🚀 KingInstaller - Release Update
I am rolling out a major update to KingInstaller, packed with architectural improvements, UI modernizations, and new diagnostic tools to streamline the workflow!
✨ What's New & Improved
- Updated Dependencies: Upgraded all underlying libraries and project configurations to target modern Android standards for enhanced stability and performance.
- Material Design 3 UI: Completely refreshed the user interface embracing modern Material 3 guidelines, components, and cleaner layouts.
- Shizuku (ADB) Support: Added native Shizuku integration to execute operations smoothly using ADB privileges without traditional root overhead where applicable.
- App Diagnostic Checker: Introduced a dedicated checker tool to inspect how the system perceives an installed application, providing an immediate estimation of whether it will successfully appear and function inside Android Auto.
- Android Auto Settings Shortcut: Added a quick shortcut button to jump directly into the system's Android Auto settings page.
- Direct APK Opening: You can now open APK files directly with KingInstaller (via file managers or shares) to dramatically speed up the installation process.
- Improved Root Detection: Enhanced the reliability and accuracy of root permission detection across different device environments.
- Package Installer Reinstallation Menu: Re-added the utility menu option to reinstall the stock Package Installer (Note: while some users believe this helps with unlocking/compatibility, personal testing shows no noticeable change, but it's back by popular demand).
⚠️ CRITICAL COMPATIBILITY NOTICE
- WORKING OS: Currently confirmed to work properly on Android 16 (A16) on Samsung and Pixel devices.
- ANDROID 17 WARNING: Testing on Pixel devices running Android 17 (A17) shows that it DOES NOT WORK out of the box. (Note: It likely only works if the app was already installed and running on A16 and then preserved/carried over during an OS upgrade to A17 without reinstalling or updating it).
📊 Android Auto Requirements & Insights (Based on Testing):
- The Golden Rule: For an app to successfully show up and function in Android Auto, the "Requested by" field must trace back to the Play Store or the Package Installer, while the "Installed by" field MUST be exclusively the Play Store.
- If an app is tracked as requested by ADB (such as
com.android.shell), it will fail to work in Android Auto, even if it technically looks like it was installed from the Play Store.- The manual Shizuku method allows injecting ADB commands for testing purposes, but unfortunately, I believe it is unlikely that any pure ADB-driven installation method will ever bypass Android Auto's strict checks permanently.
🧪 Testing Environment: Real-world testing is currently being conducted using my own version of AABrowser (available on GitHub), which currently runs correctly on my personal Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and a friend's Pixel 7 running Android 16.