diff --git a/lib/image_providers/app_icon_image_provider.dart b/lib/image_providers/app_icon_image_provider.dart
index 3628e7481..c9f70632e 100644
--- a/lib/image_providers/app_icon_image_provider.dart
+++ b/lib/image_providers/app_icon_image_provider.dart
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import 'dart:ui' as ui show Codec;
 
-import 'package:aves/services/android_app_service.dart';
+import 'package:aves/services/common/services.dart';
 import 'package:equatable/equatable.dart';
 import 'package:flutter/foundation.dart';
 import 'package:flutter/widgets.dart';
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ class AppIconImage extends ImageProvider<AppIconImageKey> {
 
   Future<ui.Codec> _loadAsync(AppIconImageKey key, DecoderCallback decode) async {
     try {
-      final bytes = await AndroidAppService.getAppIcon(key.packageName, key.size);
+      final bytes = await androidAppService.getAppIcon(key.packageName, key.size);
       return await decode(bytes.isEmpty ? kTransparentImage : bytes);
     } catch (error) {
       debugPrint('$runtimeType _loadAsync failed with packageName=$packageName, error=$error');
diff --git a/lib/services/android_app_service.dart b/lib/services/android_app_service.dart
index a8883adf8..ef7defa72 100644
--- a/lib/services/android_app_service.dart
+++ b/lib/services/android_app_service.dart
@@ -10,10 +10,35 @@ import 'package:flutter/foundation.dart';
 import 'package:flutter/services.dart';
 import 'package:latlong2/latlong.dart';
 
-class AndroidAppService {
+abstract class AndroidAppService {
+  Future<Set<Package>> getPackages();
+
+  Future<Uint8List> getAppIcon(String packageName, double size);
+
+  Future<bool> copyToClipboard(String uri, String? label);
+
+  Future<bool> edit(String uri, String mimeType);
+
+  Future<bool> open(String uri, String mimeType);
+
+  Future<bool> openMap(LatLng latLng);
+
+  Future<bool> setAs(String uri, String mimeType);
+
+  Future<bool> shareEntries(Iterable<AvesEntry> entries);
+
+  Future<bool> shareSingle(String uri, String mimeType);
+
+  Future<bool> canPinToHomeScreen();
+
+  Future<void> pinToHomeScreen(String label, AvesEntry? entry, Set<CollectionFilter> filters);
+}
+
+class PlatformAndroidAppService implements AndroidAppService {
   static const platform = MethodChannel('deckers.thibault/aves/app');
 
-  static Future<Set<Package>> getPackages() async {
+  @override
+  Future<Set<Package>> getPackages() async {
     try {
       final result = await platform.invokeMethod('getPackages');
       final packages = (result as List).cast<Map>().map((map) => Package.fromMap(map)).toSet();
@@ -29,7 +54,8 @@ class AndroidAppService {
     return {};
   }
 
-  static Future<Uint8List> getAppIcon(String packageName, double size) async {
+  @override
+  Future<Uint8List> getAppIcon(String packageName, double size) async {
     try {
       final result = await platform.invokeMethod('getAppIcon', <String, dynamic>{
         'packageName': packageName,
@@ -42,7 +68,8 @@ class AndroidAppService {
     return Uint8List(0);
   }
 
-  static Future<bool> copyToClipboard(String uri, String? label) async {
+  @override
+  Future<bool> copyToClipboard(String uri, String? label) async {
     try {
       final result = await platform.invokeMethod('copyToClipboard', <String, dynamic>{
         'uri': uri,
@@ -55,7 +82,8 @@ class AndroidAppService {
     return false;
   }
 
-  static Future<bool> edit(String uri, String mimeType) async {
+  @override
+  Future<bool> edit(String uri, String mimeType) async {
     try {
       final result = await platform.invokeMethod('edit', <String, dynamic>{
         'uri': uri,
@@ -68,7 +96,8 @@ class AndroidAppService {
     return false;
   }
 
-  static Future<bool> open(String uri, String mimeType) async {
+  @override
+  Future<bool> open(String uri, String mimeType) async {
     try {
       final result = await platform.invokeMethod('open', <String, dynamic>{
         'uri': uri,
@@ -81,7 +110,8 @@ class AndroidAppService {
     return false;
   }
 
