Fire HD 8 2016

[Bookatarian]

I also noticed this issue, particularly with a workout app I use. It worked great on my Fire HD7, but not available at all for my Fire HD8. I contacted the developer. They no longer develop for the Amazon App Store and do not support the apps. So, older versions are available, but not compatible (in theory) with the new devices, so are no longer available. Compatibility issues are the primary reason an app will not show in the Amazon app store for a device. It is some protection, but also annoying.

There is now an easy, non-root way, to install Play store on a Fire HD8. This gives some options for those apps that are no longer available. As always, since it is a different platform, experiment for which apps will and won't work for your particular device.

[stumped]

Installing Google play store, and then their versions is a good solution. Many apps get more frequent updates that way. I just wish the tablet would stop saying manual update required because it wants to overwrite with amazon version. I am getting that with Netflix and flipboard. Tried deleting my amazon flipboard app completely from amazon cloud and rebooted tablet, yet I still manual update nag. And Google version is much more recent.
With amazon cloud Drive app I have the opposite issue,because I own the Google version also, for my other tablet, play store wants to overwrite the built in amazon version on the fire

I installed the Play Store via the non-rooting way and had it working on my Fire HD 6 for a few months, but I guess one of Amazon's updates trashed it. Now I only get a blank white screen when I try to run the Play Store. Oh well, the Fire HD 6 was just a cheap experiment to see how well it would work along side my Echo and Dot with the Alexa app running. TBH, the Alexa app looks and runs much better on my iPhone and iPad than it does on the Fire. I will never be tempted to buy another Fire.

[stumped]

Could you not just repeat the Google install on the fire tablet ?
The method I followed was to Download or sideload four Google apps, in a set sequence, rebooting after each. I keep a copy of the apk files just in case, but so far so good.

Originally Posted by stumped

Could you not just repeat the Google install on the fire tablet ?
The method I followed was to Download or sideload four Google apps, in a set sequence, rebooting after each. I keep a copy of the apk files just in case, but so far so good.

Could, but won't. The Fire is not very good and it is ready to be retired. I much prefer my iPad Mini 2. I really don't see any point in wasting any more time with such a lackluster tablet that has multiple issues.

[Purple Lady]

Originally Posted by stumped

Could you not just repeat the Google install on the fire tablet ?
The method I followed was to Download or sideload four Google apps, in a set sequence, rebooting after each. I keep a copy of the apk files just in case, but so far so good.

It's even more simple now for those who are interested. No reboots required, and it works great on my new HD 8. http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=3486603

The HD 8 2016 is also way better than the 2015. More ram and a newer and better processor too - it's 64 bit now. It also has a larger default heap size. I had trouble running more than a few apps at at time on the old one, and one app that had a specific warning that it couldn't function properly on Fire tablets works great now.

Originally Posted by Purple Lady

It's even more simple now for those who are interested. No reboots required, and it works great on my new HD 8. http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=3486603

Thanks! I went ahead and uninstalled all the previous apps related to Google Play Store and re-installed them via that website since it was so easy and quick. I've got the Play Store back and running well. I had used a non-jailbreak method before, but it was convoluted and time consuming. This method is much better. I still won't be using my Fire HD 6 much, but it is good to have this working again.

I already had the app ES File Explorer installed, and I had already changed settings to allow non-Amazon apps to install, so this method went really fast.

[stumped]

That is also the link I used, well same instructions anyway.
But I read somewhere that it only works for newish fire tablets, those running fire OS 5. It remains harder to do for devices running fire OS 4 versions. Worth checking before bidding on eBay bargains.

Originally Posted by jswinden

Thanks! I went ahead and uninstalled all the previous apps related to Google Play Store and re-installed them via that website since it was so easy and quick. I've got the Play Store back and running well. I had used a non-jailbreak method before, but it was convoluted and time consuming. This method is much better. I still won't be using my Fire HD 6 much, but it is good to have this working again.

I already had the app ES File Explorer installed, and I had already changed settings to allow non-Amazon apps to install, so this method went really fast.

D'oh!!!!!!! Two days later and the bleeping Fire HD 6 has already trashed the Play Store app again. Back to a white screen. Damn Amazon and their hybrid garbage they call Fire OS. It worked fine right after I re-installed it. I checked just now and it is broken again.

