Google and Apple love to tell you what you can and can't download. Wayne Williams ignores their petty restrictions and reveals how and where to get (safe) apps and add-ons they've banned, and software that's been discontinued
If an app has been removed from the Google Play or Apple App Store, or been forbidden entry in the first place, there’s usually a good reason. It may have been found to contain malware or offensive material, or is buggy and unstable. However, there are also many examples of Google and Apple ‘banning’ apps for self-serving reasons, such as because they supposedly undermine their business model (advert blockers being a prime example), provide direct competition to one of the company’s own tools, breach copyright restrictions or don’t meet the store’s submission guidelines.
In this feature, we look at some of the best (safe) forbidden apps and explain how to get them. We also do the same for software that has been abandoned before its time.
To install banned apps on Android, you’ll need to sideload them. To do this, open Settings on your Android phone and tick Unknown Sources - it’ll be under Applications or Security. You’ll now be able to download apps in APK format and install them.
INSTALL BANNED APPS
Adblock Plus and Adblock Browser for Androidadblockplus.org
What is it?
An app that blocks adverts on Android devices.
Why is it banned?
Adblock Plus used to be available in Google Play but it was pulled in 2013, along with other ad-blocking apps. Google cited “interference with another service or product in an unauthorized manner” as the reason for the removal, but the real motive was financial: Adblock Plus was reducing the amount of money Google was making from adverts. Ad-blockers are also banned from the Apple App Store.
Why would I want it?
Because adverts can be annoying and distracting, and the Adblock app removes them while you browse the web on a phone or tablet. From the same developers, the Adblock Browser for Android (bit.ly/browser377; coming soon to iOS) is a browser that automatically blocks ads.
What’s the catch?
You don’t have to root your Android phone to use Adblock Plus, but the app’s developers says it is desirable. Even when you install it, some ads will still be let through. Also, the Adblock Browser for Android is only in beta at the moment, so it could prove a bit buggy and unreliable.
Amazon Appstorewww.amazon.co.uk/getandroidapp
What is it?
An Android app store from Amazon.
Why is it banned?
Google doesn’t want to promote a rival to Google Play, which is what Amazon Appstore is. If Google made the Appstore freely available, users might choose to use it to shop for apps, which would mean a loss of revenue for the search giant. It is, of course, available by default on Amazon devices, such as the Kindle Fire tablets.
Why would I want it?
Because it allows you to compare the price of apps from two reliable sources instead of one. Amazon hosts regular app sales and giveaways - for example, there’s a Free App of the Day - which means there’s a good chance you’ll be able to bag some bargains.
What’s the catch?
There’s no catch as such. Amazon Appstore provides a good alternative to Google Play, but it doesn’t offer as much breadth of content, and you need to have an Amazon account to use it, with 1-Click payment method set up.
GBA4iOS(www.gba4iosapp.com)
What is it?
A Game Boy Advance emulator for the iPhone and iPad.
Why is it banned?
Apple doesn’t allow emulators in the App Store because they let users play games without paying for them, most often (if we're honest) illegally.
Why would I want it?
It does a great job of emulating the Game Boy Advance handheld console, and gives you access to a range of much-loved games including Mario Kart: Super Circuit, Kingdom Hearts and Pokemon.
What’s the catch?
For starters, there are legal issues. Like any emulator, if you own the ROM (the game) that you're playing, then it might be legal for you play it on GBA4iOS; if not - well, you’re breaking the law. GBA4iOS, like Shou Screen Recorder (see right), also frequently becomes unavailable, which means installing it is far from easy. If you’re running iOS 8.1 or later, you’ll be advised to use the paid-for version.
TubeMatetubemate.net
What is it?
A YouTube downloader for Android.
Why is it banned?
Google doesn’t like people being able to download videos from YouTube (which it owns) because it means it makes less money from the adverts on them.
Why would I want it?
You might want to watch YouTube videos when on the go, without using your network connection. TubeMate lets you save music videos and listen to the music from them whenever you like.
What’s the catch?
Naturally, it’s against Google’s terms and conditions to download videos from YouTube, and the legality of doing so is dubious.
Shou Screen Recorderemu4ios.net
What is it?
A screen recorder for iPhone and iPad.
Why is it banned?
Apple doesn't allow applications that can record your iOS activity. The company says that a malicious app could record your screen without your knowledge, and be able to steal your log-in details.
Why would I want it?
You can use Shou to capture anything you do on screen. You can also use it to record streaming videos, such as TV programmes from iPlayer, and live broadcasts from services such as Periscope (www.periscope.tv).
What’s the catch?
Shou is perfectly safe, but you should make sure you don't record anything on your screen containing personal information. Also, Shou will pick up external sounds and any notifications you receive while recording, so make sure you use it in a quiet room. Apple will occasionally take steps to prevent apps such as Shou from installing. There are workarounds - setting the date back a few days, or even years, sometimes works - but usually, if it won't install, you'll just have to wait until the developers release a new version.
Popcorn Timepopcorn-time.se
What is it?
An app that streams TV and movie torrents to Android and iOS devices.
Why is it banned?
Popcorn Time lets you watch thousands of TV episodes as well as popular movies, all for free. The problem is it does so illegally, using torrents.
Why would I want it?
The ease with which you can find and start watching almost any TV episode or film leads to Popcorn Time being frequently compared to Netflix. It gives your phone or tablet access to a phenomenal amount of streaming content.
What’s the catch?
The big problem is that the content on offer comes via illegal torrents, so anything you watch will be without the copyright holder’s permission and you’ll be breaking the law. There’s another problem, too. The UK High Court has ordered all the major ISPs to block access to the Popcorn Time site (and other similar locations). This has led many people to use the app through a proxy server or a VPN, such as TunnelBear (www.tunnelbear.com) which may get around the restriction, but still breaks UK law.