-  static Future<bool> openMap(LatLng latLng) async {
+  @override
+  Future<bool> openMap(LatLng latLng) async {
     final latitude = roundToPrecision(latLng.latitude, decimals: 6);
     final longitude = roundToPrecision(latLng.longitude, decimals: 6);
     final geoUri = 'geo:$latitude,$longitude?q=$latitude,$longitude';
@@ -97,7 +127,8 @@ class AndroidAppService {
     return false;
   }
 
-  static Future<bool> setAs(String uri, String mimeType) async {
+  @override
+  Future<bool> setAs(String uri, String mimeType) async {
     try {
       final result = await platform.invokeMethod('setAs', <String, dynamic>{
         'uri': uri,
@@ -110,7 +141,8 @@ class AndroidAppService {
     return false;
   }
 
-  static Future<bool> shareEntries(Iterable<AvesEntry> entries) async {
+  @override
+  Future<bool> shareEntries(Iterable<AvesEntry> entries) async {
     // loosen mime type to a generic one, so we can share with badly defined apps
     // e.g. Google Lens declares receiving "image/jpeg" only, but it can actually handle more formats
     final urisByMimeType = groupBy<AvesEntry, String>(entries, (e) => e.mimeTypeAnySubtype).map((k, v) => MapEntry(k, v.map((e) => e.uri).toList()));
@@ -125,7 +157,8 @@ class AndroidAppService {
     return false;
   }
 
-  static Future<bool> shareSingle(String uri, String mimeType) async {
+  @override
+  Future<bool> shareSingle(String uri, String mimeType) async {
     try {
       final result = await platform.invokeMethod('share', <String, dynamic>{
         'urisByMimeType': {
@@ -142,9 +175,10 @@ class AndroidAppService {
   // app shortcuts
 
   // this ability will not change over the lifetime of the app
-  static bool? _canPin;
+  bool? _canPin;
 
-  static Future<bool> canPinToHomeScreen() async {
+  @override
+  Future<bool> canPinToHomeScreen() async {
     if (_canPin != null) return SynchronousFuture(_canPin!);
 
     try {
@@ -159,7 +193,8 @@ class AndroidAppService {
     return false;
   }
 
-  static Future<void> pinToHomeScreen(String label, AvesEntry? entry, Set<CollectionFilter> filters) async {
+  @override
+  Future<void> pinToHomeScreen(String label, AvesEntry? entry, Set<CollectionFilter> filters) async {
     Uint8List? iconBytes;
     if (entry != null) {
       final size = entry.isVideo ? 0.0 : 256.0;
diff --git a/lib/services/common/services.dart b/lib/services/common/services.dart
index a97b32bf8..9963efef7 100644
--- a/lib/services/common/services.dart
+++ b/lib/services/common/services.dart
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import 'package:aves/model/availability.dart';
 import 'package:aves/model/metadata_db.dart';
+import 'package:aves/services/android_app_service.dart';
 import 'package:aves/services/device_service.dart';
 import 'package:aves/services/media/embedded_data_service.dart';
 import 'package:aves/services/media/media_file_service.dart';
@@ -18,6 +19,7 @@ final p.Context pContext = getIt<p.Context>();
 final AvesAvailability availability = getIt<AvesAvailability>();
 final MetadataDb metadataDb = getIt<MetadataDb>();
 
+final AndroidAppService androidAppService = getIt<AndroidAppService>();
 final DeviceService deviceService = getIt<DeviceService>();
 final EmbeddedDataService embeddedDataService = getIt<EmbeddedDataService>();
 final MediaFileService mediaFileService = getIt<MediaFileService>();
@@ -33,6 +35,7 @@ void initPlatformServices() {
   getIt.registerLazySingleton<AvesAvailability>(() => LiveAvesAvailability());
   getIt.registerLazySingleton<MetadataDb>(() => SqfliteMetadataDb());
 
+  getIt.registerLazySingleton<AndroidAppService>(() => PlatformAndroidAppService());
   getIt.registerLazySingleton<DeviceService>(() => PlatformDeviceService());
   getIt.registerLazySingleton<EmbeddedDataService>(() => PlatformEmbeddedDataService());
   getIt.registerLazySingleton<MediaFileService>(() => PlatformMediaFileService());
diff --git a/lib/utils/android_file_utils.dart b/lib/utils/android_file_utils.dart
index 378b4fd22..7132003f7 100644
--- a/lib/utils/android_file_utils.dart
+++ b/lib/utils/android_file_utils.dart
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-import 'package:aves/services/android_app_service.dart';
 import 'package:aves/services/common/services.dart';
 import 'package:aves/utils/change_notifier.dart';
 import 'package:aves/widgets/common/extensions/build_context.dart';
@@ -36,15 +35,15 @@ class AndroidFileUtils {
     // from Aves
     videoCapturesPath = pContext.join(dcimPath, 'Video Captures');
 
