diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'docs/html/distribute/open.jd')
| -rw-r--r-- | docs/html/distribute/open.jd | 107 |
1 files changed, 0 insertions, 107 deletions
diff --git a/docs/html/distribute/open.jd b/docs/html/distribute/open.jd deleted file mode 100644 index f9e9c3b..0000000 --- a/docs/html/distribute/open.jd +++ /dev/null @@ -1,107 +0,0 @@ -page.title=Open Distribution -@jd:body - -<p>As an open platform, Android offers choice. You -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 are never locked into any -particular distribution platform.</p> - -<p>The process for building and packaging your app for distribution is the same, -regardless of how you will distribute your app. 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 to users.</p> - -<h2 id="publishing-marketplace">Distributing through an App Marketplace</h2> - -<p>Usually, to reach the broadest possible audience, you would 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 applications to a large global audience. -However, you can distribute your apps through any app marketplace you want or -you can use multiple marketplaces.</p> - -<h2 id="publishing-email">Distributing your application through email</h2> - -<div class="figure" style="width:246px"> - <img src="{@docRoot}images/publishing/publishing_via_email.png" - alt="Screenshot showing the graphical user interface users see when you send them an app" - style="width:240px;" /> - <p class="img-caption"> - <strong>Figure 1.</strong> Users can simply click <strong>Install</strong> when you send them - an application via email. - </p> -</div> - -<p>The easiest and quickest way to release your application is to send it to users through -email. To do this, you prepare your application for release and then attach it to an email -and send it to a user. When users open your email message on their Android-powered device, -the Android system will recognize the APK and display an <strong>Install Now</strong> -button in the email message (see figure 1). Users can install your application by touching the -button.</p> - -<p class="note"><strong>Note:</strong> The <strong>Install Now</strong> button -shown in Figure 1 appears only if users have configured their device to allow -installation from <a href="#unknown-sources">unknown sources</a> and have opened your -email with the native Gmail application.</p> - -<p>Distributing applications through email is convenient if you are sending your application to -only a few trusted users, but it provides few protections from piracy and unauthorized -distribution; that is, anyone you send your application to can simply forward it to someone else.</p> - -<h2 id="publishing-website">Distributing through a web site</h2> - -<p>If you do not want to release your app on a marketplace like Google Play, you -can make the app available for download on your own website or server, including -on a private or enterprise server. To do this, you must first prepare your -application 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="#unknown-sources">unknown sources</a>.</p> - -<p>Although it is relatively easy to release your application on your own -website, it can be inefficient. For example, if you want to monetize your -application you will have to process and track all financial transactions -yourself and you will not be able to use Google Play's <a -href="{@docRoot}google/play/billing/index.html">In-app Billing service</a> -to sell in-app products. In addition, you will not be able to use the <a -href="{@docRoot}google/play/licensing/index.html">Licensing service</a> to -help prevent unauthorized installation and use of your application.</p> - - -<h2 id="unknown-sources">User Opt-In for Apps from Unknown Sources</h2> - -<div class="figure" style="width:246px;margin-top:0;"> - <img src="{@docRoot}images/publishing/publishing_unknown_sources_sm.png" - alt="Screenshot showing the setting for accepting download and install of - apps from unknown sources." style="width:240px;" /> - <p class="img-caption"> - <strong>Figure 2.</strong> Users must enable the <strong>Unknown sources</strong> - 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. To allow -the installation of applications from other sources, users need to enable the -Unknown sources setting on their devices, and they need to make this -configuration change <em>before</em> they download your application to their -devices.</p> - -<p class="note">Note that some network providers do not allow users to install -applications from unknown sources.</p> - - |