1page.title=Alternative Distribution Options
2page.metaDescription=With Android you can distribute apps to users in any way you want, using any store or distribution approach.
3page.image=/distribute/images/alt-distribution.jpg
4
5@jd:body
6
7<p>
8  As an open platform, Android offers choice. You can distribute your Android
9  apps to users in any way you want, using any distribution approach or
10  combination of approaches that meets your needs. From publishing in an app
11  marketplace to serving your apps from a web site or emailing them directly
12  users, you’re never locked into any particular distribution platform.
13</p>
14
15<p>
16  The process for building and packaging your apps for distribution is the
17  same, regardless of how you distribute them. This saves you time and lets you
18  automate parts of the process as needed. You can read <a href=
19  "{@docRoot}tools/publishing/preparing.html">Preparing for Release</a> for
20  more information.
21</p>
22
23<p>
24  The sections below highlight some of the alternatives for distributing your
25  apps.
26</p>
27
28<div class="headerLine">
29  <h2>
30  Distributing Through an App Marketplace
31  </h2>
32
33
34</div>
35
36<p>
37  Usually, to reach the broadest possible audience, you’d distribute your apps
38  through a marketplace, such as Google Play.
39</p>
40
41<p>
42  Google Play is the premier marketplace for Android apps and is particularly
43  useful if you want to distribute your apps to a large global audience.
44  However, you can distribute your apps through any app marketplace you want or
45  use multiple marketplaces.
46</p>
47
48<p>
49  Unlike other forms of distribution, Google Play allows you to use the In-app
50  Billing service and Licensing service. The <a href=
51  "{@docRoot}google/play/billing/index.html">In-app Billing service</a> makes
52  it easy to sell in-app products like game jewels or app feature upgrades. The
53  <a href="{@docRoot}google/play/licensing/index.html">Licensing service</a>
54  helps prevent unauthorized installation and use of your apps.
55</p>
56
57<div class="headerLine">
58  <h2>
59  Distributing Your Apps by Email
60  </h2>
61
62
63</div>
64
65<div class="figure" style="width:300px;">
66  <img src="{@docRoot}images/publishing/publishing_via_email.png">
67  <p class="img-caption">
68  <b>Figure 1.</b> Users can simply click <b>Install</b> when you send them
69  an application via email.
70  </p>
71</div>
72
73<p>
74  An easy and quick way to release your apps is to send them to users by email.
75  To do this, you prepare the app for release, attach it to an email, and send
76  it to a user. When the user open your email on their Android-powered device,
77  the Android system recognizes the APK and displays an <strong>Install
78  Now</strong> button in the email message (see Figure 1). Users can install
79  your app by touching the button.
80</p>
81
82<p>
83  Distributing apps through email is convenient if you’re sending them to a few
84  trusted users, as it provides few protections from piracy and unauthorized
85  distribution; that is, anyone you send your apps to can simply forward them
86  to others.
87</p>
88
89<div class="headerLine">
90  <h2>
91  Distributing Through a Website
92  </h2>
93
94
95</div>
96
97<p>
98  If you don’t want to release your apps on a marketplace such as Google Play,
99  you can make them available for download on your own website or server,
100  including on a private or enterprise server. To do this, you first prepare
101  your apps for release in the normal way. Then all you need to do is host the
102  release-ready APK file on your website and provide a download link to users.
103</p>
104
105<p>
106  When users browse to the download link from their Android-powered devices,
107  the file is downloaded and Android system automatically starts installing it
108  on the device. However, the installation process will start automatically
109  only if users have configured their Settings to allow the installation of
110  apps from <a href="{@docRoot}distribute/open.html#unknown-sources">unknown
111  sources</a>.
112</p>
113
114<div class="headerLine">
115  <h2>
116  User Opt-In for Apps from Unknown Sources
117  </h2>
118
119
120</div>
121
122<div class="figure" style="width:325px;">
123  <img src="{@docRoot}images/publishing/publishing_unknown_sources_sm.png">
124  <p class="img-caption">
125  <b>Figure 2.</b> Users must enable the <b>Unknown sources</b> setting
126  before they can install apps not downloaded from Google Play.
127  </p>
128</div>
129
130<p>
131  Android protects users from inadvertent download and install of apps from
132  locations other than Google Play (which is trusted). It blocks such installs
133  until the user opts-in <strong>Unknown sources</strong> in Settings
134  <strong>&gt;</strong> Security, shown in Figure 2. Users need to make this
135  configuration change <em>before</em> they download your apps to their
136  devices.
137</p>
138
139<p>
140  Note that some network providers don’t allow users to install applications
141  from unknown sources.
142</p>
143