In an ideal world, Google Play would simply allow us to download APK files like most of the other Android markets and there would be no need for an APK downloader like Raccoon. So, is there hope that Google will some day allow direct downloads? I’m afraid not!
Google Play comes as part of the GApps package and may not be installed separately. It is either all or nothing. So if you want Play, you also have take Maps, Gmail, Youtube, and about a dozen others. A smartphone without apps is crippled and access to the biggest app store is the bait to tie you(r device) deeply into the Google ecosystem. That is an edge, Google will not give up easily. They would also have to deprecate the “Unknown Sources” setting or at least admit that it is not so much a security feature, but rather a scare tactic to keep users away from competing market places.
Another reason for not allowing direct APK downloads is that Android is very diverse (both in hardware and in software) and Android users are predominantly clueless about their devices. Just look at the horror, called the “review section” on Play to see what I mean. Giving people access to the installation files would just result in countless attempts to install apps on (clearly) incompatible devices and users venting their anger about it. This is a public relations and support nightmare, nobody wants.Finally, Google also has to satisfy developers (without them there are no apps, without apps, the platform is unattractive to users). Developers want to publish where they get the largest audience, but they also want to publish where they get statistics, feedback and crashreports. Beyond that, they want the ability to automatically push updates to their users. Google simply delivers here.
