Suspicious pre-installed Google Files app on Infinix HOT 10

Question

I'm using Infinix HOT 10. I got tired of the buggy pre-installed File Manager, so I started looking for alternatives on Google Play Store. To my surprise, I found the Google Files app (which is supposed to be installed on my phone alongside the buggy pre-installed File Manager) in the search results with the option to install it.

I wondered "If it is already installed on my phone, how can the option to install it be there?". So, I installed it. Then I ended up with two apps that have the same exact name and icon but they look different when opened.

The Files app that is pre-installed can't be uninstalled. It also can't be force-stopped or disabled, unlike the pre-installed File Manager app, the Files app that I installed or other Google apps.

It's mentioned in the "App details" section in "Settings" that it's installed from Google Play Store. But when I chose to view it on Google Play Store, I got a message that told me to try again.

I find this to be suspicious and weird. Any explanations?

Without any details it is hard to say what files app you have installed, especially as some manufacturer replace or modify the files app. So there is no definitive answer unless you have checked the APK itself. So I would recommend to extract the APK and then verify it's signature and check who has signed it. — Robert, Aug 21 '21 at 11:35
Also, mentioning the package name for all your file managers would also be helpful for us to help you further. — Andrew T., Aug 21 '21 at 13:54

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Jan 25 '22 at 09:38

The preinstalled Google Files is a DocumentsUI module, a part of the modular system components introduced since Android 10.

Searching for "aml_doc_302000001" returned an entry on APK Mirror for another Google Files with the package name com.google.android.documentsui. Then searching for the package name referred to the official documentation about the DocumentsUI module.

According to the overview of modular system components,

Android 10 or higher modularizes some Android system components and enables them to be updated outside of the normal Android release cycle. End-user devices can receive updates to these modularized system components from the Google Play Store infrastructure or through a partner-provided over-the-air (OTA) mechanism.

As such, this is actually a legit preinstalled Google Files that can be updated independently of the bigger OS update.

As an aside, Google actually has 3 Files apps:

Files by Google (com.google.android.apps.nbu.files), also available on Play Store.
Files (com.google.android.documentsui), AOSP file manager since Android 10, part of modular system components.
Files (com.android.documentsui), AOSP file manager app until Android 9.

Suspicious pre-installed Google Files app on Infinix HOT 10

1 Answers1