Developer - Application Licensing Issue

[SteveLV702]

We have a few programs we are working on for the iPhone, Blackberry, WM. We have a license system in place for the Blackberry and WM versions but Apple Requires us to sell through Apple App Store our big issue though is only protection is Apple links them to Apple ID but you can Authorize Apple ID on up to 5 Machines and you can upload applications to as many iPhones as you want as long as done from one of those 5 machines.. So someone can buy a $50 program once and then load onto 500,000 machines if they want without having to pay a cent more so we then end up losing like $25,000,000 from one company then look how many companies can do this lose a bunch of revenue and actually end up losing more as Apple takes 30% of the $50..

So anyway to protect the App so can only be loaded onto one iPhone we were thinking of putting it on the App Store for FREE and then they have to buy a License Key from us off our site but then figured Apple wouldn't allow that...

Any thoughts?

 

[lindsayanng]

one phone? I dont know if thats all that fair. Maybe ONE machine and any phones synced to that machine - i mean, as much as people like free things, they are NOT going to want to sync their iphone to a computer that is not theirs. So one machine would make it for a family, which i believe is MOREthan fair.

 

[ayasin]

I suggest you read the your SDK agreement more carefully. That's very clearly not allowed in section 3.

 

[marksman]

I think some developers are going to try and have subscription fees to use their product.

I don't know anything about the SDK agreement with Apple though.

I suspect Apple does not want any app payment outside the system as they lose their cut.

I think you maybe overly paranoid for nothing.

Will some people load multiple devices with an app?

Yes.

Will you have someone running 5000 iPhones on a single desktop in order to steal your software? To be honest, if that is your fear, I will tell you right now people are cracking iPhone applications anyways, and if someone is going to do it, they are going to do it with or without the current apple store arrangement.

It makes no sense to deny honest people your product because you are worried about dishonest people acquiring it.

 

[ayasin]

Will you have someone running 5000 iPhones on a single desktop in order to steal your software? To be honest, if that is your fear, I will tell you right now people are cracking iPhone applications anyways, and if someone is going to do it, they are going to do it with or without the current apple store arrangement.

I agree, software piracy is an unfortunate fact of life, just like the risk that someone will break into your house and take your TV. Palm, WM and Blackberry software is all easily crackable by skilled crackers. There's no sense in fretting about it, just focus on making the honest customers happy ones. Will you lose some revenue to piracy? Maybe, I'd even go as far as to say probably. Will you be happier and more effective if you don't worry about that and focus on your business/customers. Definitely. At the end of the day thieves will be thieves, no external force is going to change them and trying to make digital content non copyable is like trying to make water not wet.

 

[iVoid]

So basically, you want Apple to provide a free store and distribution system for you (for free), while you charge users under the table for your application? Apple isn't going to allow that and they shouldn't.

So you really think someone has 500,000 iPhones that they'd want to sync with only 5 computers? Exaggerate much?

Yeah,the App store fairplay system is not bulletproof, but it's actually more restrictive than a license key/serial number system. Google an app name and 'serial number' and you'll see there's a way to load apps on 500,000 computers without buying a single copy.

I'm not sure what BB and WM have for software protection, but I doubt it's any more bulletproof.

Pile on all the DRM you like, the only thing you'll do is drive off the paying customers