Permanently indicate to Market an application should refuse upgrades?

Question

Some applications update frequently, (like Dolphin Browser), but to my needs the current version is clearly enough, barring a major advance of the application. Some applications (like Slacker Radio) remove earlier functionality via updates, in the interest of cleanliness or to strengthen marketing additional features to a subscriber audience. Slacker Radio specifically moved the look-ahead next artist functionality into their pay version.

So, for me, these are 2 cases for specific updates I would prefer never to perform because I am either happy, or just content. Currently I reject selecting Update-All, since they remain in the list, and update my apps one-by-one. Is there a way to tell Market/Google Play to shield them from the update list on a semi to permanent fashion to prevent them, especially to prevent inclusion in an accidental mass-update?

Answer 1

Titanium Backup Pro can do what you want. (Yes, you must buy PRO. The feature is disabled in non-pro).

Once you have the app, do this:

• Open Titanium Backup Pro
• Open tab Backup/Restore
• Scroll to the app that you want to unlink from Market
• Long-press on the selected app
• Click Detach from Market

I can't get it to work on my phone, but maybe it'll work for you.

Answer 2

Unfortunately, due to changes in Google Play, there is no real way to hide updates from it – apart from turning them up in the Playstore app completely. Sounds like a contradiction, but must not necessarily be:

1. turn off update checks (and auto-updates) in the playstore app
2. get yourself the Appbrain App Market app
3. login to the Appbrain website with your Google account
4. initialize the app (let it sync your installed apps with the Appbrain account created in the previous step)

Now, this app is responsible to inform you about updates. Once an update is signaled, you can decide to either

• install it
• skip it (this update only; so you're notified for the next update again)
• skip all updates for the app in question

With multiple updates pending, you can still batch-update them. Just don't be surprised updating will open the Playstore app again: Appbrain is just a different front-end to Google Play Store, not a separate market place :)