Has anyone here tried installing the myPhonak app onto a Fire HD tablet?
I have that app installed on my Samsung phone and on a Lenovo Android tablet.
But after I “thought” I had the Fire Tablet set to receive non-Amazon apps, when I go to the Playstore it doesn’t provide any option to download or install it on that device. It only indicates that it is already installed on my other two devices. It doesn’t acknowledge that the Fire tablet exists.
I think it’s going to be pretty difficult. You’ll need to somehow trick Google Playstore into thinking it’s a compatible device. It’s not even compatible on my Chromebook which originally has Playstore. Unless you really want a “project,” I’d get another Android tablet. If you really want to do this, I’d think Android forums might be a better bet. Good luck! Let us know if you pull it off.
It describes installing the Google Play Store first.
Installing myPhonak on the Fire tablet is not a Fire deal killer for me since it’s in two other devices I already have.
I’m in the process of exchanging the new Fire I just got because I ordered the wrong version. I’ll report progress in a few days.
I was just listening to Windows Weekly and they were talking about how the Google Play Store and Google Services will not be available in Windows 11, which will have an ability to run Android apps natively-just from the Amazon Store. As the OP of this thread found, host Leo Laporte of WW suggested that maybe someone would come up with an hack for Windows 11 to allow the Google Play Store to be accessed anyway and he mentioned that there is a simple hack that anyone can do to put Google Play on a Kindle Fire Tablet - so I searched and found lots of hits in addition to the one that I just noticed that gfmucci has found, too. How to Geek is pretty reputable for its advice, so it ought to be a good backup for the video and the How to Geek article is current as of 7/9/2021 How to Install the Google Play Store on an Amazon Fire Tablet (howtogeek.com)65, whereas the YouTube video is from 4/24/20, so things may have changed a bit since then. The biggest thing, IMHO, is Google Play now has a new app packaging structure, which might affect the ability of an “old-fashioned” device to use the old Store “hack.” What You Should Know About the Google Play Store Changes | WIRED2 unless the APK’s you’re supposed to install on a Fire Tablet already take those changes into account.
Just being repetitive, but having Google Play installed does not ensure ability to install a particular app. My Chromebook came with Google Play installed and it will not let me install MyPhonak.
I think as long as My Phonak can run on Android tablets and the latest Android version on a Fire tablet is not too forked a version of Android, My Phonak is very likely to run. A Chromebook is not an Android device, a Fire tablet is and the How to Geek article implies in the very first paragraph: “That means, that you can install the Play Store and gain access to millions of Android apps and games, including Google apps like Gmail, Chrome, Google Maps, and more.” I don’t think that they would make such an unqualified statement unless there are very few exceptions but hopefully gfmucci is going to provide us an answer in a few days! I’ve used BlueStacks on Windows 10 in the past and run apps from both the Google Play Store and from the Amazon Store under Win10. In fact, for one, I think I bought the “Pro” license in the Amazon Store but have downloaded the app itself from the Google Play Store and used the Amazon version of my license to upgrade the app from the Play Store (because the “Pro” license unlocks a DEVELOPER upgrade feature contained in either store version of the app). And like the Fire Tablet, BlueStacks is some forked version of Android, AFAIK. Although looking now (it’s been years), I see that BlueStacks lets you choose a version of Android for app compatibility - and is only up to about Android 9: BlueStacks 4: Why does BlueStacks recommend a specific Android version for some apps? – BlueStacks Support1 My Phonak only says that it requires Android 7 and up. According to this: Identifying Fire Tablet Devices | Fire Tablets (amazon.com)1, the latest Fire Tablets run Android 9, API level 28.
Since November 2018, all app updates on Google Play have been required to target API level 26 (Android 8.0) or higher. Thanks to the efforts of thousands of app developers, Android users now enjoy more apps using modern APIs than ever before, bringing significant security and privacy benefits.
Thanks for all the research and info. I remain skeptical. Historically I’ve often thought something “should work,” but then learned that it won’t so my “go to” is skepticism. I hope you’re right for OP’s sake.
Just did a bit of poking. There are a lot of versions of Fire HD! I see mention the latest version. I’d agree that’s the one with the best of chance although I didn’t see OP mention a version.
Yup, that’s the one I have on the way, the Fire HD 10 Plus with wireless charging. Correct, there are a bunch of models which contributed to my ordering mistake, along with not paying enough attention.
I should have the results of my experiment by the beginning of the week. Side loading (installing apps the system wants you to avoid installing) isn’t recommended for those who don’t like to mess with this stuff. Too many extra steps. But it’s done all the time and harmless and effective 95% of the time - like the COVID jab.
Have an ancient fire tablet.
I installed Google play store.
Downloaded Samsung browser.
Worked.
My problem is no memory left on the fire.
I think the difference between Chrome OS and fire is that Amazon’s operating system it’s a fork of android.
Google has been messing with getting Android apps to work on Chrome tablets.
It’s probably Phonack, but like I said a Chrome book uses Chrome OS it’s not Android.
Google has been trying to get Android apps to work on Chrome OS.
I don’t own a Chrome book so I never tried.
It would be interesting if someone can verify they put
it on a fire tablet and got it to work.
It’s not clear if it’s just the Play Store, Chrome, or What, that’s a part of Google Mobile Services that might be essential to run the My Phonak app but gfmucci (and anyone else) can try sideloading all the identified and available components of Google Mobile Services onto a modern Fire Tablet and see what else besides the Play Store might be required to get actual functionality. If I remember my BlueStacks experience correctly, to get the most app availability and function, BlueStacks emulated VIRTUALLY an Android phone. So perhaps if Android app developers have the ability to check for a smartphone device vs. tablet, that check could block My Phonak from running if it checks to see if it’s been installed a smartphone with potential cellular connectivity vs. a Wi-Fi-only tablet.
I just received my Fire HD10 plus, and the first thing I did was install the Google Play Store. I don’t have Phonak aids but I haven’t found anything thing so far that doesn’t install and function correctly.
Maybe you don’t want to mess up your More pairing but you could stop keeping us in suspense and let us know if you can run the Oticon app on the Fire tablet (but then again you’ve said that you’re glad to have retired for good from IT endeavors!).
@jim_lewis I’m thinking this makes sense as OPN More are I believe
I’d be very curious if you can install the Phonak app. Just knowing if it says you can install would be interesting.
Was just poking around. My NRF mobile app “sees” my Chromebook as having Android 9. It’s got Bluetooth 4.2 so don’t know why it won’t let me download Phonak app.
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