APK Downloader | Hacker News Reader

APK Downloader

apps.evozi.com

61 pointslgp17118833 comments

VIRUS WARNING!

Clicking the Download & Install Now button gives me a popup that says to go to evozi.com/l.php?go=apkinstaller which tries to download APKDownloaderv200_downloader_by_APKDownloaderv200.exe

McAffe detects this as Artemis!5D95FF710F55

I guess to be fair the popup does warn you that the installer may contain extra software.

And, in fact, https://lekensteyn.nl/apk-downloader/ says "Beware: apps.evozi.com hosts a version of this extension which contains spyware."

Hi, the link you clicking contain some extra software, please use another link for direct extension download or use Online Downloader.

Um maybe you shouldn't bundle viruses as extra software?

we do not put any malware or virus in it.

Care to explain why my virus scanners says your exe installer contains a virus and why https://lekensteyn.nl/apk-downloader/ says you package spyware?

What about spyware on the evozi.com download? If genuinely false warning you may want to contact McAfee, see https://community.mcafee.com/thread/2016

Please detail this "extra software".

This should be part of the Google Play desktop website, and it's actually abuse of the open Android platform by Google that it isn't. (Yes, it can still be abuse if developers can technically host APKs elsewhere in the same way that any monopoly can be abusive).

I can see Google banning this or trying their best to block this pretty quickly though and shows just how far Google has fallen from being open. I could be wrong though, will be watching this website with interest (and using it to download all my apps, for sure). Props to the creators.

EDIT: For those wondering why Google would be bothered by this - the Google Play app distribution channel is the big factor that requires Android device manufacturers to pay their license fees for Android and prevents them from forking the platform. An Android device without Google Play is an automatic no-buy for most consumers. However, if APKs - even just free ones - could be downloaded onto a device without Google Play, then it allows users and manufacturers to easily bypass a lot of the lock-in.

I am sure Google would ban this pronto. This reduces their ability to exclude other forks of Android from using the app store.

When I saw this, the first thought that came to my mind was "How long till Google sends a Cease and Desist letter to the owners of this service!"

So... We've got a walled garden, eh?

Found the source that these guys are ripping off to make this extension: https://lekensteyn.nl/apk-downloader/

Their website states, "Beware: apps.evozi.com hosts a version of this extension which contains spyware. Although they do attribute my fixes for 1.4, there is no link to the GitHub repository. Originally only the GitHub repository was set up, but due to this infected extension, I decided to package my own extension. When linking, please use the Github repository or this page."

Can we change the link to that? This is really handy.

Unable to edit the post since it is too late to do that. But have submitted another story with an appropriate title - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6668889

> Have you ever wanted to get your hands on the latest game, only to find that the Google Play thought it wasn't compatible with your phone?

As an android game developer... if we tell Google Play a game isn't compatible with a particular device, there's generally a very good reason for it.

Well... there are many kinds of restrictions. And only part of them really "isn't compatible with a particular device".

My thoughts exactly. It's not like Google doesn't want users to download an app for no specific reason. It's simply the developer adding requirements that need to be met in order for the app to function correctly on a phone.

I have never developed for android, but the vast majority of programs that say they don't work on my device work flawlessly. I suspect some of it may be due to the fact that I run custom roms.

I don't doubt this is true for you, but there are an increasing number of apps on the Play Store that are hardware-exclusive (typically Samsung exclusive).

A number of broadcasters cut deals with Samsung to give their VOD apps exclusivity on Galaxy hardware, and the Twitter Android Tablet app is currently not available on the Nexus 7 due to an agreement with Samsung.

As an Android game dev, I'm not sure I like it. How is this not distributing my copyrighted material without permission? Just because my app is available free of charge, doesn't mean it can be freely distributed by the website owner.

And it's not just a control issue, it creates actual problems for me as a developer. It makes it easier to create rip-off's of my APK or adding malware and rehosting the package, or extracting my sound and art assets. And you know some of these users will be contacting me for support when something breaks because they are sideloading the app. I also can't automatically roll out new versions of the app to these users, causing fragmentation of the user base or bad reviews and ill will if I have to ban their old app version from my online backend.

While all of the above already happens to some degree today, I don't look forward to it becoming common practice. I'd actually prefer you not download my completely free (with no ads or IAPs) game at all if you won't do it through a channel I've setup.

The only reason that I connected my Android phone to a GMail account is to access Google Play and download clean apps. Lots of third-party websites offer various apks but many are infected with malware.

So, assuming Google won't block this, I won't be needing a GMail account to use Android (without Google apps) from now on? Nice!

Hope this frees up Android from the clutches of Goggle

This is really useful.I'm sick of all those online apk downloading blogs full of spam.Thank You.

Also, as a Blackberry 10 user this will come in very handy. It can be sometimes tough to find more obscure apps outside of the Play store, nevermind trying to keep them updated.

This is what I used to use it for, on my Playbook.

There are other ways to get the apk if you have an android device. There is an app called "App Backup and Restore" that allows you to backup the apps that you have installed (without root). If you place the backed up app in dropbox, you have it available anywhere.

That requires you to first install it through the play store. Side loading like this lets you install apps without Google being able to snoop on what you install on your device.

edit: Actually, that's not true for the browser extension. You have to provide your gmail login and your device ID. Bleh...

Fair enough. You do, at least, get the added security of the downloading app having been reviewed by google before inclusion in the play store so that it is less likely the app you backup with it has a rootkit. Given the articles that have been floating around on HN about how easy it is to fake the security on apps, I would say it still has its use.

Seems like a pretty innocent workaround for some limitations. If you use it you should know that the app might not work 100% on your device.

I am certain that this violates Google's ToS.

Nice try.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com