[Q] How does install from browser work? - General Questions and Answers

We all know, Google Play Store offers us a unique (and quite user-friendly in my opinion) feature of installing an app from the browser of your computer. All we got to do is login to your PC's browser using your GMAIL account, access play.google.com/store, search for a the app there and click on Install.
Behind the scenes, Google somehow finds out the device which has the same Google account registered and the download gets started on this device!
I would like to know all that happens 'behind the scenes' and all the related APIs.
[Note: Tried to search for a similar question but couldn't find one. If there exists, please let me know the link to it]
Thanks in advance!

rohit.dhavale said:
We all know, Google Play Store offers us a unique (and quite user-friendly in my opinion) feature of installing an app from the browser of your computer. All we got to do is login to your PC's browser using your GMAIL account, access play.google.com/store, search for a the app there and click on Install.
Behind the scenes, Google somehow finds out the device which has the same Google account registered and the download gets started on this device!
I would like to know all that happens 'behind the scenes' and all the related APIs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually, on a computer, when you are logged in to Gmail account, and click Install on an app, Google installs it automatically on your phone.
This actually works because of the app so called "Google Play Services" (if you had noticed), which manually triggers Play Store to download that app.
As soon as your phone (connected to Play Store with same Gmail ID as on PC) is connected to internet, the app you wished to install would automatically install (which you had clicked "Install" on PC)
So this is how it works. Hope you get it

GokulNC said:
Actually, on a computer, when you are logged in to Gmail account, and click Install on an app, Google installs it automatically on your phone.
This actually works because of the app so called "Google Play Services" (if you had noticed), which manually triggers Play Store to download that app.
As soon as your phone (connected to Play Store with same Gmail ID as on PC) is connected to internet, the app you wished to install would automatically install (which you had clicked "Install" on PC)
So this is how it works. Hope you get it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks! It does make sense! But I am looking for a more fine-grained answer. Let me put it in more detail:
1. I click on Install button on my computer. Now, in some way, Google needs to send across this info to my device (probably the package info app that needs to be installed).
2. Assuming that Google might be storing some kind of device id in their database, is it that there is some process in GPlayServices that is continuously pinging Google servers to find out whether there is any new app request registered? If yes, I would love to know the details of this process!

rohit.dhavale said:
Thanks! It does make sense! But I am looking for a more fine-grained answer. Let me put it in more detail:
1. I click on Install button on my computer. Now, in some way, Google needs to send across this info to my device (probably the package info app that needs to be installed).
2. Assuming that Google might be storing some kind of device id in their database, is it that there is some process in GPlayServices that is continuously pinging Google servers to find out whether there is any new app request registered? If yes, I would love to know the details of this process!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think it's more like a packet of data info that Google sends to Play Services in phone (if connected to network, else retry after set_frequency) to trigger execution, rather than continuously pinging for checking updates.
If you're so curious to know, here's the source list for Google Play Services API: https://developer.android.com/reference/gms-packages.html
If you quite know Java, you can understand the packages and classes in it and trace the way it does it
(I don't have the patience for this )

Thanks

Related

[Q]Google Play Store problem

Hello,
i'm trying to open https://play.google.com/store in my PC but there are no apps, nothing, when i try to search an app, f.e. viber the results are just some chinese apps... can some one tell me what is happening?
in my phone, google play is working fine, problem is just in my pc, i've tried with chrome, firefox... same thing happens...
i think it might depends on your location, your language setting on your google account or your language setting on your computer cause google filters your search results depending on things like this
Are you using the main Google account you use in your phone in the Google Play login too? If so, it should show the relevant apps in the relevant language because settings like language and location are synchronized in all devices from where you login in the account through Google.
It could be some kind of a virus/spyware. Check your PC with antivirus.
I would also suggest to try accessing it with different proxies, also check your firewall.
yes i'm using the same account, but play store shows nothing either when i go there without signin in, i tried proxy and it worked, so i think it had to do with location...
anyway, thnx for ur answers!