-    _initialized = true;
-  }
-
-  Future<void> initAppNames() async {
+    // include package fetching in initialization
+    // to avoid app album color flickering
     if (_packages.isEmpty) {
-      _packages = await AndroidAppService.getPackages();
+      _packages = await androidAppService.getPackages();
       _potentialAppDirs = _launcherPackages.expand((package) => package.potentialDirs).toList();
       appNameChangeNotifier.notifyListeners();
     }
+
+    _initialized = true;
   }
 
   bool isCameraPath(String path) => path.startsWith(dcimPath) && (path.endsWith('${separator}Camera') || path.endsWith('${separator}100ANDRO'));
diff --git a/lib/widgets/collection/app_bar.dart b/lib/widgets/collection/app_bar.dart
index 91145e206..52699fbd2 100644
--- a/lib/widgets/collection/app_bar.dart
+++ b/lib/widgets/collection/app_bar.dart
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import 'package:aves/model/settings/settings.dart';
 import 'package:aves/model/source/collection_lens.dart';
 import 'package:aves/model/source/collection_source.dart';
 import 'package:aves/model/source/enums.dart';
-import 'package:aves/services/android_app_service.dart';
+import 'package:aves/services/common/services.dart';
 import 'package:aves/theme/durations.dart';
 import 'package:aves/widgets/collection/entry_set_action_delegate.dart';
 import 'package:aves/widgets/collection/filter_bar.dart';
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ class _CollectionAppBarState extends State<CollectionAppBar> with SingleTickerPr
       vsync: this,
     );
     _isSelectingNotifier.addListener(_onActivityChange);
-    _canAddShortcutsLoader = AndroidAppService.canPinToHomeScreen();
+    _canAddShortcutsLoader = androidAppService.canPinToHomeScreen();
     _registerWidget(widget);
     WidgetsBinding.instance!.addPostFrameCallback((_) => _onFilterChanged());
   }
@@ -363,7 +363,7 @@ class _CollectionAppBarState extends State<CollectionAppBar> with SingleTickerPr
     final name = result.item2;
     if (name.isEmpty) return;
 
-    unawaited(AndroidAppService.pinToHomeScreen(name, coverEntry, filters));
+    unawaited(androidAppService.pinToHomeScreen(name, coverEntry, filters));
   }
 
   void _goToSearch() {
diff --git a/lib/widgets/collection/entry_set_action_delegate.dart b/lib/widgets/collection/entry_set_action_delegate.dart
index bd1a284ae..e528c2e6c 100644
--- a/lib/widgets/collection/entry_set_action_delegate.dart
+++ b/lib/widgets/collection/entry_set_action_delegate.dart
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ import 'package:aves/model/highlight.dart';
 import 'package:aves/model/selection.dart';
 import 'package:aves/model/source/collection_lens.dart';
 import 'package:aves/model/source/collection_source.dart';
-import 'package:aves/services/android_app_service.dart';
 import 'package:aves/services/common/image_op_events.dart';
 import 'package:aves/services/common/services.dart';
 import 'package:aves/services/media/enums.dart';
@@ -66,7 +65,7 @@ class EntrySetActionDelegate with FeedbackMixin, PermissionAwareMixin, SizeAware
   void _share(BuildContext context) {
     final selection = context.read<Selection<AvesEntry>>();
     final selectedItems = _getExpandedSelectedItems(selection);
-    AndroidAppService.shareEntries(selectedItems).then((success) {
+    androidAppService.shareEntries(selectedItems).then((success) {
       if (!success) showNoMatchingAppDialog(context);
     });
   }
diff --git a/lib/widgets/debug/android_apps.dart b/lib/widgets/debug/android_apps.dart
index eeaf09a44..c21c8e263 100644
--- a/lib/widgets/debug/android_apps.dart
+++ b/lib/widgets/debug/android_apps.dart
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import 'package:aves/image_providers/app_icon_image_provider.dart';
-import 'package:aves/services/android_app_service.dart';
+import 'package:aves/services/common/services.dart';
 import 'package:aves/utils/android_file_utils.dart';
 import 'package:aves/widgets/common/identity/aves_expansion_tile.dart';
 import 'package:aves/widgets/viewer/info/common.dart';
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ class _DebugAndroidAppSectionState extends State<DebugAndroidAppSection> with Au
   @override
   void initState() {
     super.initState();
-    _loader = AndroidAppService.getPackages();
+    _loader = androidAppService.getPackages();
   }
 