REVIVE DISCONTINUED SOFTWARE
TrueCryptbit.ly/truecrypt377
What is it?
Once popular, but now discontinued drive-encryption software.
Why was it discontinued?
TrueCrypt development ceased in 2014 when Microsoft support for Windows XP came to an end. Because later versions of Windows - from Vista onwards - offered integrated support for encrypted drives and virtual drive images, the developers believed there was no longer a need for a third-party tool that did much the same thing. The official website (truecrypt.sourceforge.net) explains how users can migrate from TrueCrypt to BitLocker in Windows.
Why would I want it?
The software can secure any hard drive (including system drives) and transform a spare USB stick into a portable, private vault. It’s a great tool for ensuring that only you can access personal files on your computer. Although it’s been discontinued, it still works very well.
What’s the catch?
The software is no longer being worked on and, in the words of the developers: “using TrueCrypt is not secure as it may contain unfixed security issues”. However, it’s probably safe enough for most people to use. You’ll want to make sure you grab TrueCrypt 7.1a (no earlier or later versions), and only from a trustworthy site, such as the one our bit.ly URL redirects you to. Don’t get the installer from truecrypt.sourceforge.net.
MSN Messengerbit.ly/msn377
What is it?
Microsoft's much loved instant messaging service that launched back in 1999.
Why was it discontinued?
MSN Messenger had an estimated 330 million users in 2009 but, as the new decade arrived, the software began to lose its way. In 2011, Microsoft acquired Skype from eBay and made the decision to merge it with MSN Messenger. The ageing chat service was turned off in 2013 and, towards the end of last year, Microsoft moved the remaining users across to Skype.
Why would I want it?
If you prefer MSN Messenger to Skype - either for nostalgic reasons, or you just don't need to make voice or video calls - then it’s still a decent program, and it’s great for chatting with friends.
What’s the catch?
Although you can download the program, the servers supporting it no longer work, so you can’t sign in or chat. Its successor, Windows Live Messenger 2012, still works but you’ll need to make use of Messenger Reviver 2 (bit.ly/msnrevive377). And there's another catch - your friends probably won't be using it anymore, which might make finding someone to chat with a bit difficult.
Winampbit.ly/winamp377
What is it?
A popular media player that arrived in 1997.
Why was it discontinued?
AOL didn't give a reason when it closed the service at the end of 2013, but it was probably due to lack of use. Millions of people now use music-streaming services instead. Winamp was bought by the "digital-audio advertising network” Radionomy (www.radionomygroup.com) in early 2014, but there’s still no official new version and no word of when (or if) it will be released.
Why would I want it?
Winamp was a decent media player, with some useful features. If you used it in the past you might want to revisit it for nostalgic reasons.
What’s the catch?
The only reliable version available is a patched build of Winamp 5.666. This isn’t an official release, and is only intended as a stopgap until a new revamped Winamp arrives.
DOWNLOAD BANNED ADD-ONS
YouTube Unblockerbit.ly/ytunblock377
What is it?
An extension for Chrome that automatically unlocks blocked YouTube videos.
Why is it banned?
Google wants to control the extensions used in its browser and doesn’t want any that make changes to how its other services work.
Why would I want it?
YouTube Unblocker lets you bypass geographical restrictions by attempting to open the videos using foreign proxy servers. This means that videos that aren’t allowed in the UK should play without problem.
What’s the catch?
Should the developers ever decide to change the extension and introduce malicious code, you could be at risk (this has happened with other extensions in the past). It’s very unlikely to happen, though.
YouTube Centerbit.ly/ytcenter377
What is it?
A Chrome add-on designed to expand the functionality of YouTube.
Why is it banned?
Like YouTube Unblocker, this add-on makes changes to how YouTube works - and that doesn’t make Google happy.
Why would I want it?
It lets you choose how YouTube looks and behaves in Chrome. If there’s something about the video site that irks you, there’s a good chance that you can banish the annoyance using YouTube Center.
What’s the catch?
You need to configure the add-on to get it working how you want it to, and it’s not particularly easy to use. Updates aren’t very fast and if or when Google makes a change to YouTube, it may mean the extension no longer works.
Install banned apps in iOS using Emu4iOS
1 Emu4iOS provides a way for you to install iOS apps that aren’t allowed in the App Store, including screen recorders (such as Shou), emulators and BitTorrent clients. It doesn’t require you to jailbreak your iPhone. Open Safari on your iPhone or iPad and browse to https://emu4ios.net. The apps appear in a list.
2 The problem with Emu4iOS is that while a decent number of apps are available, many of them stop installing or working, usually due to changes made by Apple. To save you wasting time, ones that work are marked with a green line and ones that don’t have a red line. Newly updated (working) versions appear from time to time.
3 Click Get to install a working app, then click Install in the message that appears on screen. The app will install in the same way as a regular app and can be accessed from the Home screen. You can move and delete it as you would normally.
How to install banned extensions in Chrome
1 Google no longer allows you to install extensions from outside its own web store. This is for reasons of security, but also because Google wants to control which extensions are used with its browser. It used to be easy to circumvent this, but now the process is a little more involved. Click the Menu button, select Settings and click Extensions.
2 Download the extension you want to install. It should be in CRX format. Use a program such as 7-Zip (www.7-zip.org) to extract the extension’s contents into a folder on the Desktop. Tick the ‘Developer mode’ box at the top and click the ‘Load unpacked extension’ button. Browse to the folder that you have extracted the extension to and select it.
3 If everything has gone according to plan, the add-on will install and be available to use. The Extensions page should show it as enabled. To disable or delete it, untick the Enabled box or click the bin icon. You can now delete the folder containing the unzipped extension contents.