Last week marked a significant milestone for apkeep with the release of version 1.0.0, a testament to our commitment to refining this command-line Android package downloading software over the past four years. While this update may not introduce sweeping changes, it reflects a stable and mature phase in the project’s evolution.
What’s New in 1.0.0
This latest version comes with a handful of exciting features, all designed to enhance interactions with the Google Play Store:
- You can now download a dex metadata file linked to an app that includes a Cloud Profile, offering insights into app performance based on real-world usage.
- Users can log in anonymously for app downloads by providing a token generated by the Aurora Store’s dispenser.
- It is now possible to specify your own device profiles when downloading apps from Google Play, ensuring that the store delivers the app variant tailored to your device specifications.
- We have resolved an authentication bug that was introduced by the Play Store API.
In addition to our support for various Linux, Windows, and Android environments, we are pleased to announce that apkeep is now available through Homebrew for macOS users, expanding our accessibility.
How Researchers Use apkeep to Understand the Android App Landscape
The features in this release have largely been shaped by the input of researchers and users, particularly the ability to download dex metadata with Google’s Cloud Profiles. This functionality has proven invaluable for researchers studying Android compilation profiles, which serve as critical data points for evaluating dynamic testing. Numerous projects have cited apkeep in their workflows; for instance, Exodus Privacy utilizes it to facilitate downloads for their εxodus tool, which monitors app privacy properties. Various research teams have acknowledged their use of apkeep in whitepapers, including one team that downloaded 21,154 apps for an extensive study on Android evasive malware. We take pride in being a reliable tool that supports their vital work.
What’s in Store for apkeep?
Our vision for apkeep remains steadfast: to provide a dependable, fast, and secure method for downloading apps from a variety of app providers, extending beyond just the Google Play Store. While we have prioritized Google Play as the primary app provider in many regions, we have also broadened our support to include other platforms, such as F-Droid for open-source app downloads. Our aim is to continue expanding the list of supported providers, facilitating comparative analysis of apps across different contexts. We welcome your contributions to this endeavor.
How You Can Help
If you are integrating apkeep into your own toolkit—whether for malware analysis, app auditing, or simply archiving apps—we would love to hear from you! If you appreciate our efforts, please consider donating to the EFF to help sustain our work.
