How do Android developers get around piracy and make money

[Jessica Lares]

Yeah, people pirate software because it costs too much. Don't believe me? That's pretty much why everyone used to pirate Photoshop. I've been pirating it since version 7. I didn't start paying for it until last year now that you can subscribe for it. And Adobe did very well this last year because of Creative Cloud.

Most people that pirate music import it into iTunes and keep it. I mean come on, how many countless times do we get post after post about people going "HELP! How do I backup the music from my iPod so I can put it back on iTunes since I deleted the copy on there?" Every damn month/week. Why can't they restore it from iCloud? Because they didn't buy it to begin with.

Piracy doesn't help at all. Stop lying to yourselves. We're in a decade where everything that could easily make you millions, is now considered a minimum wage job, because you either have everything you need to be successful, or you go nowhere because distributors and labels don't want to take a chance on you flopping and them losing their investment.

 

[roxxette]

Yeah, people pirate software because it costs too much. Don't believe me? That's pretty much why everyone used to pirate Photoshop. I've been pirating it since version 7. I didn't start paying for it until last year now that you can subscribe for it. And Adobe did very well this last year because of Creative Cloud.

Most people that pirate music import it into iTunes and keep it. I mean come on, how many countless times do we get post after post about people going "HELP! How do I backup the music from my iPod so I can put it back on iTunes since I deleted the copy on there?" Every damn month/week. Why can't they restore it from iCloud? Because they didn't buy it to begin with.

Piracy doesn't help at all. Stop lying to yourselves. We're in a decade where everything that could easily make you millions, is now considered a minimum wage job, because you either have everything you need to be successful, or you go nowhere because distributors and labels don't want to take a chance on you flopping and them losing their investment.

I did the same with Photoshop in the past but few months ago started using pixelmator and does everything i want at a fair price.

 

[MRU]

Da *** !

Yep I only know about it because folks over on XDA forums were giving out to a pirate who was complaining their hacked marketplace app was now out of date since the new PlayStore 4 redesign.

So yeah Googles openness does make indeed make it easier to pirate. Let alone the fact people can buy an app, and then extract it later (if they don't install) as its raw .apk and then share that on torrents and file sharing services so that others can install without issue....

I don't like DRM, but there certainly is plenty of sound reasoning for it when you look at how easy it is to distribute and pirate android applications.

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Yeah, people pirate software because it costs too much. Don't believe me? That's pretty much why everyone used to pirate Photoshop. I've been pirating it since version 7. I didn't start paying for it until last year now that you can subscribe for it. And Adobe did very well this last year because of Creative Cloud.

Most people that pirate music import it into iTunes and keep it. I mean come on, how many countless times do we get post after post about people going "HELP! How do I backup the music from my iPod so I can put it back on iTunes since I deleted the copy on there?" Every damn month/week. Why can't they restore it from iCloud? Because they didn't buy it to begin with.

Piracy doesn't help at all. Stop lying to yourselves. We're in a decade where everything that could easily make you millions, is now considered a minimum wage job, because you either have everything you need to be successful, or you go nowhere because distributors and labels don't want to take a chance on you flopping and them losing their investment.

I always upgraded every other version because it was so damn expensive.
I did have to buy it always though as here in Ireland we have folks who have the right go round and inspect your hardware for legitimate software licenses if your a registered business.

Last year when Creative cloud came out with discount for previous owners I jumped as its still expensive but a lot cheaper overall and I get newest version all the time as opposed to every other version.

 

[Dave.UK]

This is why Android caters to a price-conscious individuals, a.k.a. cheapo

 

[hexonxonx]

Yep I only know about it because folks over on XDA forums were giving out to a pirate who was complaining their hacked marketplace app was now out of date since the new PlayStore 4 redesign.

So yeah Googles openness does make indeed make it easier to pirate. Let alone the fact people can buy an app, and then extract it later (if they don't install) as its raw .apk and then share that on torrents and file sharing services so that others can install without issue....

I don't like DRM, but there certainly is plenty of sound reasoning for it when you look at how easy it is to distribute and pirate android applications.

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DRM doesn't stop pirating on the Apple platform at all. I can right now go and download every single brand new current app on one site and load every single one onto my 4S without a single problem. It's just as easy to pirate on Apple devices as it is on Android. People seem to miss this for some reason. The site has every single new and old cracked app from the app store for iOS and Mac store.

In fact, it's easier on the Apple platform because the cracked apps are collected on one easy to use site where you can browse or search.

 

[MRU]

DRM doesn't stop pirating on the Apple platform at all. I can right now go and download every single brand new current app on one site and load every single one onto my 4S without a single problem. It's just as easy to pirate on Apple devices as it is on Android. People seem to miss this for some reason. The site has every single new and old cracked app from the app store for iOS and Mac store.

