Android Market without Gmail account

[jamex]

I really do not want a Google Mail account on the phone so is there a way to download apps without it? Is there anyway around this? I prefer Windows Live for email, contacts and calendar since my job requires Outlook.

 

[caliskimmer]

I really do not want a Google Mail account on the phone so is there a way to download apps without it? Is there anyway around this? I prefer Windows Live for email, contacts and calendar since my job requires Outlook.

Nope, you have to use Google checkout to buy your apps. Even if you're going all free, Google still wants your info in the database.

 

[duratime]

I'm pretty sure that a Gmail account is required. You don't have to necessarily use it though. Your contacts and calendar will be backed up there.

 

[Cory Streater]

Yeah you don't ever have to use Gmail. You just need to create a Gmail account and link it to a credit card at checkout.google.com. After you've added the Gmail account to your Epic, just go in and turn off synchronization for contacts, calendar, and email.

 

[dvdqnoc]

Cory Streater is correct. You DO need a Google account in order to use the Market. However, if you don't use Gmail and don't want your email synced, you can disable the sync on homescreen>menu>accounts&sync

 

[fhd]

Apparently, you need the GMail account only for the Google account setup wizard, not for the market. So you can delete it after setting up your phone.

 

[keekah]

Yeah you don't ever have to use Gmail. You just need to create a Gmail account and link it to a credit card at checkout.google.com. After you've added the Gmail account to your Epic, just go in and turn off synchronization for contacts, calendar, and email.

So in order to download a free game from the market I still need to have a credit card on file?? I'm about to get an epic on thursday and I'm just curious.

 

[PoundSand]

So in order to download a free game from the market I still need to have a credit card on file?? I'm about to get an epic on thursday and I'm just curious.

no.

 

[lumix]

Gmail is needed to access Android market. Using a Google Account with a non-gmail email id will not work.

 

[JusJes537]

I can understand the need to have a google account ... after all android IS google -- but why must it be a GMAIL acct? I have more email addresses than I know what to do with already ... even if I don't intend to USE it, it still needs to be created & beomes a security risk -- ESPECIALLY if I don't intend to ever use it.

Starting to make me re-consider getting an android phone ...

 

[TCD]

Actually the Gmail account can be useful, and it backs up your contacts automatically as long as you don't save them to "Phone" when you create or import them. That alone can be worth the phones weight in gold if you have a lot of contacts and have to replace your phone. You can also use a Google Apps account if you have one, simple matter of using that account to register your phone when you get it initially. Just make sure that if you aren't the admin on the Google Apps account that your company or educational institution allows it.

Last I checked (someone correct me if wrong please) Apple requires an account on their e-mail system to use the iTunes App Store too. Microsoft and RIM are a bit less demanding here in that you can enable almost any address with them. Microsoft does require your address to be associated with a Live profile though based on my experience with them.

As to having a CC linked to your account, not really needed since the account is automatically linked to your cell number and Google will collect via Sprint, Verizon, T-Mobile, etc... if you don't link to a CC.

 

[Since9600]

I was able to creat an account with my personal email as the ID, BUT was also forced to create a useless Gmail account as well... I can sign in with my personal email as account ID, BUT every order still goes to the damn Gmail which I never check or need and is just plain stupid... I have always run my own email server and really do not need any extra email accounts from anyone.. The Amazon App store on the other hand works the way it should work....Google just wants every damn piece of info about you period lol.. They are a marketing company after all..

 

[corwinpop]

I can understand the need to have a google account ... after all android IS google -- but why must it be a GMAIL acct? I have more email addresses than I know what to do with already ... even if I don't intend to USE it, it still needs to be created & beomes a security risk -- ESPECIALLY if I don't intend to ever use it.

Starting to make me re-consider getting an android phone ...

Security Risk? Howso?

