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Google Dev Phone 1 Banned From Paid Apps

Posted by timothy on from the please-contradict-this-claim dept.

ScrewMaster points out an short article according to which purchasers of the G1 Android phone's developer-oriented variant will be out of luck if they want to buy apps from Google's application store. "Google is not going to allow programmers who have purchased the Dev Phone 1 to purchase paid apps from the Android Market. I just signed up as a G1 developer, and was about to plunk down the $399 for a Dev Phone 1, but now I'm going to have to think about it. I know that Google is interested in preventing (cough) 'piracy,' but does this seem like the right way to go? I know the Dev Phone 1 is primarily a developer's tool, but I would like to actually use the thing, and not have to spend another $180 from T-Mobile for a regular G1 just for the privilege of buying software." I hope this isn't true; the unlocked G1 looked like a pretty cool phone, especially (being unlocked) for travel to countries where pre-paid SIM cards are the norm.

18 of 134 comments (clear)

  1. Evil google by mc1138 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    As a company like google grows, practices like these are only going to become more common. They have to start "protecting" their interests. Not that it will work, but it's the natural reaction, much like a "fire hot, fire bad" reaction.

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  2. device not banned by colonslash · · Score: 5, Interesting

    It's not the device that is banned...

    I have a Dev Phone 1, I created an app for it, and I couldn't see my own paid-app on the Market. Installing the Google bonus phone firmware let me access paid apps on the Android Market.

    1. Re:device not banned by Lissajous · · Score: 5, Interesting

      I was going to mod you informative, but as I've just dropped 400 bucks on a Dev Phone 1, I'd rather be selfish and ask for more info on this "Google bonus phone firmware" of which you speak. So much for altruism ;-)

    2. Re:device not banned by BiggoronSword · · Score: 5, Informative

      I could be mistaken, I haven't tried this, but perhaps this is the firmware colonslash is referring to.

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    3. Re:device not banned by colonslash · · Score: 4, Informative

      I could be mistaken, I haven't tried this, but perhaps this is the firmware colonslash is referring to.

      Yes - that's the link. I installed the no device checks version. For those not reading the entire thread, this lets me see paid apps on the Android Market with a developer g1.

    4. Re:device not banned by alphamerik · · Score: 5, Informative

      I confirm this story is bunk, and anyone who is carrying this story should be ashamed (I am looking at you Engadget and Slashdot).

      Go and download "holiday_devphone-userdebug 1.1" image, paid apps will show up fine because it has the features of the Tmobile g33 firmware required to see paid apps. I shouldn't need to google that for you...

      The thing is, the ADP1 does not come with support, the original ADP1 firmware does not update automatically. As a developer and ADP1 owner one should be able to keep up with the news and figure this stuff out for oneself.

  3. Important points by L4t3r4lu5 · · Score: 4, Informative

    - Google allows you to return apps up to 24 hours after purchase for a refund.
    - The Dev phone allows total access to the restricted location where purchased programs are stored. It is restricted to prevent copying.
    - It is entirely possible to copy the contents of the restricted folder on the Dev phone once a program has been purcahsed, then return the app.
    - It can then be distributed and modified at the Dev's wish, against the licensing terms of the app.

    It is the wrong way to go about it, but let's be honest; The only thing which they can test with purchasing is the install mechanism, and they can do that anyway. They already have their app.

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    1. Re:Important points by Chrisq · · Score: 4, Interesting

      It is the wrong way to go about it, but let's be honest; The only thing which they can test with purchasing is the install mechanism, and they can do that anyway. They already have their app.

      Maybe not the only thing. perhaps they want to write an app that works in conjunction with another. Maybe they got a fault report that "after I installed XXX your app stopped working". I don't know how good inter-application isolation is on the Android but it is a possibility.

    2. Re:Important points by Rich0 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      This is a silly reason to ban the dev phone.

      Any application can be pirated on any platform. PERIOD! You can make it easier or harder, but you can't prevent it as long as users have physical access to the hardware that the program runs on. All DRM shares this fundamental flaw. Now, with a phone you could assume connectivity at all times and run the bulk of the software on your own servers, and that would prevent copying of the software (consider MMORPGs as an example).