No its not as easy because it still requires the other folks have jailbroken devices so developers could implement a version check and only allow installation on newest version of iOS if the wished, but most don't.

But yeah on iOS the ripped application has to be modified to remove DRM / licensing and then those downloading have to be jailbroken etc...

Whereas on Android anyone can install from any third party sources with out Jailbreaking and anyone can distribute apps without modifying them. Google's platform openness makes it much easier, simply enable 1 option in settings.

So yeah even though piracy is also rife on iOS it certainly IS easier to pirate on Android than on iOS as on iOS your required to modify your devices software (via jailbreak) whereas Android doesn't. And likewise Androd apps don't need to be cracked, whereas iOS apps do.

There are also sites that have Android apps collected / listed together so that's not sole to iOS.

 

[roxxette]

People cant argue the fact that its easier to pirate apps on android than ios.

 

[hexonxonx]

No its not as easy because it still requires the other folks have jailbroken devices so developers could implement a version check and only allow installation on newest version of iOS if the wished, but most don't.

But yeah on iOS the ripped application has to be modified to remove DRM / licensing and then those downloading have to be jailbroken etc...

Whereas on Android anyone can install from any third party sources with out Jailbreaking and anyone can distribute apps without modifying them. Google's platform openness makes it much easier, simply enable 1 option in settings.

So yeah even though piracy is also rife on iOS it certainly IS easier to pirate on Android than on iOS as on iOS your required to modify your devices software (via jailbreak) whereas Android doesn't. And likewise Androd apps don't need to be cracked, whereas iOS apps do.

There are also sites that have Android apps collected / listed together so that's not sole to iOS.

OK, I'll change my reply to as long as you are Jailbroken, it is just as easy to pirate iOS and Mac apps as it is to pirate Android apps. To pirate Mac app store apps, all you need to do is download the app and click on it to install.

 

[mib1800]

No its not as easy because it still requires the other folks have jailbroken devices so developers could implement a version check and only allow installation on newest version of iOS if the wished, but most don't.

But yeah on iOS the ripped application has to be modified to remove DRM / licensing and then those downloading have to be jailbroken etc...

Whereas on Android anyone can install from any third party sources with out Jailbreaking and anyone can distribute apps without modifying them. Google's platform openness makes it much easier, simply enable 1 option in settings.

So yeah even though piracy is also rife on iOS it certainly IS easier to pirate on Android than on iOS as on iOS your required to modify your devices software (via jailbreak) whereas Android doesn't. And likewise Androd apps don't need to be cracked, whereas iOS apps do.

There are also sites that have Android apps collected / listed together so that's not sole to iOS.

If Android developer implements the "market license check" in their app, then it is not as simple as copying the apk into phones and install. So the mechanism is there to prevent piracy. Somehow not all developers make use of this. And you cannot bypass the license check easily (even with rooting)

As far as I know on IOS as long as you jailbreak you can install any .ipa files without issue. So it is not exactly difficult on IOS either.

 

[nick_elt]

its easier to pirate movies illegally than legally. i have an apple tv and dont mind paying for movies off that but the reality is there is much better range of illegal movies than legal ones. they need to release movies straight to digital forms because ppl will still goto the cinema if the movie is worth it.

 

[Michael Goff]

People are more likely to buy a good app than a bad one...

Is that why, show wise, Game of Thrones is one of the most pirated shows?

Because bad things are pirated more than good things, right?

 

[nick_elt]

Is that why, show wise, Game of Thrones is one of the most pirated shows?

Because bad things are pirated more than good things, right?

i dont watch this particular show but if you live outside America and want to watch this as it comes out then your only option is pirating.

 

[Michael Goff]

i dont watch this particular show but if you live outside America and want to watch this as it comes out then your only option is pirating.

My point was more that good things get pirated more than bad things.

 

[nick_elt]

My point was more that good things get pirated more than bad things.

ah yes. how did i read that the first time??? im not even drunk!

 

[Apollo 13]

If Android developer implements the "market license check" in their app, then it is not as simple as copying the apk into phones and install. So the mechanism is there to prevent piracy. Somehow not all developers make use of this. And you cannot bypass the license check easily (even with rooting)

As far as I know on IOS as long as you jailbreak you can install any .ipa files without issue. So it is not exactly difficult on IOS either.

Sorry its not that easy. You don't just download a ipa off the internet and install like a apk file on your phone. Keep trying though.

 

[hexonxonx]

Sorry its not that easy. You don't just download a ipa off the internet and install like a apk file on your phone. Keep trying though.

If you are Jailbroken, yes it is that easy. Find the app you want, download it, drag it into iTunes and sync. Not sure how much easier it can than that but that is as easy as it gets.

