For up-to-date product documentation, see the IBM MobileFirst Foundation Developer Center.

Add an application from a public app store

Application Center supports adding to the catalog applications that are stored in third-party application stores, such as Google play or Apple iTunes.

Applications from third-party app stores appear in the Application Center catalog like any other application, but users are directed to the corresponding public app store to install the application. You add an application from a public app store in the console, in the same place where you add an application that was created within your own enterprise. See Add a mobile application.

Note: Currently, the Application Center supports only Google Play and Apple iTunes. Windows Phone Store and Windows Store are not yet supported.

Instead of the application executable file, we must provide a URL to the third-party application store where the application is stored. To find the correct application link more easily, the console provides direct links in the Add an application page to the supported third-party application store websites.

The Google play store address is https://play.google.com/store/apps.

The Apple iTunes store address is https://linkmaker.itunes.apple.com/; use the linkmaker site rather than the iTunes site, because we can search this site for all kinds of iTunes items, including songs, podcasts, and other items that are supported by Apple. Only selecting iOS applications provides you with compatible links to create application links.

Procedure

1. Click the URL of the public app store that we want to browse.
2. Copy the URL of the application in the third-party app store to the Application URL text field in the Add an application page of the Application Center console.
   • Google Play:
     1. Select an application in the store.
     2. Click the detail page of the application.
     3. Copy the address bar URL.
   • Apple iTunes:
     1. When the list of items is returned in the search result, select the item that we want.
     2. At the bottom of the selected application, click Direct Link to open the application details page.

        Note: Do not copy the Direct Link to the Application Center. Direct Link is a URL with redirection, you will need to get the URL it redirects to.

     3. Copy the address bar URL.

3. When the application link is in the Application URL text field of the console, click Next to validate the creation of the application link.
   • If the validation is unsuccessful, an error message is displayed in the Add an application page. We can either try another link or cancel the attempt to create the current link.
   • If the validation is successful, this action displays the application properties. We can then modify the application description in the application properties before you move to the next step.

     Figure 1. Modified application description in application properties

     

4. Click Done to create the application link.

   This action makes the application available to the corresponding version of the Application Center mobile client. A small link icon appears on the application icon to show that this application is stored in a public app store and is different from a binary app.

   Figure 2. Link to an application stored in Google play

   

Parent topic: The Application Center console

Related concepts:

Configure WebSphere® Application Server to support applications in public app stores

Related tasks:

Configure WebSphere Application Server to support applications in Google play

Configure WebSphere Application Server to support applications in Apple iTunes

Install applications through public app stores