APK Installer by Uptodown 0.2.18

APK Installer is a free tool that enables the installation of Android apps utilizing formats that are undetectable by the default package installer included in the operating system. It utilizes the standard XAPK packaging to support Google's new APK distribution system known as APK split.

This application works in both directions, allowing users to create backups of their installed apps and install private copies on their smartphones, regardless of the packaging format. Apk Installer includes the following features:

• Automatically searches for all installed apps on your Android device and creates backup copies.
• Installs any APK or XAPK directly into your smartphone's memory. No need to worry about the internal structure - search, install, and go!
• Browses your smartphone's folders using the integrated file browser.
• Sends apps to nearby devices connected to the same network.

The process of installing and downloading apps has evolved over time. Previously, installing an app using an external APK involved simply clicking on it and letting the default package installer on your Android device do all the work. However, with the introduction of other standards that added complexity to the process, things became more complicated.

OBB data, which includes additional multimedia files within an app such as video or audio, allowed developers to exceed the maximum size limit set by Google for uploading APKs to its platform. This change resulted in the need to manually install these additional files separately in specific folders on the device when installing apps. To provide a convenient solution, the XAPK standard was introduced, allowing APK and OBB data to be combined into a single file and installed using an external tool.

Google later introduced the Android App Bundle as a dynamic distribution system. When a developer publishes an app on Google Play, it is divided into several split-APKs. These split-APKs contain information related to the app's language, supported screen dimensions, and required CPU architecture. When a user downloads the app, only the necessary split-APKs for their device are installed, saving bandwidth and costs for both the user and the distribution platform.

Apk Installer's main objective is to simplify the manual installation of Android apps, eliminating the need for extensive research on file formats and destination folders. When creating backups, the app packages all necessary files (APK + split-APKs + OBB if applicable) into a single XAPK file. This means that when installing private copies of apps, users only need to locate and install one file without worrying about formats and standards.