Update Client's Android App Without Google Play Store

0
votes

I have developed an android application for remote attendance for my client who has more than 20 employees. For some reason, the client neither wants the application to be published on Google Play Store nor he wants the employees to keep the apk file of the app in their mobile. He calls the employees, gets the apk installed and then gets the apk file deleted from employees' phone. The problem that I am facing is that he regularly asks me to update the app and then gets the whole process of installing and deleting the app done. Can I do something like I upload the apk file on some web link, the employees open that link and the apk gets automatically installed on his/her phone (without getting apk file)? Or can it be done in any other way?

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androidgoogle-playgoogle-play-services
You can even download apk file from playstore so I don't think you can achieve that. - Vivek Mishra
Isn't there a possibility for a "closed beta" in Play Store? So, access to the app could be limited to specific Google Accounts. - Markus Kauppinen
@VivekMishra thanks. I just wish there had been some way to do it. As my client has zero knowledge about technology but he keeps on saying that I know noting if I can not make it happen. - Mian Faizan
He may not want the apk on a phone because he doesn't want someone offloading it for unlicensed use . You need to know why he insists on not wanting the apk on the device and maybe just address that -Eg. by placing the valued content in something the original app downloads once installed. - Bob
Even if you use beta track, apk file will be there on employees' phones. It's better to develop a web app for this since you don't want apk files on their phones. - Ranjan

2 Answers

1
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You don't need play store to update the application. You can show a update dialog and download the apk from the web and open the apk. The signature of apps must be same and you need proper permissions (including "allow installation from unknown sources").

0
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You need to tell him that if the APK is installed it is on the users phone. Just because he has deleted the file, it doesn't mean it cannot be got from the phone.

As other people have said, if he doesn't want the APK on the phone you have two options:

  • develop a web app
  • you could try an Android Instant app. If you combined this with a closed beta, it might meet the requirements, depending on why your client does not want it on Google Play.