I'm a teacher and I'd like to develop a small app for my students to use. Not all will have their own phone and will have to borrow Mum's or Dad's phone to use the app. Either way, I'm concerned that the warnings that pop up against "unauthorised" apps will affect the uptake. Is there a way to get apps preapproved by google play store or something? Sorry to be vague, but I'm not quite sure where to even start looking for an answer. I have searched the forum and I'm finding advice that says things like, "tell recipients to change their phone settings to accept unknown apps...". To me, that in itself is like a scary warning which I'd like to avoid if possible.
@d8sconz, if you didn't want the messages from google play store, then there are other methods to get the app onto your student's phones. I do not know much about how to get messages off of google play but here are ways not using google play.
The first way is to give all the students the downloaded app file(aia) and have everyone download it, and import it into mit app inventor then connect to AI companion and scan the code with their phones, they can then play the app. (this way is really simple and probably the easiest, this is what the teacher did in my class and there is no weird or scary messages).
The second way still makes you accept "unknown sources" but will download it to their phone not using google play. Here is a video on how to do that:
The only other way I know is to do it by Google Play, which is what you are already doing, I would recommend the First way, it is the easiest and fastest(without you having to download anything onto your phone.)
If you need more help, just ask!
Brady
The messages are not from Google Play, they are from Android. If the Apps are distributed via Google Play, the warning messages will not appear.
Usually the "unknown App source" message is followed by "install anyway?", so you could explain to recipients what is going on and why.
Google are constantly increasing the security of Android, which makes programming for the platform a little bit more complicated now.
Thank you for your reply. I should have mentioned that I teach English not app inventor, so my feeling is that option one (getting students up and running with ai2) is not feasible. Also, I'm not on Google Play. The messages are just what I get when I choose the .apk option in the build process and upload that to my own phone.
Thank you. I will look into distributing through Google Play or... Is there any alternative? An OS repository? Anyway, that seems to be the logical option.
Well, being on Google Play would make a huge difference. 
Edit: There are other platforms, but they may or may not be recognised by the Android security check and so the warning could still be triggered.
ProfessorCad: Tips & Tricks Alternative Stores you can upload your App to
then there is no way you just have to tell them that it is completely safe because android will always give warnings unless it is protected by play protect which only happens when you publish app to google play store
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