 

[Apollo 13]

If you are Jailbroken, yes it is that easy. Find the app you want, download it, drag it into iTunes and sync. Not sure how much easier it can than that but that is as easy as it gets.

you have to be at a PC to do that and install itunes on the PC, so all that does is add steps compared to just downloading a .apk while on your android phone and installing the app. No matter how you try to push it pirating on android is so easy non tech savy person can do it.

 

[nick_elt]

you have to be at a PC to do that and install itunes on the PC, so all that does is add steps compared to just downloading a .apk while on your android phone and installing the app. No matter how you try to push it pirating on android is so easy non tech savy person can do it.

im sorry but that is not true. i have seen first hand cracked apps installed directly to an iphone. yes its much easier on android but if you're jailbroken and you know what to do its just as possible.

 

[cynics]

I've pirated apps to see if I liked them and they worked as described prior to buying them. Twonky for example. It's fairly expensive for an app (7.99 or something) so I downloaded and installed it off market. I tested it and liked it so I bought it.

What I did was wrong but I feel its more wrong to have me buy an app and it not work correctly then I'm stuck with it.

I do feel its easier to pirate apps on Android compared to iOS since rooting isn't required. However if you are the type of person that pirates software and media then a couple extra steps won't stop you. I know diehard Apple guys that still steal music. Making it harder just makes it more challenging for them, it doesn't deter them. Myself for example I don't particularly like buying music, so I don't have much/any. I use pandora.

 

[sentinelsx]

People cant argue the fact that its easier to pirate apps on android than ios.

With install0us gone, may be, but with that tool, i could get a free copy of any new shining app in a 2-3 day time frame which would install, and work on my idevice just fine and would sync back to itunes without a hitch.

For android, first you have to look for the files on torrents, or file sharing forums etc. Then make sure they are for the device model you have, then pray that they work because 50% of the times they will fail to work after installing.

Easy to copy may be, harder to functionally pirate in my view.


Any how, a good email client on android can still make millions if the developer cares enough to make it good. All the current ones are meh, the best one aka K-9 is hideous to look at and conflicts with proper device usage habits in post-ICS era, lacks proper pinch-zoom (which every other client lacks too except for gmail).

 

[blackhand1001]

The vast majority of android users don't even know what side loading is and would not know how to pirate an app (not counting china as that's where most piracy occurs and the iPhone has a very low market share there). There are plenty of paid apps that make money without an issue. A big thing that's important is that you follow holo UI guidelines and make it look like a native android app. People will pay extra for an app that looks like it shipped with the device. Its actually easiest to make apps this way but some developers refuse to read the documentation on how to do it. Luckily its becoming much more common. Even twitter has gone holo. I hope with Facebook recent venture in home that the main Facebook app goes for a native UI look using holo and the android action bar layouts.

 

[nick_elt]

With install0us gone, may be, but with that tool, i could get a free copy of any new shining app in a 2-3 day time frame which would install, and work on my idevice just fine and would sync back to itunes without a hitch.

For android, first you have to look for the files on torrents, or file sharing forums etc. Then make sure they are for the device model you have, then pray that they work because 50% of the times they will fail to work after installing.

Easy to copy may be, harder to functionally pirate in my view.


Any how, a good email client on android can still make millions if the developer cares enough to make it good. All the current ones are meh, the best one aka K-9 is hideous to look at and conflicts with proper device usage habits in post-ICS era, lacks proper pinch-zoom (which every other client lacks too except for gmail).

you dont need to goto torrent sites or file sharing forums. Google has all the answers.

 

[sentinelsx]

you dont need to goto torrent sites or file sharing forums. Google has all the answers.

Same thing. You are searching for a gameloft game for example (one of the most popular devs), first you google for the one for your model, then hope the link doesn't take you to a phishing/virus laden site, hope it actually works after install (success rate was around 60% in my experience, compared to 100% on ios) etc.

Install0us offered a "shadow AppStore" if you will, making the process of getting free apps a literally search and one click method. Just search your app, it comes up, you install it, and it works thanks to minimal fragmentation of idevices.

 

[Apollo 13]

im sorry but that is not true. i have seen first hand cracked apps installed directly to an iphone. yes its much easier on android but if you're jailbroken and you know what to do its just as possible.

Everything is true with my statement. You can't install an ipa on iphone without using some other type of program or a PC. The day you can download a ipa from the internet onto a jailbroken iphone piracy will be a problem.

 

[sentinelsx]

Everything is true with my statement. You can't install an ipa on iphone without using some other type of program or a PC. The day you can download a ipa from the internet onto a jailbroken iphone piracy will be a problem.

You don't need a PC to download and install the IPA directly on the iPhone.