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My sister and I have Galaxy S4 and a Galaxy S3. Along the time of usage we have only downloaded common apps like social apps and games. We've never downloaded any system-related apps such as those used to root a phone. Thus, both phones are not rooted.

Questions:

  1. Is it possible for an app (before installing) to be in the form of .zip file instead of its usual .apk file (before installing)? (not the normal archive .zip file)

  2. Does flashing a ROM mean putting a .zip file (with app inside it) in an external SD card, then pressing the Volume-Home-Power keys, later installing it?

  3. Let's say I did all the steps in question 2 using the unrooted S3 and S4, will I successfully install the zipped app to the phones?

  4. If question 3 fails, what other ways do I have to install the zip file? And I don't have access to the computer.

Those are the things that bother me. If there are things very wrong please correct me.

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About this Question and Answer ;

Question :

1) Is it possible for an app (before installing) to be in the form of .zip file instead of its usual .apk file (before installing)? (not the normal archive .zip file)

Answer :

Android can only install .apk files (though .apk and .zip are interchangeable)

This is Proccessing to Create an Apk file :

.java => (javac) => .class => (dx tool) .dex => (aapt) .apk

It called > Android application package (APK).More Information : (Android application package Apk From Wikipedia)

APK files are a type of archive file, specifically in zip format packages based on the JAR file format, with .apk as the filename extension. The MIME type associated with APK files is application/vnd.android.package-archive

Also in older Android Versions, users can run Java files with applications similar called JBED.(Untested in newer Android Versions)

So, Zip files ; usually use the file extensions .zip or .ZIP and the MIME media type is : application/zip

(Wikipedia-Zip file)

And just for archiving and compressing used.and on android, you can't without Decompresser Use it or Open it.

But in Android or Apk file as i said, you can rename the Apk file to Zip and extract All contents like Classes.dex or layouts and ...

(But Of course these files, Compiled and need some Reverse Engineering )

and for Other questions, follow Aleksandar Stefanović Reply. good day.

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  1. Android can only install .apk files (though .apk and .zip are interchangeable)

  2. Yes, it does mean that, but you'll need a custom recovery which has the ability to flash .zip files. Note that such .zip files are not just applications packed in an archive, those .zip files are specifically designed for recovery flashing, and have specific scripts that run when they are flashed

  3. installing custom recovery requires root

  4. As said before, you need root to have recovery so that you could install .zip files. To achieve root access, you'll need a PC.

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