When you install an APK directly like this as opposed to installing it from a package manager like F-Droid or Play Store, do you have to manually install upgrades when they’re available?
In general, you do have to manually download and install updates. However, some apps will automatically check and download their own updates. Also, if the APK is available on a site such as Github or Gitlab, there is an app called Obtainium that you can use. It will notify you when an update is available, and download and install it for you if you choose: https://github.com/ImranR98/Obtainium
Also: fdroid exists. It’s like a playstore just for open source stuff. You just download it from their website and install the .apk like you would use an .exe in windows.
Install F-Droid from the official site (should be an APK - it’s safe), and, from within F-Droid, you can install Neo Store. Then you can use Neo Store to access F-Droid stuff. Just make sure you stick to official/trusted repos, and you should be fine. I mainly use the Play Store for stuff, but sometimes the updates drop faster on F-Droid (or there’s a handful of FOSS apps that aren’t in the Play Store).
Mine won’t seem to update beyond 0.0.6 in Obtainium. It sees the update, downloads, click Update, and bam, still 0.0.6. Even tried uninstalling and reinstalling. Same thing.
It’s a reply to my other comment haha. I edited my comment here like 2 seconds before your reply came through to reflect that. Still good for anyone this far down that missed the reply. 😁
You should enable “Include pre releases” option after pasting the link and before trying to install it. I think since the app version is still below 1.0, its considered a pre release somehow.
Ah right, makes more sense. I know nothing about how this works, I think I saw someone saying something like this in one of the other threads. Thanks for clarifying.
It’s fairly simple on modern Android. You simply download the APK file, and open it. It will then walk you through the install process.
If you haven’t installed an app from your web browser before, you’ll get a prompt saying your security settings don’t allow the browser to install apps. There will be a settings link there. Tap that link and you’ll get a list of apps that have the capability to install things. Find your web browser in the list and tap the toggle to give it permission, then back out. Then your app will install.
Having been through the process of getting apps through the play store and chrome store admission process a few times my suggestion is:
Don’t.
They caught me inadvertently misusing public APIs, performing unnecessarily battery draining ops and plain privacy right violations so often that I certainly don’t want to use other apps that didn’t go through the process. As a dev it is super annoying, but as a user it is exactly as annoying as I hope it is.
Anecdotal evidence of course and probably an unpopular opinion around here.
I’m stupid, I don’t know how to use anything that isn’t an app on the play store.
Eta: thanks everyone, I’ll get my SO to translate after work lol.
You download and install the APK file. When prompted to allow your browser to allow installation from unknown sources, you grant the permission.
When you install an APK directly like this as opposed to installing it from a package manager like F-Droid or Play Store, do you have to manually install upgrades when they’re available?
In general, you do have to manually download and install updates. However, some apps will automatically check and download their own updates. Also, if the APK is available on a site such as Github or Gitlab, there is an app called Obtainium that you can use. It will notify you when an update is available, and download and install it for you if you choose: https://github.com/ImranR98/Obtainium
Double thanks, for the explanation and for the Obtanium suggestion.
Also: fdroid exists. It’s like a playstore just for open source stuff. You just download it from their website and install the .apk like you would use an .exe in windows.
They have an fdroid in the playstore, should I avoid that or do I download it from a web browser?
I would get it from the official site: https://f-droid.org/
There are also other apps you can use to access the f-droid repositories. I personally use Neo Store instead of the f-droid client.
https://github.com/NeoApplications/Neo-Store/releases/download/0.9.15/Neo-Store-release.apk
I appreciate the link, it’s hard to tell what’s real or not with this kind of thing.
Install F-Droid from the official site (should be an APK - it’s safe), and, from within F-Droid, you can install Neo Store. Then you can use Neo Store to access F-Droid stuff. Just make sure you stick to official/trusted repos, and you should be fine. I mainly use the Play Store for stuff, but sometimes the updates drop faster on F-Droid (or there’s a handful of FOSS apps that aren’t in the Play Store).
I’m starting to be thankful Reddit shit the bed, I’m learning about lots of new software. Thanks.
I can’t find Infinity for Lemmy on fdroid. Do I need to add a repo?
Right now it’s only on codeberg. You can manage updates with Obtanium
Mine won’t seem to update beyond 0.0.6 in Obtainium. It sees the update, downloads, click Update, and bam, still 0.0.6. Even tried uninstalling and reinstalling. Same thing.
EDIT: Dev is aware of the issue.
The developer just forgot to change the version number for the newest release
Developers fault see this
It’s a reply to my other comment haha. I edited my comment here like 2 seconds before your reply came through to reflect that. Still good for anyone this far down that missed the reply. 😁
It’s currently on the IzzyOnDroid repo, it only got added on the last day at some time.
https://apt.izzysoft.de/fdroid/index/info
I recommend installing Obtainium. In Obtainium, click Add App and then paste the Codeberg URL for Infinity for Lemmy: https://codeberg.org/Bazsalanszky/Infinity-For-Lemmy
Obtainium will take care of installing and updating from various code repositories whether they’re hosted on GitHub or Codeberg or some other place.
I get “Could not find a suitable release” when I try to add it to Obtainium on my Pixel 7 Pro
You should enable “Include pre releases” option after pasting the link and before trying to install it. I think since the app version is still below 1.0, its considered a pre release somehow.
This worked, thank you!
I think it’s because the release is tagged as pre release in codeberg, not because it’s below 1.0
Ah right, makes more sense. I know nothing about how this works, I think I saw someone saying something like this in one of the other threads. Thanks for clarifying.
It’s fairly simple on modern Android. You simply download the APK file, and open it. It will then walk you through the install process.
If you haven’t installed an app from your web browser before, you’ll get a prompt saying your security settings don’t allow the browser to install apps. There will be a settings link there. Tap that link and you’ll get a list of apps that have the capability to install things. Find your web browser in the list and tap the toggle to give it permission, then back out. Then your app will install.
Having been through the process of getting apps through the play store and chrome store admission process a few times my suggestion is:
Don’t.
They caught me inadvertently misusing public APIs, performing unnecessarily battery draining ops and plain privacy right violations so often that I certainly don’t want to use other apps that didn’t go through the process. As a dev it is super annoying, but as a user it is exactly as annoying as I hope it is.
Anecdotal evidence of course and probably an unpopular opinion around here.