Sorry for newbie question, but why is it so complicated to install this server? Why doesn’t it exist a “normal” app to be simply installed from Google Store (or from self-built .apk)?
I have half a dozen of old android devices sleeping into a drawer, as millions of other people around the world… What does it prevents old devices from acting as hubs for IoT devices without installing a new Operating System?
There are people who has managed to get HA running on tablets, but I doubt it was easier than installing on a raspberry.
Raspberry is for developers.
Whole Home Assistant world appears to be oriented only to developers.
I can’t get the technical reason for this. Ok, it’s developed by many developers all around the world… but developer != user; what about final user, a “standard person” which does not know anything about Raspberry, C++, IoT, OS, MQTT, people which is only able to click “INSTALL” button on store: why isn’t such people authorized to use HA?
A raspberry is not for developers.
It can be but it’s in no way exclusive.
The install process is not hard, you just follow a few steps.
Having a Home Assistant instance on a wifi device is not something I would want.
It’s possible but Ethernet is far better.
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Trust me, HA is easier to install than 90% of any “server” you might encounter.
Because it’s a server, not an app. Typically, apps talk to servers, as is the case of the HA app talking to the HA server.
It’s no more “for developers” than any machine.
Use the HAOS path, and you’ll never touch the rpi besides plugging in the power and insert the sdcard.
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The team has managed to build a modular, mostly user friendly app that combines communications protocols and hardware interconnects between hundreds if not thousands of independent technologies. This is not a ‘app’ you can just install. You have to provide base infrastructure services, identity, database, compute and web services at a Minimum before you layer communications services like MQTT on top of it.
In short, and not meaning to sound trite, but there’s a LOT. Way more than a simple ‘app’ provides.
Frankly I’m amazed it’s as easy as it is.
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I felt a little like this when I thought id ‘just’ migrate from Smarthings. That was a rude awakening…BUT…after a failry short amount of time the true power of HA becomes evident and the complex things you can create, the ability to integrate with pretty much anything opens up worlds of possibilities. But if you just want to automate a couple of lights when you walk in a room, it’s probably overkill at this point and there are plug and play systems which will do that (but severely restrict your possibilities).
Ive been at it about a month now, and what ive built in that time has blown me away, and im an utter coding noob, but every day is a school day and the sense of satisfaction you get when thinking ‘I wonder if…’ that you bring to life is really satisfying.
Learning curve can be steep. But the payoff is worth it
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Or when your wife/spouse/significant other says “hey, can you…?” and you can answer “yes, I can! Give me a few minutes…”. It’s awesome!! 
Yup.
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It can’t be installed via an android app, as it is not an android app (despite a few people having made it run).
Note that even if it can be made to run on an Android device, it’s just leveraging the fact that android run under Linux.
It just runs alongside android itself. Neither knows anything about the other.