13506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Doughertypage.title=Alternative Distribution Options 23506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Doughertypage.metaDescription=With Android you can distribute apps to users in any way you want, using any store or distribution approach. 33506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Doughertypage.image=/distribute/images/alt-distribution.jpg 43506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty 53506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty@jd:body 63506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty 73506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty<p> 83506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty As an open platform, Android offers choice. You can distribute your Android 93506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty apps to users in any way you want, using any distribution approach or 103506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty combination of approaches that meets your needs. From publishing in an app 113506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty marketplace to serving your apps from a web site or emailing them directly 123506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty users, you’re never locked into any particular distribution platform. 133506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty</p> 143506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty 153506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty<p> 163506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty The process for building and packaging your apps for distribution is the 173506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty same, regardless of how you distribute them. This saves you time and lets you 183506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty automate parts of the process as needed. You can read <a href= 193506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty "{@docRoot}tools/publishing/preparing.html">Preparing for Release</a> for 203506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty more information. 213506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty</p> 223506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty 233506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty<p> 243506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty The sections below highlight some of the alternatives for distributing your 253506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty apps. 263506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty</p> 273506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty 283506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty<div class="headerLine"> 292f33f97ed2c2583f008453bbdc172a525b8d7083Scott Main <h2> 303506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty Distributing Through an App Marketplace 312f33f97ed2c2583f008453bbdc172a525b8d7083Scott Main </h2> 322f33f97ed2c2583f008453bbdc172a525b8d7083Scott Main 333506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty 343506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty</div> 353506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty 363506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty<p> 373506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty Usually, to reach the broadest possible audience, you’d distribute your apps 383506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty through a marketplace, such as Google Play. 393506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty</p> 403506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty 413506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty<p> 423506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty Google Play is the premier marketplace for Android apps and is particularly 433506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty useful if you want to distribute your apps to a large global audience. 443506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty However, you can distribute your apps through any app marketplace you want or 453506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty use multiple marketplaces. 463506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty</p> 473506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty 483506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty<p> 493506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty Unlike other forms of distribution, Google Play allows you to use the In-app 503506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty Billing service and Licensing service. The <a href= 513506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty "{@docRoot}google/play/billing/index.html">In-app Billing service</a> makes 523506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty it easy to sell in-app products like game jewels or app feature upgrades. The 533506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty <a href="{@docRoot}google/play/licensing/index.html">Licensing service</a> 543506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty helps prevent unauthorized installation and use of your apps. 553506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty</p> 563506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty 573506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty<div class="headerLine"> 582f33f97ed2c2583f008453bbdc172a525b8d7083Scott Main <h2> 593506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty Distributing Your Apps by Email 602f33f97ed2c2583f008453bbdc172a525b8d7083Scott Main </h2> 612f33f97ed2c2583f008453bbdc172a525b8d7083Scott Main 623506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty 633506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty</div> 643506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty 653506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty<div class="figure" style="width:300px;"> 663506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty <img src="{@docRoot}images/publishing/publishing_via_email.png"> 673506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty <p class="img-caption"> 683506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty <b>Figure 1.</b> Users can simply click <b>Install</b> when you send them 693506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty an application via email. 703506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty </p> 713506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty</div> 723506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty 733506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty<p> 743506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty An easy and quick way to release your apps is to send them to users by email. 753506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty To do this, you prepare the app for release, attach it to an email, and send 763506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty it to a user. When the user open your email on their Android-powered device, 773506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty the Android system recognizes the APK and displays an <strong>Install 783506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty Now</strong> button in the email message (see Figure 1). Users can install 793506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty your app by touching the button. 803506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty</p> 813506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty 823506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty<p> 833506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty <strong>Note:</strong> The <strong>Install Now</strong> button, shown in 843506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty Figure 1, appears only if the user has configured their device to allow 853506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty installation from <a href= 863506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty "{@docRoot}distribute/open.html#unknown-sources">unknown sources</a> and 873506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty opened your email in the native Gmail app. 883506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty</p> 893506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty 903506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty<p> 913506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty Distributing apps through email is convenient if you’re sending them to a few 923506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty trusted users, as it provides few protections from piracy and unauthorized 933506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty distribution; that is, anyone you send your apps to can simply forward them 943506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty to others. 953506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty</p> 963506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty 973506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty<div class="headerLine"> 982f33f97ed2c2583f008453bbdc172a525b8d7083Scott Main <h2> 993506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty Distributing Through a Website 1002f33f97ed2c2583f008453bbdc172a525b8d7083Scott Main </h2> 1012f33f97ed2c2583f008453bbdc172a525b8d7083Scott Main 1023506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty 1033506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty</div> 1043506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty 1053506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty<p> 1063506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty If you don’t want to release your apps on a marketplace such as Google Play, 1073506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty you can make them available for download on your own website or server, 1083506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty including on a private or enterprise server. To do this, you first prepare 1093506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty your apps for release in the normal way. Then all you need to do is host the 1103506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty release-ready APK file on your website and provide a download link to users. 1113506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty</p> 1123506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty 1133506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty<p> 1143506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty When users browse to the download link from their Android-powered devices, 1153506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty the file is downloaded and Android system automatically starts installing it 1163506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty on the device. However, the installation process will start automatically 1173506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty only if users have configured their Settings to allow the installation of 1183506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty apps from <a href="{@docRoot}distribute/open.html#unknown-sources">unknown 1193506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty sources</a>. 1203506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty</p> 1213506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty 1222f33f97ed2c2583f008453bbdc172a525b8d7083Scott Main<div class="headerLine"> 1232f33f97ed2c2583f008453bbdc172a525b8d7083Scott Main <h2> 1243506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty User Opt-In for Apps from Unknown Sources 1252f33f97ed2c2583f008453bbdc172a525b8d7083Scott Main </h2> 1262f33f97ed2c2583f008453bbdc172a525b8d7083Scott Main 1273506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty 1283506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty</div> 1293506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty 1303506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty<div class="figure" style="width:325px;"> 1313506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty <img src="{@docRoot}images/publishing/publishing_unknown_sources_sm.png"> 1323506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty <p class="img-caption"> 1333506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty <b>Figure 2.</b> Users must enable the <b>Unknown sources</b> setting 1343506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty before they can install apps not downloaded from Google Play. 1353506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty </p> 1363506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty</div> 1373506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty 1383506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty<p> 1393506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty Android protects users from inadvertent download and install of apps from 1403506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty locations other than Google Play (which is trusted). It blocks such installs 1413506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty until the user opts-in <strong>Unknown sources</strong> in Settings 1423506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty <strong>></strong> Security, shown in Figure 2. Users need to make this 1433506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty configuration change <em>before</em> they download your apps to their 1443506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty devices. 1453506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty</p> 1463506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty 1473506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty<p> 1483506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty Note that some network providers don’t allow users to install applications 1493506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty from unknown sources. 1503506ac87c09c0748d92ef594c94365a5d7b07262Dirk Dougherty</p> 151