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Is installs the current number as opposed to the total over time? That would allow people to install, rank, then later remove, and so make sense of the statistic.

Another option is that people get to rank each device install but only count as being one (person with an) install? That would allow for such "corruption".

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So you'll download an app, find it brillant (see how many 5 stars it got), and then remove it ? Well if this is so, it's surely some form of cheating. The question is : is Google have a system to permit it or have it been misused and abused ? I believe it's the second option (as explained on other comments) but either show there is a problem with rating.

Installs mean the total number of installs in the whole lifetime of the app. Also it doesn't matter the device. What counts is the google account. So every install = 1 google account registered in Google Play Store. Also google requires to verify the account with an sms these days.

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