Android, sideloading applications and keep them up to date via Google Play

Question

My company would like to give an Android device to a group of our selected customers.

Doing that, we would like to provide users with our mobile app. The app is already on Google Play, but we would like to avoid users downloading and installing by themselves. We prefer to give the device ready, with the app already installed.

We found several ways to manually install an APK on the phone without having to login to the market. But it seems that doing that, the user will not be able to update the app via Google Play, as the app would not be recognized as installed.

Any idea?

Karb

If you install the apk manually signed with the same keystore the market will detect it as installed and your client will be able to update it. – Cherey

@Android-Developer should I enable install from "unknown source" option? Or being signed I will not have trouble? – Karb

You have to enable that option too so you can install it from different sources than Google Play. And another thing just in case, the package name should be the same as the app uploaded in play store. There shouldn't be any changes on package name to identify that it's a version for clients only. – Cherey

@Android-Developer ok, thank you, useful suggestion. I am going to try this way ASAP and give a feedback to the community here. Once installed, can I disable "unknown source" or it will prevent the app to start? – Karb

you can disable it, and it won't affect your app start. – Cherey

In 2018 this now seems to work somehow google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://… – Putandtake

Answer 1

As per January 2015, this appears to be impossible. Here is the response I got from Google Play Developer support:

Side-loaded apps do not update via the Play Store. If you would like the app to update, you will need to uninstall the app on your phone and reinstall the app via the Play Store.

I wonder if anyone found a way around this?

Contemptuous

I picked your post as answer, because it reflects the actual Google position. – Karb

Regrettably, yes that seems to be Google's position. Obviously, this wasn't the answer I was hoping for. – Contemptuous

The word "sideloading" confuses two very different things: 1. Which file server? versus 2. Which signature? Security is about 2., not about 1. The question starts making a very interesting distinction between 1. and 2. The accepted answer does not :-( – Fennessy

Answer 2

To summarize the answer from @Android-Developer and OP's comment discussion:

Google Play recognizes the app signature of APKs regardless of the installation source. As long as you use the same package name and keystore when generating your APK, Google Play will be able to detect newer versions and trigger an update.

To install the app without logging in to a Google account, enable the "Install from unknown sources" option in Settings. You can disable it once the installation is complete.

Whereon

As @IvoRenkema stated in his answer, it seems that sideloaded apps cannot be updated using market. – Karb

Confirmed if you are signed with the same key you can update (manually) an app from the Playstore, 2020. – Jurdi

@Jurdi is update gonna show automatically on my sideloaded app if the apk I uploaded on google store has newer version? Or user must enter the playstore manually and install it by hymself to overrwrite old sideloaded apk with new app form google store – Oyez

It will show an update is available automatically .They must go into the PlayStore the first time and press "update" after the first time it'll follow the usual PlayStore automatic rules – Jurdi

Answer 3

You may install Titanium Backup if your phone is rooted, then long press on your side loaded app package and select "Attach to market" option. Now you may receive updates via Google Play.
I don't recommend this, I mean never install cracked or patched apps because of copyright or security risks, but installing a Modded version of Google Play can make patched side loaded apps to be upgraded after attaching them to market via Titanium Backup. This is not needed for purchased apps because they are registered in your Google account, so attaching to market will be enough.

Tropho

Answer 4

To get a MANUALLY INSTALLED APK to show up in the Google Play Store in the UPDATES or INSTALLED section, do either of the following:

1.) Manually install the APK with the SAME APK filename that Google knows the app as (i.e. from the APK download site like APKMirror.com).

2.) If you CHANGED the APK name when you saved it, it will NOT show up in Google Play Store as an installed app.

However, IF there is an update to the app, you will have to do a ONE-TIME search for that app in the store and update it. It will give you the UPDATE option on the app's store page. Once updated via the store, it will show up in the store's Installed / Updates section from now on.

Why does this work? Because the UPDATE will be done thru the store and the APK name it's using during the update process is what Google knows the app as.

If there is NO update, do option #1.

I always add the App name and version info to the front of the filename so I know what it is for later use (because if I'm manually installing, I'll probably be saving it for multiple / future devices). I also keep the original name at the end, so I can rename it back to the original name if needed. Android is the only O/S I've seen where the filename matters during the install process.

Swinge

Wouldn't that second step, to search and update in the App Store, be eaxctly the problem here? This way each phone should still be linked with an (existing) google account. AFAICT the only problem this solves is to make sure the app can be updated anyway - whcih in my experience is guaranteed anywat as long a you both use the same package name AND signiing keys. – Cornelie