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does play update apps installed from app file

schwim

schwim

Well-Known Member
Hi there everyone!

Google's changes have screwed with some of my favorite apps so I've chosen not to update them. I was wondering if I installed the apk instead of through Google play would play quit trying to update it? Any other way to get play to ignore it? I've unchecked the update box but in the past Google has sometimes ignored my preference and updated regardless of my choice.

Thanks for your time!
 
schwim said:
Hi there everyone!

Google's changes have screwed with some of my favorite apps so I've chosen not to update them.
Click to expand...

Of course that would only be Google's own apps, like Gmail, Chrome, YouTube, etc. Updates to Facebook, WhatsApp, etc. are nothing to do with Google at all, and down to their respective developers.

Sometimes you can be forced to update a particular app, like if a server will only communicate with a latest version client app, financial apps are often like that.
 
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mikedt said:
Of course that would only be Google's own apps, like Gmail, Chrome, YouTube, etc. Updates to Facebook, WhatsApp, etc. are nothing to do with Google at all, and down to their respective developers.

Sometimes you can be forced to update a particular app, like if a server will only communicate with a latest version client app, financial apps are often like that.
Click to expand...

Your statement is not the same as the authors of these apps. Acr did a preupdate to notify users not to update the app due to the play store forcing their apps to change in function to meet new restrictions. They stated that they were working on alternative app store sources for users that wanted to retain the functions of the app being removed in the play store version.
 
schwim said:
Your statement is not the same as the authors of these apps. Acr did a preupdate to notify users not to update the app due to the play store forcing their apps to change in function to meet new restrictions. They stated that they were working on alternative app store sources for users that wanted to retain the functions of the app being removed in the play store version.
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That is correct. Apps need to meet playstore guidelines and if they don't google advises developers on the changes needed. I've had to update some of my apps over the years to meet google guidelines and not have them removed from the store.

However what I said about app signature holds true for both google apps and third party developer apps.

On another note, I feel developers need to comply to the playstore guidelines. Apps are scanned upon upload to the store and also regularly scanned to check for malicious apps. Apps outside the playstore are not subject to such scrutiny. You'll have less piece of mind for apps outside the playstore.

The only third party store I trust is F-droid. Reason is simple, developers must include their source code which makes these apps very trustworthy since the code can be audited.
https://f-droid.org/en/
 
Several apps have been changed, lately, with updates. Features and settings changed or eliminated, so I uninstalled and found previous versions online. They show up in GooglePlay prompting me to update. Of course update is turned off, but I wish there was a way to keep them out of the list.
 
PitCarver said:
Several apps have been changed, lately, with updates. Features and settings changed or eliminated, so I uninstalled and found previous versions online. They show up in GooglePlay prompting me to update. Of course update is turned off, but I wish there was a way to keep them out of the list.
Click to expand...

You can do what app themers do. We change the app signature so that it cannot update from the playstore and not remove our theme. With each new update to the app on the playstore we repeat the process to keep our users updated.

There are tools for this. I created one for linux. I don't use windows or mac so you'll have to do a search for those.
 
Way outta my wheelhouse, GT.
I just have to remember which one's to never update. Worst case scenario is me hitting the update all button.

Still, I keep the APKs in a folder on one of my cloud storage accounts. It's a simple enough task to uninstall and reinstall the file.
 
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