Mobile Apps versus APKs: Understanding the Difference and Why APKs Exist

Smartphones have completely changed the definition of mobile phones, which were once just pieces of portable technology that one could use to talk to their near and dear ones who were sitting far away from them. However, smartphones are significantly different from feature phones, as one can perform almost every task on their smartphone that they can on a personal computer. They are no longer mobile phones but have become mini computers.

Smartphones – Solution to Each Problem of People

You can do almost everything from your smartphone, ranging from booking movie tickets to air ticket booking, ordering groceries, and much more. These days, businesses and organizations have mobile apps that their users can download on their smartphones and connect with them. Users or customers can place their orders on the business’s mobile app (if it’s a product) and get the product delivered at their doorstep. Even for entertainment, there are mobile apps like gaming apps, song apps, and movie apps.

When we say mobile apps, there are two types of mobile apps: one is simple mobile apps that can be downloaded from the Google Play Store for Android and App Store for iOS users, and the second category is APK mobile apps. APKs are not available on the Google Play Store and App Store but can be downloaded directly from the website of the related business or organization. You may have a question about why there are two types of mobile apps, and the difference between a mobile app and an APK. We are going to discuss it. Keep reading further.

Difference between a Mobile App and an APK

In technical terms, the definition may be difficult to understand so we are going to explain in simple terms that can be easily interpreted by everyone. Let’s start with the mobile app first.

What is a Mobile App?

· A mobile app is a software program designed to run on mobile devices and perform specific functions for the user. For example, video game apps, where users can play a game, and a gaming app is designed to perform gaming functions, and entertain the users.

· It is the actual software you, as a user of the app, interact with.

· When we talk about mobile apps, those are developed for different mobile operating systems such as Android, iOS, and Windows.

What is an APK?

· APK or Android Package Kit is not a software program but instead is an installer, which comes in a standardized compressed file format for Android apps.

· As said, it is not actual software but is a container similar to a Zip file that combines all the necessary components of an app into a single file.

· When we talk about the components, APK includes compiled code, resources (like images and sounds), a manifest file (containing app details), and a digital certificate.

· Unlike a mobile app, APKs are developed specifically for Android operating systems to distribute and install apps.

In simple language, a mobile app is the software program itself, and an APK is a file format used to distribute and install that mobile app on Android-operated devices. Think of a mobile app like a toy, which is directly used by your kid, and an APK like the box in which the toy comes in. Now, a question may arise in your mind: why are APKs available if there are mobile apps available? We will answer it for you. Keep reading.

Why do we have APKs in the Market?

Maybe you don’t know that not all mobile apps are available on the Google Play Store, and there could be different reasons, like the app may involve direct money, be associated with cryptocurrency, or be in violation of any other Google Policy. For example, online Indian betting sites also offer APKs instead of mobile apps. It is because betting sites deal in direct money, which Google does not allow.  

To make wagering easy, they offer APKs in place of mobile apps so that their users can download the APKs and install the wagering apps on their smartphones. APKs are the easiest way to make quick money, as they allow you to wager money on cricket and other sports. When it comes to wagering opportunities associated with cricket, you will see numerous earning opportunities on APKs; those include wagering on all international cricket matches as well as all popular T20 league matches.

Conclusion: Smartphones brought a revolution with them, as these made the job of handling errands easier than ever. Not only can errands be done with smartphones, but they can also be utilized to earn quick money by wagering money on different sports on online Indian betting sites. Moreover, we have discussed the major differences between a mobile app and an APK. We hope you liked reading this post. Share your thoughts in the comments. We would love to hear from you.