Theory!

In a second user profile with GFW and google play installed and suitably restricted with only network access.

You download via play store; Google camera app and an APK extractor app.

You then extract the google camera apk, zip it then email it to another GOS profile.

You then extract that APK in your non GFW profile.

Is there a disadvantage to installing an APK this way?

  • de0u replied to this.

    Not wishing to ruffle any feathers but it's surprising in this international forum; there's little opinion on this subject as yet.

    Are people here shy? :-)

    It leaves me thinking two things.

    The question above has an obvious answer (to which I am still uninformed of) so people can't be bothered repeating.

    Or there is a lack of actual knowledge in this technical area.

    Either way it appears this isn't really an active forum unless the discussion involves problems with the GrapheneOS itself.

    Discussions on safe app procurement is an end users main objective with an un safety netted OS.

    This is something a
    forum like this could actively work on forging good discussion.

    Just an opinion!

    HappyCoding Is there a disadvantage to installing an APK this way?

    It sounds like that approach would be slower than running it in the profile that downloaded it.

    Is there a perceived advantage?

      This should work just fine if the app works without google. It is a bit of a pain to do but I suppose the advantage is all apps are in one profile for convenience without needing to use Aurora. However that does add theoretical risk that apps could talk to each other.

        You may consider using the owner profile only to download and update apps, then use the in built option to install those apps to other profiles.

        de0u the notion is keeping GFW and play store out of the main profile and segregated in a second with limited access.
        But using the second profile as a legitimate source of APK codes.

        • de0u replied to this.

          goslife the apps talking together is a new one on me in this explore of android! Food for thought.

          Thanks for taking the time to reply folks :-)

          HappyCoding the notion is keeping GFW and play store out of the main profile and segregated in a second with limited access.
          But using the second profile as a legitimate source of APK codes.

          It is not clear to me yet how the un-zip/re-zip steps contribute to the goal. Can you say more?

            HappyCoding I zip large files when attaching in email.

            I see, thanks. I'm honestly not sure if an un-zip/re-zip step could mess up any metadata or container parameters. Give it a try, I guess...