[stumped]

that must be annoying, and obviously you can't get tech support from amazon for fixin the google apps.
my install - to a 4th Gen HDX is still all good. i did it primarily to have synced chrome bookmarks across all my devices, but I do still see updates from play store for stuff amazon do not support - like The Guardian newspaper app.
there are probably techie sites that can explain why yours is failing e.g. the site which gave you the install instructions ? From my (admittedly limited) knowledge of android there is no way that the amazon OS can run a targeted vendetta against play store. and your fire HD 6 OS version should be no different to that on a Fire HD 7 or 8 or 8.9 ?
play store is just another side loaded app, wiht a dependency on the other sideloads of google services framework and google account manager If your play store app bugs out , do other google apps like chrome still work, or not, or have you have enough already ? does apps - settings - force stop - clear cache.... help with resetting the relevant apps

[Purple Lady]

Originally Posted by jswinden

D'oh!!!!!!! Two days later and the bleeping Fire HD 6 has already trashed the Play Store app again. Back to a white screen. Damn Amazon and their hybrid garbage they call Fire OS. It worked fine right after I re-installed it. I checked just now and it is broken again.

Do you just want to be able to run Play Store apps? Most will run fine without the Play Store installed.

I'm curious why yours keeps failing though. It looks like the HD 6 has recent Fire OS so that shouldn't be a problem. Do you have the latest - should be 5.3.1.1. Do you have automatic updates on in the Play Store or Amazon appstore? I don't know if that will make a difference, but I have them turned off and I haven't had a problem. I just updated an app from the Play Store and rebooted and everything still works.

[stumped]

Originally Posted by Purple Lady

Do you just want to be able to run Play Store apps? Most will run fine without the Play Store installed.

I'm curious why yours keeps failing though. It looks like the HD 6 has recent Fire OS so that shouldn't be a problem. Do you have the latest - should be 5.3.1.1. Do you have automatic updates on in the Play Store or Amazon appstore? I don't know if that will make a difference, but I have them turned off and I haven't had a problem. I just updated an app from the Play Store and rebooted and everything still works.

Just checked and i have the default settlng of auto updates ON in Google play. So between us we are running both options ok. I wonder if its the play store app trying and failing to update itself. When I grabbed the apps as per the how to install... article I followed the " there is a newer version of that.. option "for each app at the download site

Originally Posted by Purple Lady

Do you just want to be able to run Play Store apps? Most will run fine without the Play Store installed.

I'm curious why yours keeps failing though. It looks like the HD 6 has recent Fire OS so that shouldn't be a problem. Do you have the latest - should be 5.3.1.1. Do you have automatic updates on in the Play Store or Amazon appstore? I don't know if that will make a difference, but I have them turned off and I haven't had a problem. I just updated an app from the Play Store and rebooted and everything still works.

Yes it is running 5.3.1.1. Well, no clue about automatic updates in the Play Store, and since I cannot get it to display anything but a white screen I cannot find out. I think I do have automatic updates set for the Fire OS app store though. Oh well, the Fire HD 6 I have is a piece of junk so it is time for it to be laid to rest on a dusty shelf. I only bought it because I incorrectly assumed it would work really well with Alexa devices. The iOS thingies do a much better job IMO. And since I really don't care for Android anyway, I think I'll just shelve the Fire HD 6. It was a cheap experiment that just didn't pan out.

[Purple Lady]

Originally Posted by stumped

Just checked and i have the default settlng of auto updates ON in Google play. So between us we are running both options ok. I wonder if its the play store app trying and failing to update itself. When I grabbed the apps as per the how to install... article I followed the " there is a newer version of that.. option "for each app at the download site

I used what was in the thread only. The HDX is completely different from the HD models.

[Purple Lady]

Originally Posted by jswinden

Yes it is running 5.3.1.1. Well, no clue about automatic updates in the Play Store, and since I cannot get it to display anything but a white screen I cannot find out. I think I do have automatic updates set for the Fire OS app store though. Oh well, the Fire HD 6 I have is a piece of junk so it is time for it to be laid to rest on a dusty shelf. I only bought it because I incorrectly assumed it would work really well with Alexa devices. The iOS thingies do a much better job IMO. And since I really don't care for Android anyway, I think I'll just shelve the Fire HD 6. It was a cheap experiment that just didn't pan out.

Auto update is the default, so that's probably what you have. Just to be able to use it now, just uninstall the Google Play modules you installed. The apps already installed should still work ok.