Are hacked and cracked Android apps a thing?
May 4, 2015 1:28 PM Subscribe
I am familiar with the dark underside of PC software. Finding cracked and hacked versions of whatever you want is a trivial exercise. Is it like that in the Android app ecosystem too?
Now I have a smartphone and holy shit it's this new world where people expect you to pay for stuff and they cripple their offerings... It seems like "free" usually just means "preview" and by the time you think you might like something you bump up against the boundaries of the promo/demo.
Obviously I would never dream of circumventing DRM, and I am well aware that unlicensed or cracked software is theft!!! It just isn't right!
My interest here is purely theoretical. Do apps get hacked like PC programs do? Does one need a lot of specialized knowledge to install these things? Is rooting your phone a required first step?
Now I have a smartphone and holy shit it's this new world where people expect you to pay for stuff and they cripple their offerings... It seems like "free" usually just means "preview" and by the time you think you might like something you bump up against the boundaries of the promo/demo.
Obviously I would never dream of circumventing DRM, and I am well aware that unlicensed or cracked software is theft!!! It just isn't right!
My interest here is purely theoretical. Do apps get hacked like PC programs do? Does one need a lot of specialized knowledge to install these things? Is rooting your phone a required first step?
Yes, they exist. Yes, it takes specialized knowledge to create, but not outrageous. Rooting is not required.
But, the people doing that have fewer scruples than the average bear, so the theoretical installer of whatever they make is pretty dumb. Want an fancy app? Here, take this paper bag and hold it to your head and pull the trigger! Free Fruit Crush 2049 Somethingorother!
posted by cmiller at 1:34 PM on May 4, 2015
But, the people doing that have fewer scruples than the average bear, so the theoretical installer of whatever they make is pretty dumb. Want an fancy app? Here, take this paper bag and hold it to your head and pull the trigger! Free Fruit Crush 2049 Somethingorother!
posted by cmiller at 1:34 PM on May 4, 2015
Best answer: Yes, of course they do. Usually on dodgy Chinese websites that sideload a bunch of malware alongside the pirated app.
You might like to install F-Droid & enjoy the UI-free zone of open source Android Apps. (OK, some of them have half decent UIs & sometimes you just want something that gets the job done, UI be damned & F-Droid can be a good source of 'something that gets the job done' that doesn’t come with a side order of privacy invasive advertising.)
posted by pharm at 1:36 PM on May 4, 2015
You might like to install F-Droid & enjoy the UI-free zone of open source Android Apps. (OK, some of them have half decent UIs & sometimes you just want something that gets the job done, UI be damned & F-Droid can be a good source of 'something that gets the job done' that doesn’t come with a side order of privacy invasive advertising.)
posted by pharm at 1:36 PM on May 4, 2015
> it's this new world where people expect you to pay for stuff and they cripple their offerings
Er, you mean "you pay OR they cripple". Instead of buying a single cup of coffee, pay for three apps and get decent apps that are not crippled. You're already paying a thousand dollars a year to have a phone in your pocket. Don't skimp on programs to run on it. Reward the programmer who made something you want.
posted by cmiller at 1:42 PM on May 4, 2015 [1 favorite]
Er, you mean "you pay OR they cripple". Instead of buying a single cup of coffee, pay for three apps and get decent apps that are not crippled. You're already paying a thousand dollars a year to have a phone in your pocket. Don't skimp on programs to run on it. Reward the programmer who made something you want.
posted by cmiller at 1:42 PM on May 4, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Rooting is not required but you need to enable the ability to install unsigned apps. Cracking games is not easy unless you have experience or a friend who knows how.
posted by irisclara at 1:44 PM on May 4, 2015
posted by irisclara at 1:44 PM on May 4, 2015
Best answer: Yes it is a thing. If you are looking for a particular game / software you can easily search xxxxxx.apk.
No root required, just turn on the allow third party sources for installation and get a APK installed / File explorer.
posted by bleucube at 1:48 PM on May 4, 2015
No root required, just turn on the allow third party sources for installation and get a APK installed / File explorer.
posted by bleucube at 1:48 PM on May 4, 2015
Best answer: Allow apps from unknown sources in the developer tools settings, and you can easily download illegal apk files of apps and games you want. Root is not necessary.
