Android Question Google Licensing Library Clarification

[tdocs2]

Greetings, all.

Based on Google documentation and on the various posts in the Google Licensing Library thread:
Licensing Library not Needed
which states in part:

therefore, do not require any additional protection against unauthorized copying

as long as:

AddManifestText(
<uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion="16" android:targetSdkVersion="16"/>

QUESTION
What does "unauthorized copying" mean or better still, how is it enforced or monitored?

Case 1.
For example, paid application A. User Smith buys the app. All of User Smith Android devices will get the app.
*** Could User Smith get the apk and give it to User Jones?
*** How does Google know?
*** What happens if User Jones never logs in to the internet?

Case2.
I assume that Google identifies the device based on the Settings > Account > Google.
*** What happens if someone wants to "pirate" the software - sell it to 100 users and tell them to use a specific Google account?
*** Does Google have a reasonability check for number of devices per account?

Any and all clarifications will be appreciated. I have tried to navigate through the Google pages on the subject, but have not found answers.

Thank you and best regards.

Sandy

 

[Cableguy]

well, you do pose good questions...
one must also keep in mind that the common user doesn't know what an apk is nor where and how to retrieve it from his device. also, it would fire some kind of alert if one single google account was to be used on a few hundred devices.

 

[tdocs2]

Thank you, Paulo.

The average "software pirate" would know. And I wonder whether Google would get an alert???? They should...

The questions remain....

Best regards.

Sandy

 

[Erel]

1. It is not possible to copy an installed APK file from an unrooted device.
2. Starting from Android 4.1 when a user installs an app from Google Play the app is encrypted in such a way that will only work on this specific device. So even if the device is rooted the user will not be able to copy the APK to other devices.

 

[tdocs2]

Thank you, Erel.

At the risk of being overly persistent, please allow me to ask two more questions on this subject.

Let us assume that User Smith buys an app in Google Play. He has four Android devices that use the same Google account. Each device will get the app with its own encryption algorithm based on some device specific variable (ID or other criteria in the Android Operating System?). So the risk of piracy in this instance is eliminated.

The second case of potential piracy deals with the same account in multiple devices belonging to multiple users. Does Google have a reasonability check for number of devices with the same Google account?

And if they have a reasonability check, how would the case of a commercial account be handled by Google? For example, a corporation with a staff of 300 buys a special Foreign Exchange app to be used by their employees...

Best regards.

Sandy

 

[Erel]

Google didn't publish the actual details about this encryption. However they do say that you don't need to add any other licensing protection.

 

[tdocs2]

Thank you, Erel.

 

[Troberg]

I've managed to transfer apps with App Transfer Pro (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.apptransferpro), which, as far as I can tell, does not require root.

I've used it to install some stuff on my tab which didn't show up for tab in Google Play, so, instead, I just transfered from the phone.

 

[Cableguy]

Some task managers offer the user the option to delete the temporary app file after installing... as Erel said, encryption is forced from kit kat onwards...
as far as I understand and know, all downloaded app are/were kept in a temp directory.
If you want to prevent the installation onto multiple devices you must then implement your own licencing method.
One I had thought of was to, on install, encriptação the device serial number along with some other device unique serial, like a mac address... then send the encrypted string to a server wich would return a passkey to activate the product.
there are other ways.. this was my 'solution' though I never implemented it.

 

[tdocs2]

encryption is forced from kit kat onwards

Hello, Paulo.

Did you mean Android 4.1.2 and up? SDK equal or greater than 16?

Best regards.

Sandy

 

[Erel]

It is Android 4.1+.