Aptoide

From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
Jump to: navigation, search

Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

Aptoide
Aptoide Logo.png
Developer Aptoide
Written in Java
OS family Android Marketplace (Google Play, Amazon Appstore for Android)
Working state Current
Source model Open-source software
Initial release November 17, 2009 (2009-11-17)
Marketing target Smartphones
Tablet computers
Available in Multi-lingual
Platforms ARM, Android-x86
License GNU General Public License 2.0
Official website www.aptoide.com

Aptoide is a distributed marketplace for mobile applications which runs on the Android operating system.[1] In Aptoide, unlike the default Google Play Store, there is not a unique and centralized store but each user manages their own store.

The Android application used to access the stores is open source,[2] and there are several forks such as F-Droid[3] The communication between the client and servers is done using an open protocol based on XML.

The concept is inspired by the APT packaging manager, which can work with multiple sources (repositories). When the user wants a package, they use the client to search for sources where the application is stored.

The name Aptoide is formed from the words "APT" (the Debian package manager) and "oide" (the last syllable of "Android").

History

Aptoide started as a proposal of Paulo Trezentos at the 2009 Caixa Mágica Summer Camp.[4] The proposal was accepted and later became what today is Aptoide. This first stage of development was later developed in the scope of SAPO Summerbits.[5]

The idea behind Aptoide came from different sources. On one hand, the research in Linux installers in Mancoosi European Project,[6] Paulo Trezentos PhD project and Portugal Telecom A5 phone, project where the team participated.

In the end of 2010, it was launched in the Bazaar Android site. Bazaar Android provided the possibility for the users to create their own store. In August 2012, Aptoide and Bazaar Android brands were merged to allow a better communication.[7]

In November 2011, Aptoide was incorporated[8] in Europe.

In May 2015, Aptoide announced that it would start its operations in Asia[9] by opening an office in Singapore.

Description

Android client

Aptoide client allows one to search, browse and install applications in the Android phone. Aptoide is available in 17 languages.[10]

To install Aptoide the user has to retrieve the APK (installable file) from the official site or other source in the Internet. The installation is not available through Google Play Store due to 4.5 Non-compete clause of Google Play Developer Distribution Agreement.[11] This is the same clause that blocks Amazon Appstore application to be available through Google Play. The installation of Aptoide requires users to allow the installation from "Unknown sources" in Android settings.[12]

After the installation of Aptoide, the user can add stores (repositories). Besides the default store (Apps), many other are available from different stores. When a store is added using the URL of the store, Aptoide retrieves the list of the applications and stores it locally. The user can then browse in the applications or search in the Internet for other stores.

In June 2011, it was released Aptoide Uploader as a "sister" application from the same development team. Aptoide Uploader is an Android app that allows users to upload to an existent Aptoide store.[13]

Aptoide uploader uses the available Aptoide Webservices[14] to upload the application. The submitted APK file is kept in the user's store where they can manage.

For the user that wants to backup their apps to a private store, it is advisable to use Aptoide Apps Backup that keeps a record of the apps that are backed up. All the applications in stores are managed using a backoffice in Aptoide site.[citation needed]

Aptoide Apps Backup uses the webservices to upload the APK file to the store. To know what applications are already backed up, Aptoide Apps Backup uses the info.xml XML file available in the store.[citation needed]

Interfaces

The communication between the Android client applications and the store is done using a XML file called info.xml. This file lists the applications in the store as well the basic information about each application available. Info.xml is open and a detailed definition is available.[15]

Part of info.xml[16] file:

<apklst><version>5</version>
<repository>
<basepath>http://mirror.apk10.aptoide.com/apks/10/aptoide-f63c6f2461f65f32b6d144d6d2ff982e/aptoidedev/</basepath>
<appscount>1</appscount>
... </repository>
<package>
<name>Aptoide</name>
...
</package>

There are other two XML files: extra.xml[17] and stats.xml.[18]

Extra.xml contains additional information about the apps such as the full description. The file "stats.xml" contains the downloads and likes of the available applications.

Usage

Aptoide usage was reported as follows:[19][20][21][22][23]

Aptoide version Date Registered users # Stores Different apps Cumulative downloads
6.5.2 July 2015 100,000,000 140,000 330,000 1580 M
6.3.0 April 2015 136,000 311,000 1424 M
6.2.3 126,000 275,000 1276 M
5.0.0 20 March 2014
4.1.3 22 July 2013 1,300,000 350,000 120,000 380 M
4.0.0 4 December 2012 500,000 170,000 50,000 150 M
2.7.1 2 August 2012 200,000 88,000 65,000 60 M
2.7 19 June 2012 107,000 62,000 43,000 44 M
2.6.2 April 2012 82,000 51,000 34,000 32 M
2.6.1 2 March 2012 57,000 36,000 19,000 22.9 M
2.6 20 January 2012 42,000 27,100 16,000 17.4 M
2.5.4 22 December 2011 34,000 22,200 13,400 14 M
2.5.3 2 November 2011 21,000 13,300 9,400 9.1 M
2.5.2 22 September 2011 14,800 10,300 7,700 6.8 M
2.5.1 22 June 2011 6,800 3,500 4,000 2.1 M
2.5 3 June 2011 5,300 1,200 3,100 2 M
2.4.1 May 2011 3,700 1,600 2,000 1.5 M

See also

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

Retrieved from "https://infogalactic.com/w/index.php?title=Aptoide&oldid=720649631"