What Is An Android App? – A Brief Introduction

When we hear the term “Android Apps,” we instantly start thinking of smartphone apps. Well, it’s a common aspect, but Android apps are not essentially the apps for smartphones (we will cover this later).

First, let’s know about Android apps, their installation, uninstallation, usage, and more to make everything clear.

Let’s start!

What Are Android Apps?

A software app that runs on the Android platform is known as an Android app. A standard Android app is built for a tablet PC or smartphone running on the Android OS. 

Android apps are available on the Google Play Store, also known as the Android app store, and multiple Android app-focused websites. 

Such applications are developed for varied purposes. For instance, you can access your Gmail account through a dedicated app and can run various social media apps and a lot more. 

What Are The Top Android Applications?

On the Google Play Store, tons of Android apps are showcased; some are listed under the name of popular apps. Moreover, there are several distinct app categorizations that one can access via the Play Store. 

At the time of crafting this post, the popular apps were:

• WhatsApp Messenger, 
• Instagram, 
• Disney+ Hotstar, 
• Facebook, and a lot more. 

You can find various Editor’s Choice apps, Communication Apps, Video chatting apps, Entertainment apps, Business tools, etc. You will find the top free apps, paid apps, gross apps, and more popular apps in the Top Charts. 

Are All Android Apps Available For Free?

No, not all Android apps are free. Whether the app is free or paid, it will be seen once you open the store. 

You can download some apps without paying for specific services. You will find such apps listed under the “in-app purchases” tag on the Google Play Store. 

Other applications provide free trials before asking for payment. Well, it depends on the application and its developer. 

From Where Can we Download Android Apps?

Android apps are officially available on the Google Play Store. This app store comes pre-installed on every Android smartphone or device. You can access it via browser also. Your browser can also help you to download the Android apps. This specifically states that you can install the apps on your devices from your desktop also without even touching your phone. 

The Google Play Store is not the only spot for downloading Android apps. You will also find other stores belonging to other companies. Those stores also offer a way to download Android apps, not just directly from Google. 

Are Android Apps Available For Smartphones Only?

No, of course not. In the market, you will find various Android devices. One is for Android mobile, another is for Android Auto, and the third is for Android Wear (also known as Wear OS). 

For example, you can install Android apps for Android Wear via Play Store, but they will be crafted distinctively on a smartwatch. Moreover, some Android apps, like Spotify, will look and perform uniquely on Android Auto. 

Are All Android Applications Compatible With All Devices?

Let you know that the compatibility factor is something that you need to consider. Because some applications are compatible with some devices, some find compatibility with others. The chief reason behind this may be the region where you reside. For example, an app launched for the US market will not be accessible in Europe. Moreover, you can’t download those apps officially. 

On the contrary, some applications are developed just for some mobiles or specific brands. 

One more reason behind this may be the Android version that may stop you from downloading the apps. If your device belongs to an older version of Android, some apps may not find compatibility with it. 

If your device is found incompatible with an app, you can still manually find an app on the web browser and access it on the screen. 

Are the Applications For Android & iOS Identical?

Apple’s OS, iOS, is entirely different from Android OS. Furthermore, it is developed in a different programming language. On the contrary, iOS also holds a distinct design language that is generally used for apps. 

Most developers tend to launch look-alike apps for both platforms to make them easily recognizable. In comparison, others have different apps for both platforms. 

The conclusion is, apps for such platforms may look identical that depending on what developers want. 

Do Android Apps Look Similar On Smartphones & Tablets?

Well, most apps are identical. Though, some developers decide to optimize their apps for tablets. If an application is not explicitly optimized for tablets, still, it will run as expected. But, such apps will not look as they appear on a smartphone. 

Besides, an enlarged smartphone application may perform differently on tablets, although smartphones are pretty large nowadays. 

Some developers have already changed their app’s UI for tablets, and here the apps become helpful. 

How Many Apps Can We Install On Our Android Device?

Well, there’s no limit when it comes to the installation of the apps. Theoretically, one can install as many applications as his device’s storage can handle. For example, a smartphone with 64 GB storage may allow installing the apps until it’s filled.

If you hold a ton of apps, it may affect the performance and/ or performance. These days, this is no more an issue. Nowadays, Android devices are much powerful, so the number of installed apps doesn’t affect mobile phones’ performance or battery life. 

How Do We Uninstall Android Apps?

In smartphones, we just need to press and hold our finger on the app we want to uninstall in our phone’s app drawer. After that, a pop-up will appear, including uninstall option. 

In some Android smartphones, you just need to press and hold and move the app into the dedicated uninstall section. 

How Do I Use Android Apps?

Every Android app that you install on your device will lie in your app drawer. On Android TV, you will find the installed apps on its homepage. Well, all rely on the Android iteration that you are using. 

For example, you are just required to locate it in your phone’s app drawer. It’s a menu where you will find all your installed apps. It just demands swiping of the home screen to access it. 

What Are PWAs?

Basically, Progressive Web Apps (PWA) are sites that are similar to apps in look and feel. It means you don’t need to install or do anything to use them. You are good to go just by navigating to a particular website. 

Essentially, PWAs use the latest web technology to deliver an app-like experience to the end-user. 

Conclusion

We hope this article proves to be informative for you and be the source of all answers to your queries relevant to Android apps. 

If you want to create your own Android app, you should work with the top app development company that can turn your app ideas into reality with the help of their skilled app development team.