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How to give an app as a gift

androidpit google play card gift
© Google

Whether for a birthday, hunting for an original gift, or when your friends or family gets a new Android smartphone or tablet for the Christmas holidays, a cool idea is to give the gift of an Android app. This could also be something cool to give your kids, after you’ve bought them their first Android phone.

androidpit google play card gift
Give the gift of an app / © Google

Though there are many great free apps, all without spending a dime, there are many paid apps that are actually top notch Android apps. So gifting an Android app as cool as Monument Valley or Talon for Twitter would make anyone a happy camper.

  • Best Android apps: essential apps for your tablet and smartphone
  • Best tablets for kids

Google Play Gift Card

You’ve likely noticed that at some supermarkets or electronics stores have Google Gift cards hanging strategically at the checkout counter. Getting one of these gift cards is the easiest way to give an app to a friend because you give them the freedom to purchase whatever they like. They come in different amounts (10, 20 and 30). You or the person you’ve gave it to can then employ the gft card on the web or directly from an Android device. In addition to apps, you can also purchase movies, books and music.

google play gift cards
You can buy Google Play Gt Cards for 15, 25 and 30 bucks. / © Google

These gift cards never expire and are compatible with all Android devices. To use the credit on the card, just head to the Google Play Store, open the drop-down menu located in the upper right corner, and press Coupon Code. All that remains to do is to insert the number sequence present on the gift card and you're done!

androidpit google play store redeem credit
To redeem the credit from the card, ths can easily be done in the Play Store website or app./ © ANDROIDPIT

Share apps with friends

If you want to give the gift of an app and the Google Play Gift Card isn’t for you, then you go an alternative route, in which you share the application with your friend. Buy the app you want to give your friend and share it using an app, like Share App or MyAppSharer.

Once installed, open the app and you will a list of all your applications. Choose the one previously purchased and then share it with your friend through the in-app instructions. Also, sharing paid apps might not work for all of them, the developer must have specified that this is possible in the developer settngs.

androidpit share apps 1
 / © ANDROIDPIT
${app-com.fw.appshare}

Do you have root access? Even better! You can share an app using a simple file manager. Go to the root of the internal memory, then share the APK (with a long press on the desired application) from / data / app.

Did you give your friend an app gift or share one of your own paid apps? 

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Loie Favre

Loie Favre
Editor

Loie Favre found her way to her present passion for Android and smartphone technology after experiencing an epiphany when she held her Galaxy Note 2. From that point onwards, you can find her with her nose buried in countless Android apps and different smartphone models, and thanking her lucky stars that she gets to work at something she loves.

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6 comments
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  • Andrew Albano 6
    Andrew Albano Dec 24, 2014 Link to comment

    well? then? don't tell the IRS!


    • 9
      Babak Sanei Dec 27, 2014 Link to comment

      I'm living in a country with no copyrights law, so I can download anything free, but you know I'm talking about conscience.
      2-3$ per app for (usually) life time license, is not a problem which lead us to illegal apps.


  • 9
    Babak Sanei Dec 24, 2014 Link to comment

    I guess sharing apps is not a legal option.


  • My1 37
    My1 Dec 23, 2014 Link to comment

    no update just microwave the whole thing.
    BTW, you say that certain "app stores" are not allowed to be posted here coz they're illegal, but the app sharing isnt really legal too...


  • My1 37
    My1 Oct 26, 2014 Link to comment

    even if you have root the direct sharing probably wont work with many apps due to license check, especially the direct one over root...


    • 1
      Lewis Jones May 4, 2015 Link to comment

      But if you have root access, license check can be patched and and you can bluetooth a patched apk over. Root isn't needed for an apk file anyway. Apk Extractor from Google play does the job.

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