| page.title=Alternative Distribution Options |
| page.metaDescription=With Android you can distribute apps to users in any way you want, using any store or distribution approach. |
| page.image=/distribute/images/alt-distribution.jpg |
| |
| @jd:body |
| |
| <p> |
| As an open platform, Android offers choice. You can distribute your Android |
| apps to users in any way you want, using any distribution approach or |
| combination of approaches that meets your needs. From publishing in an app |
| marketplace to serving your apps from a web site or emailing them directly |
| users, you’re never locked into any particular distribution platform. |
| </p> |
| |
| <p> |
| The process for building and packaging your apps for distribution is the |
| same, regardless of how you distribute them. This saves you time and lets you |
| automate parts of the process as needed. You can read <a href= |
| "{@docRoot}tools/publishing/preparing.html">Preparing for Release</a> for |
| more information. |
| </p> |
| |
| <p> |
| The sections below highlight some of the alternatives for distributing your |
| apps. |
| </p> |
| |
| <div class="headerLine"> |
| <h2> |
| Distributing Through an App Marketplace |
| </h2> |
| |
| |
| </div> |
| |
| <p> |
| Usually, to reach the broadest possible audience, you’d distribute your apps |
| through a marketplace, such as Google Play. |
| </p> |
| |
| <p> |
| Google Play is the premier marketplace for Android apps and is particularly |
| useful if you want to distribute your apps to a large global audience. |
| However, you can distribute your apps through any app marketplace you want or |
| use multiple marketplaces. |
| </p> |
| |
| <p> |
| Unlike other forms of distribution, Google Play allows you to use the In-app |
| Billing service and Licensing service. The <a href= |
| "{@docRoot}google/play/billing/index.html">In-app Billing service</a> makes |
| it easy to sell in-app products like game jewels or app feature upgrades. The |
| <a href="{@docRoot}google/play/licensing/index.html">Licensing service</a> |
| helps prevent unauthorized installation and use of your apps. |
| </p> |
| |
| <div class="headerLine"> |
| <h2> |
| Distributing Your Apps by Email |
| </h2> |
| |
| |
| </div> |
| |
| <div class="figure" style="width:300px;"> |
| <img src="{@docRoot}images/publishing/publishing_via_email.png"> |
| <p class="img-caption"> |
| <b>Figure 1.</b> Users can simply click <b>Install</b> when you send them |
| an application via email. |
| </p> |
| </div> |
| |
| <p> |
| An easy and quick way to release your apps is to send them to users by email. |
| To do this, you prepare the app for release, attach it to an email, and send |
| it to a user. When the user open your email on their Android-powered device, |
| the Android system recognizes the APK and displays an <strong>Install |
| Now</strong> button in the email message (see Figure 1). Users can install |
| your app by touching the button. |
| </p> |
| |
| <p> |
| Distributing apps through email is convenient if you’re sending them to a few |
| trusted users, as it provides few protections from piracy and unauthorized |
| distribution; that is, anyone you send your apps to can simply forward them |
| to others. |
| </p> |
| |
| <div class="headerLine"> |
| <h2> |
| Distributing Through a Website |
| </h2> |
| |
| |
| </div> |
| |
| <p> |
| If you don’t want to release your apps on a marketplace such as Google Play, |
| you can make them available for download on your own website or server, |
| including on a private or enterprise server. To do this, you first prepare |
| your apps for release in the normal way. Then all you need to do is host the |
| release-ready APK file on your website and provide a download link to users. |
| </p> |
| |
| <p> |
| When users browse to the download link from their Android-powered devices, |
| the file is downloaded and Android system automatically starts installing it |
| on the device. However, the installation process will start automatically |
| only if users have configured their Settings to allow the installation of |
| apps from <a href="{@docRoot}distribute/open.html#unknown-sources">unknown |
| sources</a>. |
| </p> |
| |
| <div class="headerLine"> |
| <h2> |
| User Opt-In for Apps from Unknown Sources |
| </h2> |
| |
| |
| </div> |
| |
| <div class="figure" style="width:325px;"> |
| <img src="{@docRoot}images/publishing/publishing_unknown_sources_sm.png"> |
| <p class="img-caption"> |
| <b>Figure 2.</b> Users must enable the <b>Unknown sources</b> setting |
| before they can install apps not downloaded from Google Play. |
| </p> |
| </div> |
| |
| <p> |
| Android protects users from inadvertent download and install of apps from |
| locations other than Google Play (which is trusted). It blocks such installs |
| until the user opts-in <strong>Unknown sources</strong> in Settings |
| <strong>></strong> Security, shown in Figure 2. Users need to make this |
| configuration change <em>before</em> they download your apps to their |
| devices. |
| </p> |
| |
| <p> |
| Note that some network providers don’t allow users to install applications |
| from unknown sources. |
| </p> |