Injecting custom data into files in zip format containing apps, without unzipping, resigning or re-zipping the files

1. A computer implemented method for customizing apps for specific mobile environments, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a download request for an app from a specific target associated with a mobile computing device, along with custom data associated with the specific target, wherein different specific targets are associated with distinct custom data;

identifying, by a computer from which the app is downloaded to mobile computing devices, a non-customized version of a specific file in zip format containing a specific app;

responsive to the custom data of the download request, injecting custom data that customizes the app for the specific target into a comment field in the specific file in zip format containing the specific app, without unzipping, resigning or re-zipping the specific file in zip format, wherein the injected custom data customizes the app for a specific target, wherein the comment field is located at the end of a section of a frame to allow for a variably large amount of data for the comment field within the frame, and wherein the custom data being unzipped is packaged with the non-customized version of the specific file in zip format; and

transmitting the file in zip format and the injected custom data from the computer from which the app is downloaded to the mobile computing device, thereby providing the mobile computing device with a data driven, version of the app that is customized for the specific target, wherein the specific target downloads and runs the app, and reads the custom data from the comment field to customize the app according to the specific target running the app.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein injecting custom data into a comment field in the specific file in zip format containing the specific app further comprises:

injecting custom data into a comment field located at the end of the file in zip format.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein injecting custom data into a comment field in the specific file in zip format containing the specific app further comprises:

injecting custom data into a comment field of an end of a central directory record field of the file in zip format.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein injecting custom data into a comment field in the specific file in zip format containing the specific app further comprises:

injecting custom data into a comment field of a local file header of the file in zip format; and

updating values of offsets in the file in zip format to account for the injected custom data into the comment field.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

updating a comment length field in the file in zip format to account for the custom data injected into the comment field.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the specific file in zip format comprises a specific APK (Android Application Package) file; and

the specific app contained in the specific file in zip format comprises a specific Android app.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein injecting custom data into a comment field in the specific file in zip format containing the specific app further comprises:

transmitting the non-customized version of the specific file in zip format containing the specific app and the custom data in succession to a mobile computing device, such that the mobile computing device receives the non-customized version of the specific file in zip format containing the specific app and the custom data as a single, customized file in zip format.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein injecting custom data into a comment field in the specific file in zip format containing the specific app further comprises:

writing the contents of the non-customized version of the specific file in zip format to a new file in zip format, on the computer from which the app is downloaded to mobile computing devices; and

writing the custom data to a comment field in the new file in zip format, on the computer from which the app is downloaded to mobile computing devices, thereby creating a customized file in zip format.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting the file in zip format and the injected custom data from the computer to the mobile computing device further comprises:

transmitting the file in zip format and the injected custom data to the mobile computing device such that the data driven, customized version of the app runs on the mobile computing device and accesses the custom data from the file in zip format.

10. At least one non-transitory computer readable medium for customizing apps for specific mobile environments, the at least one non-transitory computer readable medium storing program code that, when loaded into computer memory and executed by a processor performs the following steps:

receiving a download request for an app from a specific target associated with a mobile computing device, along with custom data associated with the specific target, wherein different specific targets are associated with distinct custom data;

identifying, by a computer from which an app is downloaded to mobile computing devices, a non-customized version of a specific file in zip format containing a specific app;

responsive to the custom data of the download request, injecting custom data that customizes the app for the specific target into a comment field in the specific file in zip format containing the specific app, without unzipping, resigning or re-zipping the specific file in zip format, wherein the injected custom data customizes the app for a specific target, wherein the comment field is located at the end of a section of a frame to allow for a variably large amount of data for the comment field within the frame, and wherein the custom data being unzipped is packaged with the non-customized version of the specific file in zip format; and

transmitting the file in zip format and the injected custom data from the computer from which the app is downloaded to a mobile computing device, thereby providing the mobile computing device with a data driven, customized version of the app, wherein the specific target downloads and runs the app, and reads the custom data from the comment field to customize the app according to the specific target running the app.

11. The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10 wherein injecting custom data into a comment field in the specific file in zip format containing the specific app further comprises:

injecting custom data into a comment field located at the end of the file in zip format.

12. The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10 wherein injecting custom data into a comment field in the specific file in zip format containing the specific app further comprises:

injecting custom data into a comment field of an end of a central directory record field of the file in zip format.

13. The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10 wherein injecting custom data into a comment field in the specific file in zip format containing the specific app further comprises:

injecting custom data into a comment field of a local file header of the file in zip format; and

updating values of offsets in the file in zip format to account for the injected custom data into the comment field.

14. The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10 further storing program code that when loaded into computer memory and executed by the processor performs the following additional step:

updating a comment length field in the file in zip format to account for the custom data injected into the comment field.

15. The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10 wherein:

the specific file in zip format comprises a specific APK (Android Application Package) file; and

the specific app contained in the specific file in zip format comprises a specific Android app.

16. The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10 wherein injecting custom data into a comment field in the specific file in zip format containing the specific app further comprises:

transmitting the non-customized version of the specific file in zip format containing the specific app and the custom data in succession to a mobile computing device, such that the mobile computing device receives the non-customized version of the specific file in zip format containing the specific app and the custom data as a single, customized file in zip format.

17. The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10 wherein injecting custom data into a comment field in the specific file in zip format containing the specific app further comprises:

writing the contents of the non-customized version of the specific file in zip format to a new file in zip format, on the computer from which the app is downloaded to mobile computing devices; and

writing the custom data to a comment field in the new file in zip format, on the computer from which the app is downloaded to mobile computing devices, thereby creating a customized file in zip format.

18. The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10 wherein transmitting the file in zip format and the injected custom data from the computer to the mobile computing device further comprises:

transmitting the file in zip format and the injected custom data to the mobile computing device such that the data driven, customized version of the app runs on the mobile computing device and accesses the custom data from the file in zip format.

19. A computer system for customizing apps for specific mobile environments computer memory;

at least one processor;

a storage medium;

a receiving module residing in the computer memory, configured to receive a download request for an app from a specific target associated with a mobile computing device, along with custom data associated with the specific target, wherein different specific targets are associated with distinct custom data;

an identifying module residing in the computer memory, configured to identify a non-customized version of a specific file in zip format containing a specific app located on the storage medium;

a custom data injecting module residing in the computer memory, configured to, responsive to the custom data of the download request, inject custom data that customizes the app for the specific target into a comment field in the specific file in zip format containing the specific app, without unzipping, resigning or re-zipping the specific file in zip format, wherein the injected custom data customizes the app for a specific target, wherein the comment field is located at the end of a section of a frame to allow for a variably large amount of data for the comment field within the frame, and wherein the custom data being unzipped is packaged with the non-customized version of the specific file in zip format; and

a transmitting module residing in the computer memory, configured to transmit the file in zip format and the injected custom data from the computer from which the app is downloaded to a mobile computing device, thereby providing the mobile computing device with a data driven, customized version of the app, wherein the specific target downloads and runs the app, and reads the custom data from the comment field to customize the app according to the specific target running the app.

20. The computer system of claim 19 wherein:

the specific file in zip format comprises a specific APK (Android Application Package) file; and

the specific app contained in the specific file in zip format comprises a specific Android app.