I would admit I am guilty of doing this, but keep in mind, some of these apps are only like $2 and if you will actually get a lot of use out of them, especially if it's from a small developer and not some giant developer, you may just want to fork over the $2. I feel guilty for my role in creating a world where people can create innovative things, but because it exists digitally, we all think we have the right to steal it, even if it doesn't cost that much. Meanwhile, I'm perfectly willing to throw $30 away on an overpriced dinner or drinks. Haha.
posted by AppleTurnover at 2:30 PM on May 4, 2015
I would admit I am guilty of doing this, but keep in mind, some of these apps are only like $2 and if you will actually get a lot of use out of them, especially if it's from a small developer and not some giant developer, you may just want to fork over the $2. I feel guilty for my role in creating a world where people can create innovative things, but because it exists digitally, we all think we have the right to steal it, even if it doesn't cost that much. Meanwhile, I'm perfectly willing to throw $30 away on an overpriced dinner or drinks. Haha.
posted by AppleTurnover at 2:30 PM on May 4, 2015
Best answer: Bear in mind that cracked Android apps are notorious in the security community for being infested with nasty stuff, like keyloggers that steal your bank password, trojans that dial the author's premium rate phone number in the middle of the night sticking you with a giant phone bill, etc. It may be cheaper in the long run to just pay for the software you use.
posted by w0mbat at 3:04 PM on May 4, 2015 [6 favorites]
posted by w0mbat at 3:04 PM on May 4, 2015 [6 favorites]
Best answer: 1. Install Google Opinion Rewards on your Android phone.
2. Do quick surveys for 10-40 cents each, credited to your Google Wallet account.
3. Use that credit to pay for apps you want.
Bonus: Download free apps from the Amazon Appstore when they have a promo "download this, get $X in Amazon Coins," then spend the coins on apps you want (Google store is preferred though, Amazon Appstore apps MUST have their Appstore installed and logged in or they won't run, which isn't a problem with Google's).
I do find myself paying for the occasional app still, especially after I just got a smartwatch and burned up most of my credit buying apps for that, but 75% of them I pay for using one or the other of these methods.
posted by kindall at 3:37 PM on May 4, 2015 [6 favorites]
2. Do quick surveys for 10-40 cents each, credited to your Google Wallet account.
3. Use that credit to pay for apps you want.
Bonus: Download free apps from the Amazon Appstore when they have a promo "download this, get $X in Amazon Coins," then spend the coins on apps you want (Google store is preferred though, Amazon Appstore apps MUST have their Appstore installed and logged in or they won't run, which isn't a problem with Google's).
I do find myself paying for the occasional app still, especially after I just got a smartwatch and burned up most of my credit buying apps for that, but 75% of them I pay for using one or the other of these methods.
posted by kindall at 3:37 PM on May 4, 2015 [6 favorites]
Google Opinion Rewards is AWESOME. Today I got $.30 for telling them that I haven't been to a Home Depot in the past year.
posted by naturalog at 5:25 PM on May 4, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by naturalog at 5:25 PM on May 4, 2015 [3 favorites]
The company I work for received a letter from the FBI (for real) saying that they had made an arrest in a case of piracy involving the Android version of our app (among many other apps).
Not to dissuade you or anything.
posted by paulcole at 8:52 PM on May 4, 2015
Not to dissuade you or anything.
posted by paulcole at 8:52 PM on May 4, 2015
Best answer: > Now I have a smartphone and holy shit it's this new world where people expect you to pay for stuff and they cripple their offerings...
You may be interested in FossDroid, a nice theme built on the F-Droid project's data (and countless open source developers). It features a ton of open source apps that cost nothing and don't invade your privacy.
posted by pwnguin at 10:21 PM on May 4, 2015
You may be interested in FossDroid, a nice theme built on the F-Droid project's data (and countless open source developers). It features a ton of open source apps that cost nothing and don't invade your privacy.
posted by pwnguin at 10:21 PM on May 4, 2015
Best answer: Bear in mind that cracked Android apps are notorious in the security community for being infested with nasty stuff,
Just wanted to highlight this. I once downloaded an app of questionable provenance because it wasn't available in the Play Store anymore and ended up having to do a factory reset. So make sure you have a backup of anything important.
You might want to check out the XDA forums. Sometimes developers offer their apps for free just so they can get feedback.
posted by bluefly at 4:33 AM on May 5, 2015
Just wanted to highlight this. I once downloaded an app of questionable provenance because it wasn't available in the Play Store anymore and ended up having to do a factory reset. So make sure you have a backup of anything important.
You might want to check out the XDA forums. Sometimes developers offer their apps for free just so they can get feedback.
posted by bluefly at 4:33 AM on May 5, 2015
@pharm, not all of the Chinese app stores have malware. In fact there are several that don't and are clean, i.e., Gfan, Wandoujia, and AppChina, etc.
To respond to advertising, several providers make and distribute ad-free mods of others' apps - they're free, too.
posted by Grease at 8:00 AM on May 11, 2015
To respond to advertising, several providers make and distribute ad-free mods of others' apps - they're free, too.
posted by Grease at 8:00 AM on May 11, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by selfnoise at 1:33 PM on May 4, 2015