   @override
diff --git a/lib/widgets/home_page.dart b/lib/widgets/home_page.dart
index 7c4c4e0a9..af3a0ebaf 100644
--- a/lib/widgets/home_page.dart
+++ b/lib/widgets/home_page.dart
@@ -66,7 +66,6 @@ class _HomePageState extends State<HomePage> {
     }
 
     await androidFileUtils.init();
-    unawaited(androidFileUtils.initAppNames());
 
     var appMode = AppMode.main;
     final intentData = widget.intentData ?? await ViewerService.getIntentData();
diff --git a/lib/widgets/viewer/embedded/embedded_data_opener.dart b/lib/widgets/viewer/embedded/embedded_data_opener.dart
index f09a5f04d..6afea2433 100644
--- a/lib/widgets/viewer/embedded/embedded_data_opener.dart
+++ b/lib/widgets/viewer/embedded/embedded_data_opener.dart
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ import 'dart:async';
 
 import 'package:aves/model/entry.dart';
 import 'package:aves/ref/mime_types.dart';
-import 'package:aves/services/android_app_service.dart';
 import 'package:aves/services/common/services.dart';
 import 'package:aves/widgets/common/action_mixins/feedback.dart';
 import 'package:aves/widgets/common/behaviour/routes.dart';
@@ -56,10 +55,10 @@ class EmbeddedDataOpener extends StatelessWidget with FeedbackMixin {
     final uri = fields['uri']!;
     if (!MimeTypes.isImage(mimeType) && !MimeTypes.isVideo(mimeType)) {
       // open with another app
-      unawaited(AndroidAppService.open(uri, mimeType).then((success) {
+      unawaited(androidAppService.open(uri, mimeType).then((success) {
         if (!success) {
           // fallback to sharing, so that the file can be saved somewhere
-          AndroidAppService.shareSingle(uri, mimeType).then((success) {
+          androidAppService.shareSingle(uri, mimeType).then((success) {
             if (!success) showNoMatchingAppDialog(context);
           });
         }
diff --git a/lib/widgets/viewer/entry_action_delegate.dart b/lib/widgets/viewer/entry_action_delegate.dart
index 23b7ffe8e..0b0ddbdd6 100644
--- a/lib/widgets/viewer/entry_action_delegate.dart
+++ b/lib/widgets/viewer/entry_action_delegate.dart
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ import 'package:aves/model/highlight.dart';
 import 'package:aves/model/source/collection_lens.dart';
 import 'package:aves/model/source/collection_source.dart';
 import 'package:aves/ref/mime_types.dart';
-import 'package:aves/services/android_app_service.dart';
 import 'package:aves/services/common/image_op_events.dart';
 import 'package:aves/services/common/services.dart';
 import 'package:aves/services/media/enums.dart';
@@ -39,7 +38,7 @@ class EntryActionDelegate with FeedbackMixin, PermissionAwareMixin, SizeAwareMix
         entry.toggleFavourite();
         break;
       case EntryAction.copyToClipboard:
-        AndroidAppService.copyToClipboard(entry.uri, entry.bestTitle).then((success) {
+        androidAppService.copyToClipboard(entry.uri, entry.bestTitle).then((success) {
           showFeedback(context, success ? context.l10n.genericSuccessFeedback : context.l10n.genericFailureFeedback);
         });
         break;
@@ -68,17 +67,17 @@ class EntryActionDelegate with FeedbackMixin, PermissionAwareMixin, SizeAwareMix
         _flip(context, entry);
         break;
       case EntryAction.edit:
-        AndroidAppService.edit(entry.uri, entry.mimeType).then((success) {
+        androidAppService.edit(entry.uri, entry.mimeType).then((success) {
           if (!success) showNoMatchingAppDialog(context);
         });
         break;
       case EntryAction.open:
-        AndroidAppService.open(entry.uri, entry.mimeTypeAnySubtype).then((success) {
+        androidAppService.open(entry.uri, entry.mimeTypeAnySubtype).then((success) {
           if (!success) showNoMatchingAppDialog(context);
         });
         break;
       case EntryAction.openMap:
-        AndroidAppService.openMap(entry.latLng!).then((success) {
+        androidAppService.openMap(entry.latLng!).then((success) {
           if (!success) showNoMatchingAppDialog(context);
         });
         break;
