Recognition: Andy Walker / Android Authority
- Android 12 should be more user-friendly for those using third-party app stores and installers.
- Using a new set of criteria included in the Android 12 Developer Notes, app stores can install or update apps without user intervention.
Android allows users to install apps from alternative app stores, but this has never made the process easier. The Google Play Store was by nature the staple for those installing new apps or checking for updates. However, this could change in Android 12.
According to developer documentation, discovered by XDA developerAndroid 12 makes installing apps a little more seamless.
Under certain conditions, alternative app stores do not require manual user interaction to install or update apps on Android 12. Currently, users must update the action first in order to update an app from a source outside the Play Store. The new system means that installing apps from alternative sources on Android 12 should be similar to the Play Store.
What Google is asking of alternative app stores
The feature may seem like a pretty big security flaw on Android 12. However, Google has set strict conditions for app stores to use the system. For starters, stores need to opt for this behavior and target Android 10 or higher. The functionality is only available if an alternative app store updates itself or updates an originally installed app. The UPDATE_PACKAGES_WITHOUT_USER_ACTION authorization must also be held by the store.
This is good news for developers posting to alternative app stores and users alike. The functionality should make it easy to install and update games using dedicated launchers or third-party app repositories that host apps that are not hosted on the Play Store.
What do you think of the change? Are you using a third party app store on your phone? Let us know in the comments below and vote in our poll above.