Install / Download Incompatible Apps From Android Market [How To]

The Android Market is beginning to look down on older Android devices, or in some cases, the fragmentation of the devices, has increased the occurrence of the “This item is not compatible with your device.” message these days. Most of the times, you are wondering how and why is your device incompatible with a relatively simple app! Hats off to James Cushing from RootzWiki who recently devised a method that lets you trick the Market into thinking that you’re using a device you don’t otherwise have.

Before we begin with this, it is important to note that for this trick to work, you will need to have a rooted Android device, otherwise, this will simply not work.

Disclaimer: Please follow this guide at your own risk. AddictiveTips will not be liable if your device gets damaged or bricked during the process.

Requirements:

• A rooted Android device.
• File Manager app such as ES File Explorer or Root Explorer.

Instructions:

1. On your device, navigate to Settings > Applications > All > Market and select Clear Data.
2. Launch ES File Explorer or Root Explorer.
3. In ES File Explorer under Settings > Root Settings, enable Root Explorer and Mount File System. In Root Explorer, you can simply tap the little mount r/w icon at the top of the screen.
4. Navigate to the /system folder and open the file name build.prop.
5. Keep the file pressed and select copy. Paste it somewhere else in any folder and rename the file. (This was a backup.)
6. Go back to the original file, and open it to edit it. In ES File Explorer, long-press the file and open it in ES Note Editor.
7. Make the following changes to the lines ro.product.model and ro.product.manufacturer (Nexus S is a widely supported device, but you can change the device as per your requirement):

   ro.product.model = Nexus S
   
   ro.product.manufacturer = samsung

8. Once the changes are made, save the file.

You can now head back to the Market to try and download previously un supported apps, but even if you do manage to download them, there is no guarantee that it will work.

[via rootzwiki]

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Zayed Rehman

Studying Development Sciences in the humble pursuit of saving this world; making occasional contributions to the world of Android. | Find me on Google+

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