Please Help

[Mercabeth]

Hi guys,

I just got a Samsung Galaxy Trend G3 recently. This is my first time using an android phone, so I have no idea how to use it. I asked my friends, and they told me to install apps using the Google Play Store. But I can't seem to find this store on my phone, neither can I download it. I'm just really confused as to how I install new apps and everything. For instance, I wanna install Snapchat. I tried just searching that on google, and then downloading it off the internet but it says I need to use the app. So I guess my question is, how can I install the google play store? And if I can't install it, how else can I install new apps? Thank you guys so much, please reply soon.

 

[funkylogik]

Welcome to the forum
In your phones home screen (desktop), at the bottom, is there square icon made out of 9 dots?
If so, tap that to open the "app drawer" (a grid containing all your apps)
Scroll that up/down or left/right and there should be an app there called Play
What country are you in?

 

[Mercabeth]

I live in Canada, but my aunt got me the phone in China. When I first got it, there was no play store or app market. I tried to see if I could download google play store online, and it worked. But when I tried using the app, it never loaded because china blocked the play store. I am in Canada now, and I tried loading the app again, but it didn't work. I deleted the app completely but I can't find the website where I downloaded the store. And yes, there is a square icon with nine dots. After I clicked on it, I scrolled through the pages but I couldn't find the play store, or any sort of app market. Please help me! I really don't know what to do. Thank you so much

 

[funkylogik]

Understood man.
So when you downloaded Play it worked fine without installing anything else?
Ill upload a copy of my play app and pm you the link if you think that will work?
I dont know if Play has to run as a system app(?)

 

[Mercabeth]

Yeah, that might work! No, when I installed google play for the first time, it didn't work. So I deleted it, and I recently figured out how to reinstall it. But now i don't know why it crashes everytime. I mean, it should be fine since i'm in Canada now. I also installed the google play systems app, which apparently was necessary for the store to work. But my phone keeps telling me "Unfortunately, google play systems has stopped."

Thanks for your help, sorry I'm wasting your time.

 

[funkylogik]

Hey you're not wasting anyones time mate.
Hmm I can't seem to find my play apk lol
Are you rooted? Play maybe has to be installed as a system app and that requires root.
Hopefully someone smarter can help.
In the meantime check out the Amazon App Store app. It has most play store apps.
Good luck man 🍺

 

[Mercabeth]

Thank you so much!! I will definitely try out the amazon App Store. Hope you find your play store lol

 

[funkylogik]

Lol i do have the app but i cant find the file in my phone.
I think it should be in the /system/app folder but it isnt.
Its not in the /data/app folder either
Remember, to install Amazon and apps from it you have to enable "unknown sources" in "security" settings :thumbup:

 

[Mercabeth]

Lol, yeah. I find android a lot more fun than Apple, because there's more freedom if you know what I mean. It's just, I wish it came with an App Store anyway thank you so so much for helping me, I really appreciate it! I already installed the amazon App Store, thank you very much

 

[mikedt]

A Samsung phone without Google Play. I guessed it was from China when I read the OP. Just installing the Play app generally doesn't work because there's some vital framework that's not in the PRC versions of Android. That's why it crashes. It's got to be either rooted, the missing framework installed, or the ROM changed completely

 

[funkylogik]

So for anyone reading, Play is in the system/priv-app folder.
Why didnt i know that existed lol??? *noob*

 

[Mercabeth]

Thank you both for your help! I just have one more question, sorry. How do I root my phone? I have no idea what that means lel sorry I'm a total amateur...

 

[Xxmen]

Before you root try another rom and see what happens.