Android Things是否支持插件？APK下载安装可行性及系统影响咨询

Hey there! Let's tackle your two questions about your Android Things project—super common concerns when working with embedded Android systems, so I get where you're coming from.

A) Is it feasible to download and install a feature APK from a specified site to support new external devices? #

Short answer: Yes, it's feasible, but there are key considerations to make it work reliably:

• APK Permissions & Hardware Access: Your APK needs to declare all necessary permissions for interacting with the external device (e.g., android.permission.USB_PERMISSION for USB devices, or GPIO-related permissions if using board-specific hardware). Don’t forget to include <uses-feature> tags in your AndroidManifest.xml to specify required hardware capabilities, which helps the system validate compatibility.
• Secure Download & Verification: Always use HTTPS for downloading the APK to avoid man-in-the-middle attacks. After downloading, verify the APK’s signature (using PackageManager or manual signature checks) to ensure it hasn’t been tampered with—critical for embedded systems where security is a priority.
• Installation Mechanism: Android Things supports standard Android installation methods. For in-app installation, you’ll need to use the PackageInstaller API (instead of deprecated methods like Intent.ACTION_INSTALL_PACKAGE). This requires your app to hold the REQUEST_INSTALL_PACKAGES permission (declared in the manifest and granted by the user if running on newer Android Things builds).
• Storage & File Access: Ensure your app has the necessary storage permissions to save the downloaded APK. For Android Things versions based on Android 10+, adapt to scoped storage rules to avoid permission issues.

B) Will this break the system update process? #

Under normal circumstances, no—this shouldn’t break system updates, but you need to avoid a few pitfalls:

• Partition Isolation: Android Things separates system partitions (for OS components) from user data partitions (where third-party APKs are installed). OTA system updates only overwrite the system partitions, so your installed APKs will remain intact unless the update explicitly wipes user data (which is rare for official updates).
• Avoid System Partition Modifications: If you try to install your APK as a system app (by pushing it to /system/app), future OTA updates will overwrite this partition and remove your APK. Stick to installing apps in the user data partition to preserve them across updates.
• Don’t Tamper with System Services: If your APK modifies core system files, replaces system services, or interferes with the OTA update service (e.g., disabling com.google.android.things.update), it could cause updates to fail or leave the system in an unstable state. Keep your APK focused on device-specific functionality without altering system-level components.
• Test Update Compatibility: Always test your APK alongside a system update on your target hardware. Some external device drivers might conflict with updated system libraries, so validate that your app works as expected after an OTA update.

Quick Pro Tip #

Since Android Things is no longer officially supported by Google, make sure you’re working with a stable build that matches your hardware’s capabilities. Testing on your target board (e.g., Raspberry Pi 3/4, NXP i.MX8) early on will help catch compatibility issues before deployment.

内容的提问来源于stack exchange，提问作者KatGaea