How do I programmatically determine if an app in the play store can be installed on current device?

Question

In my app, I'm recommending related apps, but only want to recommend them if they actually can be installed on the device (e.g. device in related apps' targeted countries, correct OS version, etc.). See https://developer.android.com/google/play/filters.html

1. Is there any API that allows me to query if a given app I am recommending by linking to market://details?id=package_name can be installed on the local device?
2. If not, I could manually store the other apps' requirements in my own app. But then, how do I determine items such as the country the users' Play Store is associated with?

Answer 1

Unfortunately, there is no API to compare an app with specific devices. The Play Store is it doing somehow internally.

So, the second approach is the way to go. The most common filters are

• Country (since you can't retrieve the "play store country", use other approaches...)

  String locale = context.getResources().getConfiguration().locale.getCountry(); 
  // or if you are sure there is a SIM-card
  TelephonyManager tm = (TelephonyManager)getSystemService(Context.TELEPHONY_SERVICE);
  String countryCode = tm.getSimCountryIso();
  // or use country of current network (i.e. from 3G)
  String countryCode = tm.getNetworkCountryIso()
  

• Android version

  if (android.os.Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= android.os.Build.VERSION_CODES.GINGERBREAD) {
      // only for gingerbread and newer versions
  }
  

• Screen size

  Display display = getWindowManager().getDefaultDisplay();
  Point size = new Point();
  display.getSize(size);
  int width = size.x;
  int height = size.y;
  

You may want to check other things like the available sensors (which you could do via getSensorList). To list them all would create a very long list and finding all APIs to find these things is mostly easy, so I won't list them all.

By checking country, version and screen size you should be safe with most of the apps.