getInstalledApplications vs getInstalledPackages

• PackageManager.getInstalledPackages(int flags), on the other hand, will provide you information regarding all AndroidManifest's elements, such as declared activities, services, receivers, meta-data
• Returns: A List of PackageInfo objects
• PackageInfo contains ApplicationInfo

• PackageManager.getInstalledApplications(int flags)  will provide you information regarding the AndroidManifest's Application tag, and just about it. Forget about activities, receivers, services and go on.
• Returns: Returns a List of ApplicationInfo
• ApplicationInfo 

PackageInfo properties:

• applicationInfo - ApplicationInfo
• packageName - String
• versionName - String
• versionCode - int
• permissions - PermissionInfo[] : (.GET_PERMISSIONS )

ApplicationInfo properties:

• className - String
• packageName - String
• processName - String (The name of the process this application should run in. From the "process" attribute or, if not set, the same as packageName)
• permission(needed by other to call this app) - String
• dataDir
• sourceDir
• publicSourceDir
• nativeLibraryDir
• sharedLibraryFiles - String[]  : (GET_SHARED_LIBRARY_FILES )