5

Are old APKs for Google Android apps available for download from some official or trusted source?

I just reset my G1, and would like to reinstall some of the (older) Google apps that don't appear to be available in the Market* anymore.

Google did make some older versions of their apps available, but not everything that I'd like to get back. For example, I was able to update to Google Maps version 5.6.2, though the newest version in Google Play is (I think) 6.9.0, but Google Listen doesn't any longer appear to be available through the Market app on the G1.

Update: Though searching for "listen" or "google listen" within the Market app does not turn up a listing for the target app, nor does viewing a list of applications by publisher "Google Inc.", I was able to get the Google Listen app through the Market, by going to the web browser, and navigating to https://market.android.com/details?id=com.google.android.apps.listen, and then letting the Market app handle the redirected Intent.

I'd still like to know if an official or trusted source is available to download old APKs published by Google.

*It's still called the Market on the G1 running 1.6 Donut. I'm guessing Google didn't bother to make the new Google Play store compatible with old devices/versions.

Andrew T.
  • 15,988
  • 10
  • 74
  • 123
Programmer Bruce
  • 151
  • 1
  • 5
  • 4
    I do not think this question should be closed. While the number of phones out there with versions below 2.2 is vanishingly small, they are still out there. Being able to keep them viable and as up to date (as possible) is certainly on-topic for this site. – ale Jul 27 '12 at 13:36
  • 2
    Closely related is this question: http://android.stackexchange.com/questions/14910/where-can-find-older-versions-of-apps . The answers there provide a number of unofficial repositories. Caveat Emptor, of course. Some of them look pretty dodgy to me. – ale Jul 27 '12 at 13:39

1 Answers1

2

Official? No.

Trusted? Well that depends on who you trust. Rootzwiki has a list of the GApps packages for all Android versions.

Now for the rant part: Google understandably and thankfully doesn't support old versions. The ROI is getting lower and lower with the older platforms. No person in their right mind would support 1.6 when they have 4.1 out there and a newer version in the works.

ale
  • 19,723
  • 34
  • 110
  • 159
  • 1
    Re: your rant: Except that Android 4.x represents less than 12% of the currently active Android phones, so supporting older versions isn't necessarily so crazy. On the other hand Android 1.6 is only 0.5% of still active phones, so... (source) – ale Jul 27 '12 at 13:34
  • this link is only for the "Google Apps" that are part of the "google experience" devices, like the "market", youtube, gmail, maps. I think he is looking for other apps as well, that were only released in the "market/play store", like listen, translate, google+, etc. – Ryan Conrad Jul 27 '12 at 13:41
  • @AlEverett What I meant was not that Google should drop support for all older version, but supporting 1.6 doesn't make much sense, and he shouldn't blame Google. Of course 2.2 and 2.3 are going to be here for quite some time and they should be (and currently are) supported. But 1.6? It's going to be 3 years old this year. –  Jul 27 '12 at 15:07
  • @RyanConrad The only site I'm aware of that host older versions (as in really old versions) also host warez so I'm not going to link to it here. If the OP wants it he can contact me. –  Jul 27 '12 at 15:10