Nexus 5 "hacked" for downloading apps without user permission HELP

Hello!
So today in classone of my classmates found out how to download and install any apps on my and my friends Nexus 5 without we knowing it or allowing it.
The only information I gatherd from interrogating him are listed here:
I did "95%" of the work myself by logging in with my google account on my phone
it is done via PC
it has something to do with google play account and connecting to google gmail
EDIT:
it can be done for every phone but he choose this one
it was all on one site, no download
if anyone know how to do it or how to stop someone from doing this please replay ASAP.
Thanks!
To put it simply,
Your classmate likely knows your google account (gmail) password.
By knowing this they can easily log into the play store using your account from a PC and push (install) any app to any device on your account.
Change your password ASAP !
iKiWY said:
Hello!
So today in classone of my classmates found out how to download and install any apps on my and my friends Nexus 5 without we knowing it or allowing it.
The only information I gatherd from interrogating him are listed here:
I did "95%" of the work myself by logging in with my google account on my phone
it is done via PC
it can be done only for Nexus 5 devices (which i dont quite belive)
it has something to do with google play account and connecting to google gmail
EDIT:
it can be done for every phone but he choose this one
it was all on one site, no download
if anyone know how to do it or how to stop someone from doing this please replay ASAP.
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly thinking the same as the.teejster
iKiWY said:
Hello!
So today in classone of my classmates found out how to download and install any apps on my and my friends Nexus 5 without we knowing it or allowing it.
The only information I gatherd from interrogating him are listed here:
I did "95%" of the work myself by logging in with my google account on my phone
it is done via PC
it has something to do with google play account and connecting to google gmail
EDIT:
it can be done for every phone but he choose this one
it was all on one site, no download
if anyone know how to do it or how to stop someone from doing this please replay ASAP.
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is no magic trick and certainly no hack or bug.
Your Phone is linked to your Google account, so when you are logged in with your Google account on a PC then you will be able to install Apps from the playstore to any phone that is linked to the same Google account.
Don't let other people play around with your Google account!!!!
And if you're not sure if your classmate saw your password then change it ASAP and to be sure enable 2 step authentication in your Google account.
the.teejster said:
To put it simply,
Your classmate likely knows your google account (gmail) password.
By knowing this they can easily log into the play store using your account from a PC and push (install) any app to any device on your account.
Change your password ASAP !
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
nope, changed the password yesterday so nothing to do with my email.
I have my class email connected to my phone and i think that is the point, disconnected it now, lets see if thats the case. I will say that he is dumb and doesnt know how to hack XD
OMG XD
indeed it was the class email XD
im soo dumb,
thanks to everyone trying to help me out
The only problem is that my phone still appears on the account and when its clicked to install, i get an error on my phone (503)

Outdated google play installed with accounts manager

Hi,
So i was searching for methods to atleast help me login to some apps including taking a backup of my whatsapp chats to google drive.
I came across this :
Run snapchat without google services and without rooting
(1) Download and install snapchat from www.mediafire.com/download/00hbnrp11bmq6jk/Snapchat_9.7.2.0.apk (can download latest version from other places too but i have tested on this version)
(2)download google framework from https://sourceforge.net/projects/se...2.A.0.42/GoogleServicesFramework.apk/download
(3)download google Account Manager from www.mediafire.com/download/lho1jmw49k1gpqq/Google+Account+Manager_4.4.2-940549.apk
(4) download google play services from www.mediafire.com/download/ounh79r7av7da71/Google+Play+services_7.3.29+(1866531-036).apk
(5) Now install first google firmware than google manager and in the end google play service
(6) Restart your mobile (note your mobile may give error that google play service stopped ignore that and click cancel)
(7) now download and install google play store from www.mediafire.com/download/n2z2smxttttt7m7/Google+Play+Store_5.4.12.apk
(8) open playstore and login your account than close play store
(7) Now open snapchat and login your account you would be loged in but app will stop working
(8) After that go to application manager in your mobile and delete google play service, google playstore and google firmware
(9) Run snapchat and you are done
(10) Update your snapchat from any market you use after that if you want
Tested on Nokia X X2 and XL.
After following all this with exactly the same apk's i could manage to login to a gmail ID on the phone via the google accounts manager but every time i open an app that needs services, it would ask me to update the google play services.
So experimentally i updated the play store and services apk's and snapchat still refused to let me login but a different error this time(I feel it comes under their "against tweak" parameters.
Also whatsapp detects the google account but goes on forever authenticating the account, so im sure there is an issue communicating with google serves here.
Let me know if this thread makes any sense, or else it can be deleted. Thanks.
I tried it too. It didn't with for me. Would you mind adding the exact link to where u say it?
Kratos360 said:
I tried it too. It didn't with for me. Would you mind adding the exact link to where u say it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
https://www.reddit.com/r/AndroidQue.../cant_login_to_snapchat_since_update_without/
here, but i doubt as much as we try, it wont work, because theres something related to tencent thats blocking google play services from communicating or even running because it keeps crashing.
Google play
Hi . I have Nokia 6 TA-1000 google play dont work. Please anybody help me ,what can i doing

