Method and apparatus of acquiring information regarding applications for display on a user interface

Abstract

An approach is provided for acquiring information regarding installed applications on a user equipment. A request for information is received regarding one or more applications installed on user equipment in a category of applications. The request includes a respective unique identifier for the one or more applications. And, a transmission of the information is initiated including an icon corresponding to the one or more applications compiled using the respective unique identifier for the one or more applications

1 . A method comprising:
 receiving a request for information regarding one or more applications installed on a user equipment in a category of applications, wherein the request includes a respective unique identifier for the one or more applications; and   initiating transmission of the information including an icon corresponding to the one or more applications compiled using the respective unique identifier for the one or more applications.   
     
     
         2 . A method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a request from the user equipment for unique identifiers for all known applications in the category of applications; and   initiating transmission of the unique identifiers for all known applications in the category of applications to the user equipment.   
     
     
         3 . A method of  claim 1 , wherein the receiving of the request for information includes receiving unique identifiers for all applications installed on the user equipment and an indication of the category of applications, and compiling the information by determining which of the unique identifiers for all installed applications correspond to the indicated category of applications. 
     
     
         4 . An apparatus comprising:
 at least one processor; and   at least one memory including computer program code,   the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following:   receive a request for information regarding one or more applications installed on a user equipment in a category of applications, wherein the request includes a respective unique identifier for the one or more applications; and   initiate transmission of the information including an icon corresponding to the one or more applications compiled using the respective unique identifier for the one or more applications.   
     
     
         5 . An apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to:
 receive a request from the user equipment for unique identifiers for all known applications in the category of applications; and   initiate transmission of the unique identifiers for all known applications in the category of applications to the user equipment.   
     
     
         6 . An apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the receiving of the request for information includes receiving unique identifiers for all applications installed on the user equipment and an indication of the category of applications, and compiling the information by determining which of the unique identifiers for all installed applications correspond to the indicated category of applications. 
     
     
         7 . A method comprising:
 initiating transmission of a request for information regarding one or more applications installed on a user equipment in a category of applications, wherein the request includes a respective unique identifier for the one or more applications; and   receiving the information including an icon corresponding to the one or more applications compiled using the respective unique identifier for the one or more applications.   
     
     
         8 . A method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 initiating transmission of a request for unique identifiers for all known applications in the category of applications;   receiving the unique identifiers for all known applications in the category of applications;   and   comparing the unique identifiers for all known applications in the category of applications with unique identifiers of all applications installed on the user equipment to determine the category of the one or more applications.   
     
     
         9 . A method of  claim 7 , wherein the initiating of the transmission of the request for information includes initiating transmission of unique identifiers for all applications installed on the user equipment and an indication of the category of applications; and the method further comprising:
 receiving information comprising unique identifiers for all installed applications corresponding to the indicated category of applications.   
     
     
         10 . A method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 presenting the information including the icon in a user interface on the user equipment to allow a user to access the respective application.   
     
     
         11 . A method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 presenting the information including the icon in a user interface on the user equipment to allow a user to access an update for the respective application.   
     
     
         12 . An apparatus comprising:
 at least one processor; and   at least one memory including computer program code,   the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following:   initiate transmission of a request for information regarding one or more applications installed on a user equipment in a category of applications, wherein the request includes a respective unique identifier for the one or more applications; and   receive the information including an icon corresponding to the one or more applications compiled using the respective unique identifier for the one or more applications.   
     
     
         13 . An apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to:
 initiate transmission of a request from the user equipment for unique identifiers for all known applications in the category of applications;   receive the unique identifiers for all known applications in the category of applications to the user equipment; and   compare the unique identifiers for all known applications in the category of applications with unique identifiers of all applications installed on the user equipment to determine the category of the one or more applications.   
     
     
         14 . An apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to:
 include, in the request for information, unique identifiers for all applications installed on the user equipment and an indication of the category of applications,   receive information comprising unique identifiers for all installed applications corresponding to the indicated category of applications.   
     
     
         15 . An apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to:
 present the information including the icon in a user interface on the user equipment to allow a user to access the respective application.   
     
     
         16 . An apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to:
 present the information including the icon in a user interface on the user equipment to allow a user to access an update for the respective application.   
     
     
         17 . An apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the apparatus is the user equipment. 
     
     
         18 . An apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the apparatus is a personal computer, and wherein the user equipment is a mobile device.