 

[Justan Nix]

i recently got my new android an HTC Wildfire C model and i am frustrated at the stupid google account wizard both ways don't work at all it's hard enough with the small keybord but when i try to create a new Gmail after setting it up it just says that a problem occurred while communicating with google survers also don't work when i try the account i have -,-

 

[joemd60]

That's how it is when you purchase a Windows phone. When I had my HTC Trophy, I needed to create a live account.
I already had a Hotmail account which I did not use.
At the time I was using Yahoo mail, but still used Gmail for contacts and calendar sync.
The drawback with Android, is the email.
Yahoo and Live mail does not work well straight from the mail client within Android.
You're far better off downloading the app from the play store.
Thus, why I use Gmail for my primary email.
Gmail works well with all phones OS's.

 

[ratsttam]

That's how it is when you purchase a Windows phone. When I had my HTC Trophy, I needed to create a live account.
I already had a Hotmail account which I did not use.
At the time I was using Yahoo mail, but still used Gmail for contacts and calendar sync.
The drawback with Android, is the email.
Yahoo and Live mail does not work well straight from the mail client within Android.
You're far better off downloading the app from the play store.
Thus, why I use Gmail for my primary email.
Gmail works well with all phones OS's.

So... With Android, you need to use a gmail account for the Play store, a Live account if you've picked a windows phone, or an itunes account if you've gone with an iphone. If you're that concerned, you would need to either not download apps, or get a "dumb" phone.

NOW, the other option, would be to install a secondary market, such as the Amazon appstore, GetJar, or any other legit store. It's nice that Android lets you pick huh?

 

[Darkstar_Industries]

I'm trying to escape the clutches of Google but of course, that is an impossible task.
I've been using an Oulook.com address instead of my gmail. Replacing Drive with Skydrive etc. But I also ran into the market issue. All I did was create an account Identical to my Outlook one, but gmail and forwarded the mail to my outlook. Simple.
Also, the built in mail app for android works much better than the POS which is on the play store.

 

[Verttex]

Interesting how this 2010 thread got bumped a ton.
You can use alternative markets such as Amazon to get your app fix. Then disable Mail + Gmail, and install whatever mail app you want to use that works with a LIVe account.
Mail apps include, K-9, K-10, Gmail, and others.

 

[iN8ter]

So... With Android, you need to use a gmail account for the Play store, a Live account if you've picked a windows phone, or an itunes account if you've gone with an iphone. If you're that concerned, you would need to either not download apps, or get a "dumb" phone.

NOW, the other option, would be to install a secondary market, such as the Amazon appstore, GetJar, or any other legit store. It's nice that Android lets you pick huh?

No, you're all sorts of confused.

First of all, it's called a Microsoft Account, and you can use a non-Outlook.com email to set up a Microsoft Account. Microsoft has the necessary fields to set which email addresses to send all notifications to, as well. Google doesn't have this.

Secondly, you can use any email address to set up an Apple ID.

The issue is less of the Gmail requirement and more of the inability to Delete Gmail and get your stuff to go to a different email address. AFAIK, Google Play Store - unlike iTunes/App Store and Microsoft/Windows Store doesn't give you the choice on where to get this stuff sent. A ton of Google services default to this Gmail address and don't give you an option of where to send this stuff.

This is different from Microsoft and Apple, and it's also different form companies like RIM/Blackberry and Yahoo! who allow you to set any email address as your Blackberry ID (similar to iTunes) or Log-In/Use a different email address for services they own, like Flickr (Flickr doesn't force you to use Yahoo! Mail to get notifications from them).

I've also been looking at a way to delete Gmail and still use Android (cause the iPhone is too narrow a keyboard for me to type on, and Windows Phone doesn't have apps I absolutely require), because as a Windows 8/Outlook 2013/IE 10 user Gmail/Google Talk is a pretty bad user experience and at this point the only use I have for that account is keeping my purchased apps functioning.

If anyone is brave enough, delete Gmail from your Google Account and try to get a Free Song of the Day or something, and see what happens...

 

[Allen Schoepflin]

You don't need a google account I have my yahoo account and it let's me use it with all of Google's features even the play store.