Using a Nubia X without GApps

What are the possible replacements for google services?
Aptoide/Yalp store as replacement for play store?
If it works, I guess installing youtube, maps, etc. from either store should work? Or not?
Or we can find alternative apps thatbwork like youtube, gmaps, etc. anyway
How about retrieving contacts saved in google account? Can i retrieve them using browser logged in my google account? How to import into phone?
Users of Apps/games that require google login like pubg should use alternative logins now. Will it work?
What are the all the requirements for degooglefied phone like nubia x?
Hi,
I'm using one phone like that, until some solution for the google services is found.
It's a bit uncomfortable, but it's working. In anther one post I have uploaded a picture how it looks like.
Here is the answers of your questions:
sgn15 said:
Aptoide/Yalp store as replacement for play store?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm downloading the applications from Google Play store, and then installing the apks manually.
sgn15 said:
If it works, I guess installing youtube, maps, etc. from either store should work? Or not?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
YouTube app generally working, but closes when cant find the google services. Anyway I'm watching the videos from the browser.
Maps - you can install Chrome and then pin it to the home screen. Works like charm.
You can install Mesanger, WatsApp, Viber, Skype - they work.
sgn15 said:
How about retrieving contacts saved in google account? Can i retrieve them using browser logged in my google account? How to import into phone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have download a Microsoft launcher. It has Cortana as voice assistant. Then Outlook app, which can import all the contacts and from your accounts (o365, Google, Hotmail, yahoo etc.)
sgn15 said:
sers of Apps/games that require google login like pubg should use alternative logins now. Will it work?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
With PUBG I had some issues installing it because except the apk has obb, may be I'll try later when I have some time. Fortnite is working like charm. Even with the back screen two additional buttons is like a cheat.
Things which I could not solve until now:
- Outlook cant import o365 mail hosted by GoDaddy.
- It seems that, a lot of applications rely on google services for the push notifications. If the app (let say Viber) is not running, you may not have popup notification on the lock screen. (If anyone knows how to solve that I'll be happy)
So, that's all. At the end you can live with the phone. I'm happy with it.
I hope that answers your question. If you have other questions - let me know
br_other said:
Hi,
I'm using one phone like that, until some solution for the google services is found.
It's a bit uncomfortable, but it's working. In anther one post I have uploaded a picture how it looks like.
Here is the answers of your questions:
I'm downloading the applications from Google Play store, and then installing the apks manually.
YouTube app generally working, but closes when cant find the google services. Anyway I'm watching the videos from the browser.
Maps - you can install Chrome and then pin it to the home screen. Works like charm.
You can install Mesanger, WatsApp, Viber, Skype - they work.
I have download a Microsoft launcher. It has Cortana as voice assistant. Then Outlook app, which can import all the contacts and from your accounts (o365, Google, Hotmail, yahoo etc.)
With PUBG I had some issues installing it because except the apk has obb, may be I'll try later when I have some time. Fortnite is working like charm. Even with the back screen two additional buttons is like a cheat.
Things which I could not solve until now:
- Outlook cant import o365 mail hosted by GoDaddy.
- It seems that, a lot of applications rely on google services for the push notifications. If the app (let say Viber) is not running, you may not have popup notification on the lock screen. (If anyone knows how to solve that I'll be happy)
So, that's all. At the end you can live with the phone. I'm happy with it.
I hope that answers your question. If you have other questions - let me know
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How about updating/syncing contacts? I mean after retrieving them and i added a new contact entry. How do i update/sync that contact into google?
And for photos? Do i have to manually backup to pc or cloud since there's no google photos and no google drive?
Any other concerns i might have forgotten?
Edit:
Link to this thread you mentioned?
I used aptoide - the only google apps that seems to work is Google Chrome Browser and gmaps. youtube did not work through aptoide as didn't all the other google apps i tried. I placed a youtube home page using the chrome broswer on the desktop. Whatsapp apk i downloaded from their official website and installed working fine. When I downloaded whatsapp through aptoide and the chinese market app it won't work and keeps saying date and time is not right even though it is - maybe because its not chinese date and time?
For Contacts i opened my pc with chrome broswer and downloaded the contacts VCARD which you can do and placed in root folder of Nubia X - picked all my contacts up - I'm not sure how to sync though to google accounts as you cant add a google account through the phone unless you root as per other posts.
Pretty silly how they just didn't let you install gapps without root - i buy a lot of chinese phones and its the standard now even if google isnt preinstalled - its been a long time since I've seen a phone that doesn't let you install gapps yourself if you want too even though they dont support it. I'm finding it hard to use the phone and it will probably end up in a drawer for a few months until the international rom is released with google. Its annoying, even switching the phone off the voice assistant starts in Chinese and i want to get rid of this.
I've deleted practically all the bloatware, yet can't get music player to detect music i placed in the music folder.
Should have done my reading before hand but oh well... I got it for less than £495 from geekbuying 128gb version but should have waited out for the international rom version
Most of my good apps I downloaded through the Amazon App Store which is also working so I have 3 markets on my phone at the moment.

