Licensing & selling an Android app

[Richard Gaskin]

Richard Miller wrote:

> The question I have (not owning an Android device myself), is if we post
> an apk at our web site, will the average Android owner be able to
> install it?

Not by default.  As with the Amazon app store and other non-Google 
outlets, the user will have to turn on the checkbox in 
Settings->Applications to let them install apps from third-party sites.

While some find it enjoyable to perpetuate the meme that Android is a 
haven for malware, once you read past the headlines you'll find that 
actual infections are very small relative to their majority audience, 
and more importantly most infections have come from downloads outside of 
Google Play.

Obviously this hasn't been a problem for Amazon, but with all due 
respect I'm guessing your web site isn't as popular as Amazon.com, and 
therefore less trusted.

The savviest users will think twice before downloading an app from your 
site, and some of those who would download it may not know how to unlock 
their device to allow it to install.

Why not just put it in Google Play?

--
  Richard Gaskin
  Fourth World
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