Android app piracy

[deltaforce]

Hello folks,

Someone posted a link that Feds pulled down few websites supporting android apps piracy. And the other day, I was playing with app permissions, so many apps have so silly permission (which they don't need IMHO) and some of the apps do have a permission to check licensing with Google Play store.

That really got me into thinking, if there is such permission available, how the heck someone can still pirate the software? Very few are savvy enough to root the devices and block the permissions (I am not, I paid full price for my HTC One X and have no interest in bricking it). If I am to steal the program, isn't there any provision in Play Store to inform app developer about it? If not, whats the use of such permission?

Just to be clear, this is for my knowledge only. I am not interested in piracy or promoting one. IMHO, majority apps cost less than Starbucks so no point in stealing.

 

[deltaforce]

you have money - you will pay for app on play google .. but many people dont have money or pay pal or other card and search free download ... sry for bad english

First of all, that is not an answer to my question. Secondly, if you eat your lunch and dinner, the developer also prefers to have a lunch and dinner, this could be his/her bread and butter so asking for a free ride is just wrong. He has invested his time and brain into it and deserves the money. Bluntly, I would also like to have a spanking new BMW sitting in my front yard but I drive Toyota Echo because I don't have money, I don't steal my next door neighbor's BMW !!!

 

[chanchan05]

Sometimes people get apks on the internet because the apps aren't available in their country. However not really sure about this, but pirated apps need root. I've encountered some. I wondered why a PowerAmp apk was asking me for root a couple of years back, only for me to find out it was a paid app on market (does not appear on my phone when searching. Looking on PC says it's not available in my country then. Available now).

Anyway, people who steal the program are probably people who bought it and extracted the apk and edited it themselves. And since permissions like the check for license is blocked, I don't know how the play store will know if an app is pirated.

 

[deltaforce]

And since permissions like the check for license is blocked, I don't know how the play store will know if an app is pirated.

Sorry if I am not clear, this permission is not blocked but actually is allowed.

 

[mills2533]

A lot of piracy involves decompiling the apk file, altering the code, and recompiling it. Therefore, you could remove the license check and use the app.

 

[OfTheDamned]

I just want everyone to know that having a discussion about the issue of piracy is ok, but let's not get into how to commit piracy. Once you start getting into that things tend to go a little sideways. Please don't post any links or anything like a tutorial.

Thanks.

 

[deltaforce]

+ OffThe Damned,

Let me rephrase the question.
Lets say, I developed an app and since its a paid app, I asked for a permission to check with PlayStore for a license. The guy across half of the world decompiles just to make sure that it can work without the code, rest leaving as it is. So here we have a case that someone downloads this modified apk and installs on his android device.

Since this app STILL has a permission to ping Play Store and check for license, the app pings from this device to Play Store but finds no license or whatever. Here is the point my questions starts, how Play Store is designed to handle such thing? Will I be able to figure out device ID or something identifiable information about the user (and ping the device back that the user is using pirated app, or disable the app or something similar..)

As we saw on this thread, we have strong intellectual property laws but for some others that is not the case.
(The question also stems from an article I read on Engadget, I think, that for every one android app, there are at least 4 iOS apps, why, b'coz you can pirate android app easily? but thats another level of discussion.)

 

[chanchan05]

Sorry if I am not clear, this permission is not blocked but actually is allowed.

I meant it would be blocked on a pirated app. However, I think what the guy from PowerAmp did was use a in app checker connected to internet permissions to self check for the license.

 

[Rxpert83]

App piracy really isn't much of a problem in the west. (sure, you come across it) It's in places like China where the play store is completely blocked that piracy runs rampant.