Third-party apps are applications that are provided by a vendor other than the manufacturer of the device or the owner of the website on which the apps are used. These apps can be standalone programs or small plugins that add functionality to an existing parent program. Third-party apps can be developed to be either freely distributed or sold by an entity other than the original vendor of the development platform.

Third-party apps can offer advantages to the user, such as advanced features that are not available in the manufacturers own products. However, there are also concerns about the safety and security of third-party apps, as they may not be subject to the same level of scrutiny and testing as first-party apps.

To help users safely share their data, Google allows them to give third-party apps and services access to different parts of their Google Account. Users can review the access a third party has to their Google Account and the Google services they use, and remove a third partys access if they no longer trust or want to use the app or service.

Overall, third-party apps are an instrumental group of apps that can provide enhanced features and access to profile information, but users should be cautious when using them and ensure that they are from reputable sources.