“Why Sideload?” User Behaviours, Interactions and Accessibility Issues Around Mobile App Installation

Abstract

With the increase of smartphone ownership year by year, the accessibility of mobile application increases too. Application sideloading is a behaviour identified as the act of installing applications through unofficial means. Moreover, sideloading as a study is insufficiently researched in relation to its occurrence in smartphone usage. This position paper describes sideloading behaviour in context to accessibility, interaction, security, problematic smartphone uses and its occurrences in other devices. The research aims to identify those who sideload, the causes of sideloading and the behavioural differences dependent on the device used with a future intention of reviving and highlighting this field of research.