Android gains new skill- DRM

[Michael Goff]

https://m.androidcentral.com/google-drm-android-apps

Earlier this week, Google quietly rolled out a feature that adds a string of metadata to all APK files (that's the file type for Android apps) when they are signed by the developer. You can't install an application that hasn't been signed during its final build, so that means that all apps built using the latest APK Signature Schemewill have a nice little chunk of DRM built into them. And eventually, your phone will run a version of Android that won't be able to install apps without it.

I'm curious where this will go.

 

[Tsepz]

https://m.androidcentral.com/google-drm-android-apps



I'm curious where this will go.

This reminds me of when we went from Symbian S60v2 OS8.0a (Nokia 6630, 6680, N70, N90) to Symbian S60v3 OS9.1 (N73, N80, N91, N93, N95, E71, E90 etc etc...)

In S60v3 apps had to be signed, this was to stop people from pirating apps as well as viruses, it did a great job of preventing the latter, but the former was overcome by people figuring out how to sign copies of apps, and if you knew the right places on the Internet you could get almost any app free.

With smartphones bring constantly connected to the Internet these days, Google should have an easier time managing all this vs. Nokia and the Symbian Foundation.

 

[pika2000]

And eventually, your phone will run a version of Android that won't be able to install apps without it.

What? There's no indication that this would be the case. Considering how Android marketshare is, it will be foolish for any developers to require specific version of Android. There's still a huge percentage of people using Kitkat and Lollipop.

 

[hallux]

I'm curious where this will go.

To a place where people can't take copies of purchased apps and make them available for free on alternative download sites (stealing from the developer). Or to a place where people take an app with in-app purchases, find a way to trick it into thinking all those IAP's have been bought and redistributing the app on the same sites for people to download for free, stealing from the developers again.

 

[LovingTeddy]

To a place where people can't take copies of purchased apps and make them available for free on alternative download sites (stealing from the developer). Or to a place where people take an app with in-app purchases, find a way to trick it into thinking all those IAP's have been bought and redistributing the app on the same sites for people to download for free, stealing from the developers again.

There aew legit reason why people are downloading apps elsewhere beside Google Play Stroe. Some apls are just not avilable on Play Store and some apps that in Play Store are made specifically woth one region.

Also what is wrong with downloading App, say, from Amazon App Store or whatever app store comes with other Android phone?

This DRM thing is effectively blocking unknown sources and third party app store.

 

[hallux]

There aew legit reason why people are downloading apps elsewhere beside Google Play Stroe. Some apls are just not avilable on Play Store and some apps that in Play Store are made specifically woth one region.

Sometimes there are reasons for region-locking apps, it's usually not an arbitrary decision to not offer in a certain region - it may even be related to an inability to properly support local languages within the app. I'm not arguing that there may be legit reasons for downloading from other sources, it's the illegitimate reasons that they're trying to secure against (which I have no problem with as it's theft when money is involved).

Also what is wrong with downloading App, say, from Amazon App Store or whatever app store comes with other Android phone?

This DRM thing is effectively blocking unknown sources and third party app store.

I have no problem with downloading apps from legitimate app stores. In fact - I use the Amazon one on my devices.

 

[SteveJUAE]

Sometimes there are reasons for region-locking apps, it's usually not an arbitrary decision to not offer in a certain region - it may even be related to an inability to properly support local languages within the app. I'm not arguing that there may be legit reasons for downloading from other sources, it's the illegitimate reasons that they're trying to secure against (which I have no problem with as it's theft when money is involved).



I have no problem with downloading apps from legitimate app stores. In fact - I use the Amazon one on my devices.

Some apps are illegal in certain countries be it from the native country laws or the recipient country laws

Both Google and Apple store have to abide by these country laws . Its the same for bundled software and native apps some are not available in certain countries (eg Facetime is not typically on Iphones in many middle east countries and cannot be loaded even when in USA its permanently removed)