@@ -86,12 +85,12 @@ class EntryActionDelegate with FeedbackMixin, PermissionAwareMixin, SizeAwareMix
         _rotateScreen(context);
         break;
       case EntryAction.setAs:
-        AndroidAppService.setAs(entry.uri, entry.mimeType).then((success) {
+        androidAppService.setAs(entry.uri, entry.mimeType).then((success) {
           if (!success) showNoMatchingAppDialog(context);
         });
         break;
       case EntryAction.share:
-        AndroidAppService.shareEntries({entry}).then((success) {
+        androidAppService.shareEntries({entry}).then((success) {
           if (!success) showNoMatchingAppDialog(context);
         });
         break;
diff --git a/lib/widgets/viewer/overlay/bottom/video.dart b/lib/widgets/viewer/overlay/bottom/video.dart
index 6474e1d6c..03c055fca 100644
--- a/lib/widgets/viewer/overlay/bottom/video.dart
+++ b/lib/widgets/viewer/overlay/bottom/video.dart
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import 'dart:async';
 import 'package:aves/model/actions/video_actions.dart';
 import 'package:aves/model/entry.dart';
 import 'package:aves/model/settings/settings.dart';
-import 'package:aves/services/android_app_service.dart';
+import 'package:aves/services/common/services.dart';
 import 'package:aves/theme/durations.dart';
 import 'package:aves/theme/format.dart';
 import 'package:aves/theme/icons.dart';
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ class _VideoControlOverlayState extends State<VideoControlOverlay> with SingleTi
                 scale: scale,
                 child: IconButton(
                   icon: const Icon(AIcons.openOutside),
-                  onPressed: () => AndroidAppService.open(entry.uri, entry.mimeTypeAnySubtype),
+                  onPressed: () => androidAppService.open(entry.uri, entry.mimeTypeAnySubtype),
                   tooltip: context.l10n.viewerOpenTooltip,
                 ),
               ),
diff --git a/test/fake/android_app_service.dart b/test/fake/android_app_service.dart
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9ec20dcd7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fake/android_app_service.dart
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+import 'package:aves/services/android_app_service.dart';
+import 'package:aves/utils/android_file_utils.dart';
+import 'package:flutter/foundation.dart';
+import 'package:flutter_test/flutter_test.dart';
+
+class FakeAndroidAppService extends Fake implements AndroidAppService {
+  @override
+  Future<Set<Package>> getPackages() => SynchronousFuture({});
+}
diff --git a/test/model/collection_source_test.dart b/test/model/collection_source_test.dart
index 373321c06..72fd17f64 100644
--- a/test/model/collection_source_test.dart
+++ b/test/model/collection_source_test.dart
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import 'package:aves/model/metadata_db.dart';
 import 'package:aves/model/settings/settings.dart';
 import 'package:aves/model/source/enums.dart';
 import 'package:aves/model/source/media_store_source.dart';
+import 'package:aves/services/android_app_service.dart';
 import 'package:aves/services/common/services.dart';
 import 'package:aves/services/device_service.dart';
 import 'package:aves/services/media/media_file_service.dart';
@@ -21,6 +22,7 @@ import 'package:flutter/widgets.dart';
 import 'package:flutter_test/flutter_test.dart';
 import 'package:path/path.dart' as p;
 
+import '../fake/android_app_service.dart';
 import '../fake/availability.dart';
 import '../fake/device_service.dart';
 import '../fake/media_file_service.dart';
@@ -42,6 +44,7 @@ void main() {
     getIt.registerLazySingleton<AvesAvailability>(() => FakeAvesAvailability());
     getIt.registerLazySingleton<MetadataDb>(() => FakeMetadataDb());
 
+    getIt.registerLazySingleton<AndroidAppService>(() => FakeAndroidAppService());
     getIt.registerLazySingleton<DeviceService>(() => FakeDeviceService());
     getIt.registerLazySingleton<MediaFileService>(() => FakeMediaFileService());
     getIt.registerLazySingleton<MediaStoreService>(() => FakeMediaStoreService());