Apparently, all it takes to update to unreleased-but-approved apps on the Windows Store is to use a really old version of said app. This is what a reddit user discovered today when they accidentally tricked the Windows Store into updating their old OneDrive app.
While Microsoft released a universal Windows 10 OneDrive app for mobile some time ago, we’ve only seen rumors, reports and screenshots of the desktop version of the app. For one reason or another, Microsoft is taking its sweet time bringing it to desktop users.
That hasn’t stopped reddit user mcdenis from inadvertently tricking the Windows Store into downloading the unreleased universal desktop app. What’s interesting is they did not even mean to download it, as they were actually trying to use the old Windows 8 version of the OneDrive app.
mcdenis sideloaded an old version of OneDrive because it shows all files in your OneDrive account (somewhat similar to Dropbox’s new Project Infinite), not just those synchronized locally as it does now. It also comes with better sharing features.
The redditor opened the app the next day from its live tile only to discover that they were now using the unreleased universal Windows 10 app for OneDrive. The mobile version was made available recently, but the desktop app is under development.
To double-check everything, mcdenis reinstalled the OneDrive for Windows 8 in another virtual machine running Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 14332, and updated the app from the Windows Store. A few minutes later, they were using the new, unreleased app. In other words, the Windows Store was tricked somehow.
It’s an odd little bug, and the way mcdenis stumbled upon it is quite interesting.
Here’s the story in their own words:
The other day, I sideloaded the old OneDrive app for Windows 8 because it has a major advantage over the client that comes with Windows 10: it shows all my files, including those that are not synced locally. It also supports the share contract and it integrates fairly well in the file picker. This morning, I clicked on the OneDrive tile and guess what? The app that launched was actually the new UWP OneDrive app which is not even released yet on desktop PCs. To make sure I wasn’t hallucinating or something, I reinstalled the old OneDrive app in another VM and right after that, the store started offering the new unreleased app as an update. I guess it won’t be too long before it is released to insiders…
We agree! This means the new universal OneDrive app is all set to be made available to Windows Insiders, since mcdenis updated it through the Windows Store. We’ll share the news when that happens. Stay tuned to Windows Clan!
For the rest of you who aren’t Windows Insiders, you’ll have to wait till Microsoft releases the Windows 10 Anniversary Update in June.
(Screenshots courtesy /u/mcdenis)
The post Redditor Tricks Windows Store Into Downloading Unreleased Universal OneDrive App appeared first on Windows Clan.
