Android Question Google no longer allows REQUEST_INSTALL_PACKAGES

Robert Valentino

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Got the below email from Google

B4X: 
Issue found: Permission use is not directly related to your app's core purpose.
We found that your app is not compliant with how REQUEST_INSTALL_PACKAGES permission is allowed to be used. Specifically, the use of the permission is not directly related to the core purpose of the app.
Additionally, follow these steps to bring your app into compliance:
Please remove the use of REQUEST_INSTALL_PACKAGES permission from your app.
The REQUEST_INSTALL_PACKAGES permission allows an application to request the installation of app packages. To use this permission, your app’s core functionality must include:
Sending or receiving app packages, AND
Enabling user-initiated installation of app packages.
Permitted functionalities include any of the following:
Web browsing or search
Communication services that support attachments
File sharing, transfer or management
Enterprise device management
Backup and restore
Device migration / phone transfer
The REQUEST_INSTALL_PACKAGES permission may not be used to perform self updates, modifications, or the bundling of other APKs in the asset file unless for device management purposes. All updates or installing of packages must abide by Google Play’s Device and Network Abuse policy and must be initiated and driven by the user.
For more help addressing this issue, read more in our Help Center
Request Install Packages Permission

So I can no longer update my App myself.

Anyway around this? How do I make this the part of the apps core functionality? Is this possible
 
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Robert Valentino

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Couple reasons:

Some users do not have auto updates on. So they will never get an update because they don't know it exists.

If a user reports a critical bug (doesn't happen as much now that the software has matured) but it will be something that is effecting them right now in the middle of a tournament that is live. I can fix and upload to my site and they can have the fix quickly. Google can take an hour to 2 days.

But if it is no longer allowed then I have no choice but to remove it.
 
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Magma

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The only thing that you can do is to check every some secs or mins the version of app with that you have at your server..

And you can suggest to install it by downloading themselves the apk...from your server following some steps...

But... Google play is Google play
 
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Robert Valentino

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The word viruses and my software I do not find anything humorous in that, especially after what happen to one of our users on this board
 
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OliverA

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So, if I understand what they wrote, you cannot have your app update itself, but you could write a separate app that updates your app(s).
 
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Robert Valentino

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I'm not sure about that. Google-eas is something I have trouble reading.

But it seems like that you can have that as a core function so I guess there must be someway to add it. But probably if you are Google
 
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Robert Valentino

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Just after posting this on Thursday morning I uploaded a new version fixing their issues.

So now getting close to Sunday afternoon and they still haven't released the fixed version.

This is why I had that code in the first place.

I don't want my users waiting for a bug fix.

But such is life with Google. Lol
 
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vecino

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So, from my application I check that there is a new version on my server, download it and install it automatically. I will not be able to do it?
That's what I've been doing for years.

I don't have anything on google play, nor do I want to.
 
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Robert Valentino

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vecino said:
So, from my application I check that there is a new version on my server, download it and install it automatically. I will not be able to do it?
That's what I've been doing for years.

I don't have anything on google play, nor do I want to.
Click to expand...
Then you should not have any troubles. It's strictly a Google Play requirement
 
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techknight

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This is why most apps now nag you if its out of date, with some apps outright refusing to run and it redirects you to the play store to download the update.
 
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vecino

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techknight said:
This is why most apps now nag you if its out of date, with some apps outright refusing to run and it redirects you to the play store to download the update.
Click to expand...
I guess "with some apps outright refusing to run" you mean apps that are already in the play store. is that right? or do you mean any app even if it is not in the play store?
 
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Magma

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vecino said:
I guess "with some apps outright refusing to run" you mean apps that are already in the play store. is that right? or do you mean any app even if it is not in the play store?
Click to expand...
... this had too with those app are installed by Google Play... If you install from unauthorized source (from an apk using file manager)... you can do anything you want...

but sometimes the OS, or the mui... emui (what ever is the special edition of any phone)... show messages for threating apps (apps not installed by google play) / but that is something different..
 
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techknight

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Not what i meant in either case.

I have had apps that were installed via Google Play, start nagging you after awhile when your version goes out of date and you dont update it. (manual updates basically) and then sometimes the app will outright refuse to run and force you to download the update from google play based on the App's code for checking versions when it gets very far out of date.

So the gist is, you can incorporate Google Play check code to force a user to update via google play if its out of date by a certain magnitude.
 
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