Android hidden application

You need to make your app into a service. Here is Androids take on creating services components:

http://developer.android.com/guide/components/services.html

Found this as well on MobiWare:

When you want to track the usage of the mobile or gather some data without user knowledge,this might help you.

Step1: Create an application with No icon. Normally,an activity is declared as follows in manifest.

     <activity        android:label="@string/app_name"        android:name="org.security.tracker.Tracker-activity" >        <intent-filter >            <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />            <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />        </intent-filter>

Remove the Category TAG ,you wont get app icon anymore. Now,you don't need activity anymore. so remove this segment.BUt you might think,how the app will run without any trigger or what is the starting point of the application.This is the solution.

<!-- Start the Service if applicable on boot -->    <receiver android:name="org.security.tracker.ServiceStarter" >        <intent-filter >            <action android:name="android.intent.action.BOOT_COMPLETED" />        </intent-filter>    </receiver>

This triggers your code that written in Receiver there by you can run service to implement your thoughts.

 <service android:name="org.security.tracker.serviceCode" />

You need to add this permission,

 <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.RECEIVE_BOOT_COMPLETED" />

Your code runs when the phone reboots only.

Step 2. Write your code

On Reboot,the recevier will fire ,there you can start your service.

class ServiceStarter extends BroadcastReceiver {@Overridepublic void onReceive(Context _context, Intent _intent) {    Intent i = new Intent("com.prac.test.MyPersistingService");    i.setClass(_context, ServiceCode.class);    _context.startService(i);  } }

You can remove the <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER"/> from the AndroidManifest.xml file.

But remember to add <category android:name="android.intent.category.LEANBACK_LAUNCHER"/> so that Android studio will be able to compile your app (yet hidden from launcher) :) :D

remove

<intent-filter > <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" /> <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" /> </intent-filter>

from the manifest file