Pin Tricks

Discussion

Most "Google Play Services" apps affected, including Play Books, Newsstand, Play Music, others. "One Today" is tested here.

The common denominator is the standard Google "Help & Feedback" feature, by which entry to the Play store at wide is gained.

First, pin an app. Here we're pinning One Today.

Pinning confirmation dialog is shown.

"Screen pinned" shown for illustration.

Access the "Help & Feedback" feature via the left-side "slide-out panel". It is the bottom-most item, here.

You are now in the Help browser.

Note that links (to apps, etc) are properly restricted (i.e. do nothing) in the help documents.

Ignore the help content.

Open the Action Bar menu (upper right) and select "View in Google Play Store", which is first on the list.

PS: There are also potential weak links in the "Print..." feature, but that's for another day.

You are now in the Play Store, looking at the app itself.

Which is odd, because you're not supposed to be here. ;)

Note that the "Open" button works (in a sense), probably returning the user to the existing instance which, in any case, remains pinned.

And oh yes, the Uninstall button does indeed work.

Note that "Home" was pressed here to illustrate that we are actually still "pinned" - though what that means is now a bit foggy. ;)

App, uninstall thyself!

The app is, literally, uninstalled.

This is the resultant screen, which shows One Today in a state awaiting installation.

Note: Actually, "returning" from here to the "pinned" app did not show immediately promising results and is left to further research.

Anyways let's re-install the One Today app...

And here we are accepting policy and installing...

Note that even while we're installing the app (thinks it) remains pinned.

As long as you're careful not to use "Back", you can navigate all over the Play Store, uninstalling, installing, rating and all that jazz.

Importantly, the "Open" button for any app other than the pinned app will not work. Or hasn't yet.

Note that any use of the "Back" button will usually return to the pinned app.