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not sure if this part of stackoverflow for Firefox is for Firefox on Android also.

I've added a long comment to this unfortunately closed bug: https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1387384#c9 explaining why I need the option to place Firefox on Android to "Adoptable Storage".

As written, I can get Firefox installed on "Adoptable Storage" by simply changing Firefox's APK's "common options" - "Install Location" to "Prefer External" with App "APK Editor". No need to recompile anything or similar.

BUT this way with the app "APK Editor" a) "breaks" the upgrade path, I'm getting no updates shown for Firefox anymore in Google's "PlayStore" and b) this workaround with "APK Editor" itself is not able to perform an upgrade, only a new installation, after deinstallation. Dropping all saved credentials, bookmarks etc.

a) is not an issue for me, but, of course, b)

As after ~3 weeks there's not a single answer to my comment on Bugzilla, let me give a try here:

Q1: Where do get get the APK for Firefox on Android, for new versions listed in PlayStore?

Q2: If I change it outside of Android, let's say on Linux, how, if possible, do I get Android to perform an UPGRADE of Firefox, with the newly downloaded and slightly changed APK? Upgrade, preserving user data, not new installation.

Remarks: Installation from "Unkown Sources" is allowed on my smartphone, as I prefer F-Droid Apps whenever possible. Smartphone is NOT rooted and shouldn't be rooted, if avoidable

MichaelOF
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  • You have a few questions in here and I'm unclear if you are looking for a programming solution (which should be here) or not. For Q1: have your seen https://wiki.mozilla.org/Mobile/Platforms/Android For Q2 and you are building your own see: https://stackoverflow.com/a/2415377/295004 – Morrison Chang May 25 '18 at 19:14
  • @MorrisonChang: Thank you for your answers! Downloaded the Firefox APK, extracted everything. Found, that Manifest.xml is a "binary XML", new for me. A pity, I hoped that my target would only changing a text file, packing the APK and install . Found refs about "aapt dump ..." to get Manifest.xml in readable format, but no idea how to get it back, as "binary XML", and not sure if the APK will be still installable because of e.g. checksums. Found that I have to drop existing certificates, create own and sign with them, fine for me. – MichaelOF Jun 07 '18 at 18:37

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Thanks to the hints from Morrison Chang and some further research I was able to solve my issue, maybe interesting for others:

I've wrote a small bash script which:

Works fine for months now, and for several new versions, no specific issues.

MichaelOF
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