Google Introduces New DRM for Android Marketplace

July 30, 2010

Google has added a new DRM program for the Android Marketplace that uses a licensing server to verify whether or not a user has purchased an app before it launches. In order to make use of the new DRM an app has to be sold through the Android Market store and built for the Android 1.5 operating system or later. Free apps can't make use of the service, but - in terms of DRM protection - I guess that doesn't really matter..

This will replace the current copy protection scheme used by apps in the Marketplace, which both developers and consumers have criticized for a number of reasons.

Apps can be written to handle the interaction with the licensing server in any way the developer choose, but Google is providing two preconfigured implementations that will stop an app from running if the server doesn't or can't verify the app's license. The second method will only allow the app to start if the server is available to verify the license. In other words, a DRM system that sounds an awful lot like what Ubisoft likes to use.

Source: aferdawn.com

Posted in DRM

Comments

Re: Google Introduces New DRM for Android Marketplace

Submitted by BigRedNutcase on Mon, 08/02/2010 - 10:43.

Did everyone forget to read the parts where basically this DRM is an entirely up to the developer to use? Google has zero say on IF an app uses it, they just provide the tool should a developer choose to.

"Apps can be written to handle the interaction with the licensing server in any way the developer choose"

Keyword being "developer choose". DRM has and always will be a choice made by the developer and not the platform. For all we know, all android developers will simply ignore the DRM scheme altogether or implement it in a very unobtrusive way.

Re: Google Introduces New DRM for Android Marketplace

Submitted by koichan on Sat, 07/31/2010 - 15:55.

Thats pretty sucky.

I use my android phone quite a lot during my breaks at work, which is in an extremely dodgy signal coverage area, manages 1bar of GPRS at best.

This could potentially cause me many problems :/

Re: Google Introduces New DRM for Android Marketplace

Submitted by paketep on Fri, 07/30/2010 - 07:39.

Et tu, Google?

Re: Google Introduces New DRM for Android Marketplace

Submitted by Michael Chandra on Fri, 07/30/2010 - 02:17.

So basically, if you ain't got a connection you can't use some of the apps you paid for?

Not familiar with the Android, do you pay per time or a monthly fee? So does the server-connect cost anything extra?

Re: Google Introduces New DRM for Android Marketplace

Submitted by Afirejar on Fri, 07/30/2010 - 04:13.

Not familiar with the Android, do you pay per time or a monthly fee? So does the server-connect cost anything extra?

Android is an operating system for mobile phones. Your usual data rates apply (obviously), but nothing beyond that.

The current 'copy protection' mechanism relies on users not having access to a certain area of the phone. People with root can access everything, and once you pull the app out of the 'protected' storage, you can install it on almost(*) any phone, rooted or not, so it's extremely pointless. It was only a matter of time before Google had to step up and provide something, that will at least take some effort to break.

(*) AT&T, I'm looking at you here.

Shout box

DorthLous: Passed 1.5M$. And I'd also say that Brutal Legend is far from being a bad game. I just think it was a few levels under what people expected from the people working on the project.02/11/2012 - 8:25am

Technogeek: Brutal Legend wasn't bad so much as "marketing had no idea how the game actually played", causing it to suffer accordingly.02/10/2012 - 10:38pm

RedMage: It looks the CIA's website has been DDOS'ed. Anon?02/10/2012 - 7:52pm

RedMage: Brutal Legend.02/10/2012 - 7:52pm

ddrfr33k: Has anything Tim Schafer ever made been of crap caliber? I'm struggling to think of one...02/10/2012 - 7:37pm

Guamish: I think it is in good hands. Tim did a game for the GDC award show and that was fun for how short it was.02/10/2012 - 12:22pm

Andrew Eisen: It'll be tragic if the game ultimately sucks.02/10/2012 - 12:17pm

james_fudge: $1.3 million02/10/2012 - 11:32am

Uncharted NES: Germany Says It Won't Sign ACTA [Update: ... Yet]- http://tinyurl.com/7r2twrg02/10/2012 - 11:21am

Andrew Eisen: Damn. Double Fine's Kickstarter fund has already passed a million dollars.02/09/2012 - 8:16pm

Andrew Eisen: Audrey didn't quote the sassy parts. Here's IGN's article: http://wii.ign.com/articles/121/1218359p1.html And here's my original post: http://tinyurl.com/7y68a3902/09/2012 - 7:50pm

james_fudge: I hope you some said something sassy! Where's the link?02/09/2012 - 7:46pm

Andrew Eisen: Hey, neat. IGN quoted a blog I had writen only two hours earlier. I certainly timed that one pretty well.02/09/2012 - 7:38pm

Andrew Eisen: Toki Tori has been added to the Humble Bundle for Android.02/09/2012 - 5:11pm

james_fudge: Thanks for the heads-up DorthLous02/09/2012 - 4:33pm

DorthLous: Will do, my apologies.02/09/2012 - 4:14pm

Andrew Eisen: I appreciate the heads up but please keep typo alerts to the specific article's comments or PMs.02/09/2012 - 3:33pm

DorthLous: The title says 30, but in the article, the developer says it's like a 20% net tax http://www.gamepolitics.com/2012/02/09/developers-call-facebook-currency-transaction-fee-thirty-percent-tax02/09/2012 - 2:43pm

Uncharted NES: If they actually release Final Fantasy XI for PlayStation Vita, then I will consider buying one.02/09/2012 - 12:13pm

Uncharted NES: Customers Petition Apple to End Worker Abuse with 250,000 signatures- http://tinyurl.com/6vpuom202/09/2012 - 11:28am

All shouts

<< Return To Top

Forgot your password?
Username :
Password :