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Is it safe to download Apps (.apk) from third party websites?

Here I want to ask a question:

If due to any reason, I am not able to download app from official Play Store, Is it safe to download Apps (.apk) from third party websites?

For example Viber is not compatible with my Nexus 7 (Wi-Fi only) device and I have downloaded it from a third party website. Is it safe to use? Please advise.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD
 
Here I want to ask a question:

If due to any reason, I am not able to download app from official Play Store, Is it safe to download Apps (.apk) from third party websites?

For example Viber is not compatible with my Nexus 7 (Wi-Fi only) device and I have downloaded it from a third party website. Is it safe to use? Please advise.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD

no
 
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There are some third party reputable app stores out there. Amazon being one of the larger options, but there are a few others such as getjar.

^This. I've found Amazon much more cooperative about letting me get apps that Play says are incompatible with my device. Once I get the app, knowing it was supposedly incompatible, I can decide for myself...often it works fine.
 
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I USED to say only download from Play Store and Amazon. I know neither is absolutely 100% safe - but they are as close as it gets.

But lately, I have noticed an awful lot of Amazon Free apps of the Day are blasted in the comments about containing malware and push advertising. Don't know exact numbers, but is seems like about one in ten get blasted by more than just 4-5 users for malware, etc. Now, 10% is not huge. But 10% that they offer in Free App of the Day? Shouldn't those be the apps they inspect the best? Starting to doubt the reliability of the Amazon App Store.
 
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... But lately, I have noticed an awful lot of Amazon Free apps of the Day are blasted in the comments about containing malware and push advertising. Don't know exact numbers, but is seems like about one in ten get blasted by more than just 4-5 users for malware, etc. Now, 10% is not huge. But 10% that they offer in Free App of the Day? Shouldn't those be the apps they inspect the best? Starting to doubt the reliability of the Amazon App Store.

I uninstalled that Amazon store app within days due to such issues, but I use Amazon freely from the desktop though.
 
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Here I want to ask a question:

If due to any reason, I am not able to download app from official Play Store, Is it safe to download Apps (.apk) from third party websites?

For example Viber is not compatible with my Nexus 7 (Wi-Fi only) device and I have downloaded it from a third party website. Is it safe to use? Please advise.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD


It's never safe to use apps from a 3rd party web site. 1: You have no idea what the app has been re-packaged with. 2: Unless the app creator has uploaded it there themselves or has given permission to redistribute, the site in question is not legally offering the app.

If an app is not compatible with your device and you want that app, contact the developer and open up a line of communication. There may be reasons why it's not compatible... if it's merely because it's not been tested on your device, then volunteer to test the app for them.
 
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What kind of malware are you guys seeing/seeing reported in Amazon appstore? I think all I've seen is the same kind of advertising crud you see in stuff from Play store too.

Those Amazon free app of the day offerings are usually bloated games with mediocre reviews...never anything useful, never any games I might be interested in.

These two recents come to mimd:

22 June 22
Amazon.com: Abalone: Appstore for Android

1 August
Amazon.com: Escape from the Dead: Appstore for Android
 
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I am using Viber on my Nexus 7 without any problem. I have uploaded my contacts to Google Account and they are always synced with my Wi-Fi only device.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD

What ID are you using? I tried it on a wifi only tablet, and it won't work because it was asking for my tablet's phone number.

Unless you have a 3G enabled Nexus, which means it has a cellular connection.
 
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What ID are you using? I tried it on a wifi only tablet, and it won't work because it was asking for my tablet's phone number.

Unless you have a 3G enabled Nexus, which means it has a cellular connection.

I downloaded Viber APK file on my Nexus 7 and asked for the Viber Access Code to be sent to my phone number. Used the code received on my phone and thats all.
 
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