App versionss in the app store are really old-- is that normal?

by [deleted]

Apologies in advance is this is a dumb question.

We just bought a Smart TV. So far, I'm not impressed. (Note: I live outside the USA; electronics here are both poorer quality and more expensive than what you may be accustomed to.)

The TV runs Android 7 and has the Aptoide TV app store. To my (naive?) surprise, the store has plenty of apps but the versions it has are so old that they are almost unusable, or are already unusable. For example, a movie app I want-- MUBI-- is in the store, but the version the store has is from 2015. It's too old to work and it can't be updated. Same story with Firefox for TV browser, but that one is from 2013! So far, the most recent app I've seen in there is from 2018.

Is this problem typical of Android TVs? Or is it the Androide app store that's the problem? Is there a setting that needs to changed somewhere? Etc.

(I know sideloading is a thing. I'm wondering if there's something else I can/should do trying that.)

Thank you!

mindoversoul

Aptoide isn't an official app distribution service. The Google Play Store is the official way to get apps. Most Android TV devices have the Play Store, not Aptoide. Android 7 is also very out of date. Whoever made your TV never updated it, and didn't install an official app store. Sounds like you just got a poorly manufactured TV with no support.

Arnas_Z

Honestly, this doesn't sound like a legit Android TV. Since you don't have Google Play Store or Google Play Services, I suggest you uninstall or disable Aptoide (It's pretty sketchy, to be honest), and use the open-source Aurora Store instead. It directly pulls apps from the Play Store, and doesn't require Google services to work, so at least you'll get up to date apps. You can get Aurora here - https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.aurora.adroid/ Download the APK and install it to the TV.

backtobooks

That's not an Android TV. If it was marketed as an Android TV device that would be illegal. What you have is a TV running an outdated hacked uncertified version of mobile Android. Hence the old apps, lack of updates, and lack of Android TV apps. I'd return it and find a legitimate reseller of Android TVs or buy a separate certified Android TV box to add to your regular TV.

ttran857

You can find the latest apk of the apps you want and try to install them that way