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Strange this is an APK download, requiring users to reduce their security settings and download+install manually. A better way since mid-2013 is to make use of

Strange this is an APK download, requiring users to reduce their security settings and download+install manually. A better way since mid-2013 is to make use of Android's alpha/beta/staged rollout setup. Ratings of beta users don't count towards the official rating if that's what they're worried about. https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/3131213?hl=en https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answ...

fulafel 12y ago
People don't know how opt in to beta.(I still don't after reading that page). Also requiring Google Play excludes open source android users, users on devices without Google $$$ licenses, and users who decline to link their device to a Google account.
- mmahemoff 12y ago
  That page is for developers, not users. Opting into beta for an app is pretty straightforward - users just need to join a beta community/group and click on a link to opt in. (I run a beta community and users haven't had any practical problems to my knowledge.) Your points about open source Android etc are valid, though note that the beta channel will auto-update on each update (if user has auto-update app settings), whereas sideloaders will have to manually update it all the time. If you're releasing fast and frequent, it's unlikely testers will want to go through the manual install process on each release. Anyway it's not mutually exclusive; you can distribute an APK as well as use the official alpha/beta rollouts. Having heard demand for Kindle usage, we sometimes post APKs in our beta community as an attachment to posts announcing a new build. So sideloaders can directly install the APK while Play users get an alert about what's incoming to their device.
snuxoll 12y ago
> reduce their security settings I don't get how enabling side-loading is "reducing" security. Regardless of whether an APK comes from the play store or not the system still presents you with the permissions dialog and the apps still run sandboxed.
- jdietrich 12y ago
  Permitting the installation of apps from untrusted sources is a big security risk, because it facilitates drive-by install attacks. Once you've ticked that box, Android doesn't subsequently warn you that you're installing an app from an untrusted source. Malware is disguised as a system app and installation is deferred until something else updates, so even savvy users can be tricked into allowing the installation of malware.
  - snarkyturtle 12y ago
    You could just untick the box after you installed the app though.

fulafel 12y ago

People don't know how opt in to beta.(I still don't after reading that page). Also requiring Google Play excludes open source android users, users on devices without Google $$$ licenses, and users who decline to link their device to a Google account.

mmahemoff 12y ago
That page is for developers, not users. Opting into beta for an app is pretty straightforward - users just need to join a beta community/group and click on a link to opt in. (I run a beta community and users haven't had any practical problems to my knowledge.) Your points about open source Android etc are valid, though note that the beta channel will auto-update on each update (if user has auto-update app settings), whereas sideloaders will have to manually update it all the time. If you're releasing fast and frequent, it's unlikely testers will want to go through the manual install process on each release. Anyway it's not mutually exclusive; you can distribute an APK as well as use the official alpha/beta rollouts. Having heard demand for Kindle usage, we sometimes post APKs in our beta community as an attachment to posts announcing a new build. So sideloaders can directly install the APK while Play users get an alert about what's incoming to their device.

snuxoll 12y ago

> reduce their security settings I don't get how enabling side-loading is "reducing" security. Regardless of whether an APK comes from the play store or not the system still presents you with the permissions dialog and the apps still run sandboxed.

jdietrich 12y ago
Permitting the installation of apps from untrusted sources is a big security risk, because it facilitates drive-by install attacks. Once you've ticked that box, Android doesn't subsequently warn you that you're installing an app from an untrusted source. Malware is disguised as a system app and installation is deferred until something else updates, so even savvy users can be tricked into allowing the installation of malware.
- snarkyturtle 12y ago
  You could just untick the box after you installed the app though.