Apk download from laptops

Hi,
please please please have patient with with as i’m still on iphone waiting to sell it and buy android (after @5 years on apple ecosystem)
Before that, last android phone, i had note 3, rooted ...
My question is about having a degoogled phone with lineageos (im looking for pixel 4a to buy this one), without any google service instaled (not even aurora that, from what i understood, can be installed via fdroid and used to install play apps) and use no more google/facebook services (e.g whatsapp).
The question: can i download an apk file from google store via a laptop (e.g: revolut, or other banks apps) upload them to the phone and install them?
If this will work, will be privacy compromised?
Is this safer than installing via aurora?
Another question: lets say ill use k9 mail for my gmail account. Will help google target my phone in any way knowing at least my phone ip ?
Regards,
dallas87 said:
The question: can i download an apk file from google store via a laptop (e.g: revolut, or other banks apps) upload them to the phone and install them?
If this will work, will be privacy compromised?
Is this safer than installing via aurora?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Android allows side-loading, where an APK from anywhere can be installed. It is up to you to make sure you aren't installing a bad app if you do this.
However, if you have completely de-googled your phone, expect trouble with apps. It is very common for apps to depend on Google services.
It is safer to use a store of some kind than to download from random web sites, unless you are going to verify certificates and such yourself.
dallas87 said:
Another question: lets say ill use k9 mail for my gmail account. Will help google target my phone in any way knowing at least my phone ip ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't understand what you are concerned about. You will have to force Google to "lower your account security" if you use k9 because it doesn't support Google's oath authentication. But it will work. I used k9 for many years with my Gmail account. The worst that ever happened was when Google temporarily blocked logins due to my IP changing a bunch. That kind of thing is much less likely with an oauth login.
To be frank, having a Gmail account while being paranoid about Google stuff on your phone makes no sense to me. You can turn off or disable things on the phone if you don't want them on.
a1291762 said:
To be frank, having a Gmail account while being paranoid about Google stuff on your phone makes no sense to me. You can turn off or disable things on the phone if you don't want them on.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm agree with you. I'll create an email service for myself in the near future so I'll skip this only service that I'm using from google
Thank you

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