sharing apps w/family for free?

[avlena]

On the iPhone, if I use my husband's iTunes account, then I can get the apps he's already purchased for free. Does the same work on the Droid? Does he need to use my google checkout account then? Or do you have to pay per phone?

Thanks!

 

[brykins]

So on the iPhone you're happy to steal applications? And you want us to tell you that it's okay to do that on an Android phone as well? These apps cost pennies!

 

[willxander3]

I'm not sure but I think Android Apps use gmail acc.

 

[DrScrubs]

So on the iPhone you're happy to steal applications? And you want us to tell you that it's okay to do that on an Android phone as well? These apps cost pennies!

While I understand the feelings against stealing, I am not sure if what she does is stealing. I am very sure Apple knows that two people using the same account can share in the use of an app that was bought. If Apple has not done anything about it, I wouldn't say using this is stealing. Sorta more resembles someone buying a PS3 game and that game can be played on any PS3 station.

As to answering her question, paid apps are linked to your Gmail account. Now, I am not sure if you can be signed on to 2 different phones using the same Gmail account, but if you can then theoretically you can download the apps you bought onto two different phones.

 

[jwmacdon1231]

As to answering her question, paid apps are linked to your Gmail account. Now, I am not sure if you can be signed on to 2 different phones using the same Gmail account, but if you can then theoretically you can download the apps you bought onto two different phones.

Yes, you can be signed on to numerous phones using one gmail account.

 

[DrScrubs]

Then you can share apps...though I think there is a difference between iPhones and Android phones in that iTunes is independent of the iPhone's daily use. In other words you can use the iPhone without ever using iTunes (I believe). This may make sharing apps on Android phones more difficult because you have to sign into that Gmail account to download the paid apps again to share. But by signing onto that Gmail account means pretty much everything related to that Gmail account also gets shared as well (email, calendar, contacts) etc. I am sure you can choose to not sync anything, but then that does a lot to cripple many functions that Android is good for.

In short, sharing apps might also just mean sharing everything else...and that is probably not a good thing.

 

[jwmacdon1231]

Then you can share apps...though I think there is a difference between iPhones and Android phones in that iTunes is independent of the iPhone's daily use. In other words you can use the iPhone without ever using iTunes (I believe). This may make sharing apps on Android phones more difficult is you have to sign into that Gmail account to download the paid apps again to share. But by signing onto that Gmail account pretty much everything related to that Gmail account also gets shared as well (email, calendar, contacts) etc. I am sure you can choose to not sync anything, but then that does a lot to cripple many functions that Android good for.

In short, sharing apps might also just mean sharing everything else...and that is probably not a good thing.

You're exactly right. And yes, it is not a good thing to share everything else on the phone. Lol

 

[avlena]

@brykins: oh for pete's sake, i'm not talking about stealing apps. I know it's the anonymous internet, but try not to make snap judgments. you'll notice, my post didn't ask about how to get all apps for free, but rather I requested more information to understand how the app store works and whether it allows multiple people to benefit from a single purchase, like a family share plan or whatever. If you must know, I'm actually researching this topic for work, and figured a scenario was the best way to ask my question.

@everyone else who provided helpful/useful info... thanks, that's actually great news for what we want to do. I had my suspicions that's how it worked, but needed confirmation.

 

[RTAdams89]

Is it possible to use the same Google Account with more than one Android device at the same time? If so, how do app purchases work? Will I receive the app on both devices, the device I buy it from, or is there some choice during the checkout process?

 

[brykins]

@avlena - if that's the case then I apologise, but you would be the second person in as many days to ask the same thing and it did sound to me like you were after getting apps for two phones for the price of one.

@DrScrubs - not the same as buying a PS3 game. That can only be used on one PS3 at a time, and I doubt that (most) people who are looking to get two copies of an app for the price of one are going to be using it on only one phone at a time.