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Installed version of app no longer showing in App Lounge

  • /e/ version: 1.7r stable
  • Device model(s): FP3+
  • Device rooted: no

Summary

The change made in v1.7 to App Lounge whereby the Google play app is replaced with the F-droid app if the app is available in both sources appears to mean that there is no way to locate the Play version of an app, even if that is already installed.

This presents a significant issue where the two versions offer different functionality.

The problem

As an example, for OpenStreetMap mapping I use the Play version of Vespucci as it offers aerial imagery from Bing which is generally higher quality than other available options, so providing the detail necessary for tracing features. The F-droid version has recently removed the ability to use Bing.

I’ve tried unticking ‘show open-source apps’ in App Lounge settings but still only the F-droid version appears.

I used to be able to find the Play version of this app by adding ‘google’ to a search, but now only the F-droid version shows.

This raises two questions:

a) what happens when the app is next updated? Will my installed (Play) version show or will I be unable to update without changing version and losing important functionality?

b) what if I / any other user needs to reinstall / install the Play version?

Steps to reproduce

Search in App Lounge for any open source app.

What is the current behavior?

Where the app is available in both the Play store and F-droid, only the F-droid version will be displayed, even if the Play store version is the version installed.

This appears to be the intended behaviour introduced in v1.7.

What is the expected correct behavior?

Where the Play store version of an app is already installed, a search for that app should display that version, not the F-droid version.

There should also be a way for a user to find the Play store version of any app if that is what they need to update or need / wish to install.

Technical informations

Relevant logs (adb logcat)

Relevant screenshots

Solutions

Workaround

Possible fixes

Make the tick boxes in App Lounge settings determine which stores are searched - common apps = Play store, open source apps = F-droid.