want the freedom to run whatever I feel like on the devices I paid for. I can't imagine being told what I can and cannot run on my $1400 android device. I'm an adult, thanks for treating me like one.

jkepler 6y ago

On iOS a user would have to jailbreak their device, voiding their warrantee. Only other way I can think of would be a 100% web app, not an installable app, if you want to avoid the Apple App store. On Android you can distribute your app via the f-droid app store (if its libre/free/open source), or other 3rd party stores like Amazon's app store. You can also allow users to directly download you .apk file from your own website.

hu3 6y ago

Android's let's you download the app from any website. No questions asked. And the app can charge you without giving Google a single dime. For example I can go to itch.io and download this game directly to my phone: https://majorariatto.itch.io/pureya https://majorariatto.itch.io/pureya

askvictor 6y ago
Not quite no questions asked - you first need to enable a setting, then get through the warnings. That said, Android comes with an ability to install other _App Stores_
- osn9363739 6y ago
  Does that setting also stop you from using some apps? such as banking apps etc. I recall something like that. (sorry, Apple user here)
  - hu3 6y ago
    I never heard about any type of application being blocked but I also can't imagine banks wanting to distribute their applications outside of the official playstore.
  - askvictor 6y ago
    This setting won't in itself stop you using any apps. But apps can (I think) determine where they were installed from, so a banking app might be able to detect this and bail out. Google's Android (don't think this is in AOSP; probably tied to Google Play Services) also checks non-play-store apps for malware on your phone, and might reject them if they contain malware. Some apps also try to detect rooted/jailbroken phones and won't run (or at least give a warning) in that situation.
- hu3 6y ago
  Well yeah it warns me that applications from other sources can be harmful and points me to the settings that allows me to run it. Which is fair and reasonable. I wouldn't want my non tech savy parents to run apps by misclicking links. But I do want the freedom to run whatever I feel like on the devices I paid for. I can't imagine being told what I can and cannot run on my $1400 android device. I'm an adult, thanks for treating me like one.