Google Play Store and Apple App Store are the most popular and most used app stores for Android and iOS devices, respectively. They are the official window for smartphone users to fulfill their needs of getting different utility, entertainment, and gaming apps.
However, due to some limitations and restrictions, many users go beyond these official platforms to get their apps. Such unofficial app downloading sources are known as the third-party app store. Though hundreds of unofficial third-party app stores are used by millions of users, there is always a security concern while accessing them. People always doubt whether an external app store such as APKMirror is safe or not.
Let us discuss what these third-party app stores are, why users switch to these third-party apps and are these app stores safe?
What are Third-Party App Stores?
The app stores are the dedicated platform with a vast collection of applications ready to download and install. Every OS platform has an official store for providing apps to its users. For example, Android has Play Store, Windows has Microsoft Store, and iOS & macOS have App Store.
The app stores other than the official ones are categorized as third-party app stores. They also contain millions of applications just like the official ones, plus some extra apps too. The additional apps are from the developer who couldn’t register their apps on official stores. The official stores take some amount of money to register the app on their platform—so many app developers who can’t afford that, switch to unofficial third-party stores for listing their apps.
Why are Third-Party App Stores popular?
There are several reasons because of which the third-party app stores are quite popular among users despite official sources having millions of apps in every category. Here is the list of those plausible causes.
(1) Restrictions by Official Stores
Official app stores like Play Store and App Store would provide the users only the latest version to install. The problem is those apps might not be compatible with low-end devices. This is where third-party app vendors come in.
Most popular third-app stores give users the option to download the older version of the app, too, along with the latest ones. There is no compulsion to install only the newest version. However, official app stores also suggest apps as per the device’s configuration, but still, many people want flexibility in choosing the version of their apps.
(2) Paid Apps available for Free
On third-party stores, you will find many apps that are paid on the official stores, are available for free. It might be either because someone who has the paid version might have listed it, or the original developer themselves have made it available for free since it cost them nothing to upload their apps on third-party app stores.
(3) Privacy Concerns
Your privacy is the cost of the ‘free’ services of Google you enjoy. Play Store is one of the free services by Google. Many people avoid creating Google accounts to protect their privacy on the internet. However, to download any app from Play Store, you need to have a Google account. To bypass this, many people prefer downloading apps from third-party sources rather than Google Play Store.
(4) Official Store Banned
Many people are forced to download apps from unofficial sources because the official store is banned or blocked in their region. For example, in China, all the services of Google, including Play Store, is forbidden. People, there has no other option other than third-party stores.
(5) Not all Apps available on the Official Store
Google and Apple have their own sets of rules, so any app or developer who does not follow those won’t be allowed on the Play Store. It is because of this reason many utility apps are not available on official stores. On the other hand, third-party app stores don’t have many rules. It makes the developers easier to list their apps on such platforms. Also, Google doesn’t allow the exclusive apps of other official stores such as Amazon and Samsung on Play Store. So to use those apps, users have to browse to that app store where they are available.
(6) Hacking Apps Available
Official app stores would obviously not provide illegal apps such as the cracked version of games, hacking apps, spying apps, and more. Some third-party app stores contain such types of apps, so people in need of those would visit such stores.
Are Third-Party App Stores Safe?
Though third-party app stores provide a lot more freedom than the official ones, their standards are quite low when it comes to safety. Google and Apple keep security and privacy above anything else, so any app not following such norms won’t be allowed on their platforms. Also, to list their apps on official app stores, the developers must follow strict security standards while making an application.
On the other hand, the third-party app stores might not provide that level of security while listing the apps on their platform. In fact, many third-party app stores lower down their security restrictions to attract more developers to their platform. Though you will also find safe apps on such stores, but unlike Play Store and App Store, the possibility of getting a dangerous app is higher. After getting into your device, such dangerous apps can infect it with malware like Ransomware, Spyware, Trojans, and others.
Many popular apps available on official stores might also be available on third-party vendors but with some modification by injecting malicious codes.
Some apps might also act as a spy and can store and share sensitive information like Email ID, Device Information, Phone Numbers, and more.
Conclusion
While there are many advantages of getting apps from third-party stores, their focus is more on quantity and not on quality. So, as of now, there are no better options to get secured apps for smartphones other than the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. You can use third-party app stores in case of urgency when an app that you want is not available on trusted stores.
💡Uri Tech💡 