      In the case of the G1 you can just buy the app using a non-dev phone with a root exploit installed, then copy the files off and install them on your dev phone. Viola - DRM bypassed. Sure, they could make it harder, but you could always patch the app. You could make the phone require signed apps, but then you could patch the firmware. There is always an expoit - even if it involves an electron microscope. The device is implemented in actual physical hardware, and if you have the means to take it apart you can do so. The only thing you can do is make it so hard that it isn't worth it for some $5 application.

      However, half the attraction of android is its openness. If you lock the whole thing down like Fort Knox, what is the point? And if devs can't buy apps from other devs, then that just makes open source that much more competitive on the platform. :)

  4. Re:Experience teaches... it does what?! by AvitarX · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Way to perpetuate the myth that source is such a huge bonus when trying to crack a framework.

    Thanks.

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  5. Re:Experience teaches... it does what?! by D-Cypell · · Score: 4, Funny

    Yes, if only Windows was open source.... the 'black-hat' community would have found ways to subvert it years ago!

  6. Paid apps only by squiggleslash · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I hope this isn't true; the unlocked G1 looked like a pretty cool phone, especially (being unlocked) for travel to countries where pre-paid SIM cards are the norm.

    It's still a cool phone. You're banned only from using apps where the apps are only available from the Google store, and which cost money. It's not as if you're banned from developing apps, or using free apps, or using apps you've installed via alternative means, or anything like that.

    Essentially, any developer who insists on payment and who insists on using only the Google avenue for distribution will find they're not making a lot of sales to users of free (as in freedom) phones. That's a choice they make, just as those who develop paid apps for Windows that insist upon using copy prevention techniques also lock themselves out of other markets. You've not going to run that software under GNU/Linux.

    This is a website where a significant number of people have chosen to use Free operating systems, and where even the non-free software that most of us use under those Free operating systems has been made in an environment in which the authors have made a conscious decision to allow the software to install on an environment they have no control over. You and I know it works. You and I know that those of us using distributions like Ubuntu are having a much more relaxed, friendly, and productive time than we do using the non-free platforms, despite some developers boycotting - consciously or otherwise - our platform and not making their software available for it.

    If you want a G1, there's no good reason to let this news stand in the way of you doing so. Do it. Add yourself to the numbers of those with unlocked phones. Make developers choose between locked down and free, rather than making them choose locked down by default.

    --
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    1. Re:Paid apps only by GooberToo · · Score: 3, Informative

      You're banned only from using apps where the apps are only available from the Google store, and which cost money.

      Wrong! Any application can be marked, "protected", including free applications. Some free applications are marked protected.

      The rest of your post is non-sense as it is based on incorrect assumptions.

  7. Let's not confuse Android with the iPhone by essinger · · Score: 3, Insightful

    While Android may have an app store, you are not required to buy your apps from it. Despite what the TFA says, you can still actually use it.

  8. This isn't true! by albrnick · · Score: 3, Informative

    From what I can tell, this article isn't true! I have a developer phone and have purchased apps within the last week, and right after I read this, I went and purchased another app. So don't know why the guy thinks developer phones can't. Peace, -Nick

  9. Re:Single-point Rebuttal by yincrash · · Score: 3, Informative

    Like it's been said before in the comments, it is only the default dev phone firmware that cannot download paid apps. the phone itself is not locked out from downloading.

    this firmware for example will allow paid app downloads. http://andblogs.net/2009/02/new-adp1-update-official-with-google-voice-and-more/

    google developers DO NOT need to spend more money than the average consumer

  10. Unlocking the phone by goaliemn · · Score: 4, Informative

    T-mobile will unlock the G1 for you. If you've been a customer for more than 90 days, they will provide the SIM unlock code for you. T-mobile is the best at doing this.

  11. Re:Well, be glad you have that option by WiiVault · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Hardware fails all the time, I highly doubt this is a software issue.