App stores provide us with millions of apps to install on mobile devices. In Android there is a certain freedom so there are alternatives to Google Play Store like Aurora Store or the same Huawei AppGallery. We could put in this bag the future Microsoft store, which would be in development.
This route opens new windows for free software-friendly developers to bet on alternative stores that contain only applications open-source, as is the case with F-Droid, the free store par excellence. However, a new one is coming aiming to be the alternative to the latter, say hello to Accrescent.
A new place to get free apps
Acrescent, according to the RAE, means “Said of a calyx or a corolla: That it continues to grow after the flower is fertilized”. With this enigmatic name, a new store is presented that comes to Android as a alternative proposal to F-Droid
This does not mean that we can already enjoy several his characteristicsapps: secure installs and apps (protected by signatures), latest version check (to avoid threats with outdated versions of apps), unattended updates, and APKs split by devices (to ensure that the app you we install is fully compatible with our mobile).
But the most striking function is, without a doubt, the no user account. Yes, we are used to Google knowing everything we do with our mobile, including the apps we install from the Play Store. But with Accrescent, you don’t need a personal account, so all information remains anonymous.
Moreover, this application has been designed and Targeted on recent versions of Google’s operating systemlike Android 13. Thanks to this, it enjoys automatic updates without the need for privileges such as the superusuario or root
Accrescent is simple and this is perhaps its greatest virtue
This alternative store weighs barely 4 MB, and it can be downloaded from its official website. To install it, we must grant permission from unknown sources, as if we were to add others. When you open it, highlights its simplicity: It has a bottom menu and a design that follows the Material You guidelines.
In addition, from the settings (cog wheel at the top right) you can enable dynamic color which adapts to the wallpaper we use, just like Android does in its latest versions. Continuing with the configuration also allows us to adjust the automatic updates and under what network conditions the downloads will be made (with or without roaming, to avoid additional charges).
That’s all Accrescent allows so far.
For now, that’s all we can do, except download apps which have already been added. Of course, hardly expect any information because it is under development.
That’s why we’re missing a full file of the app we’re seeing, as well as a record of any updates it’s had. It seems incomplete, but it gives hope to anyone looking for a repository of free apps.
Until now, we can only test it in its current state and use it to download any of the apps it hosts. If you are convinced by this project, you can follow it closely in the repository found on GitHub. We will keep an eye out for any improvements that represent the first steps on the way to this new app store.
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