How to install Google+ app for Android if you’re not in the US

Google’s new social network is in private beta, but by some estimates there may already be millions of people using Google+. The service is growing quickly, with Google allowing users to send invitations to friends, colleagues, or random folks who request them on Twitter on a fairly regular basis — and the company isn’t limiting invitations geographically. People from all over the world are already using Google+.

Yet for some reason, the official Google+ app for Android isn’t available from the Android Market in all countries. If you can’t find the app in the Android Market or if you’re using a device without Market access you’ll need to find another way to get the app — like downloading it from the xda-developers forum.

Users are reporting that it works just as well internationally as it does in the US. There’s also a mobile web app which you can use from an iPhone, Android phone, or other device which supports HTML5. But the native app for Android has a few extra features including:

• Option to automatically upload all photos you shoot with your camera to Google+
• Updates in the notification bar
• Support for the Google+ group chat feature called Huddle

You can find out more about the Google+ app for Android and the mobile web app in our detailed comparison. A native iOS app has already been submitted to Apple for approval.

If you’re already using Google+ you can follow me for the latest updates on mobile tech, photos of my adorable cats, and the occasional update on my rooftop garden. I’m clearly still getting used to deciding which posts should go to which circles.

Update: The folks at Channel Android have a tip for grabbing the app from the Android Market if you’re in a country where it’s not available. This way you don’t have to download and install an APK file from the web.