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I just discovered the existence of this game. where is it on the Market? It doesn't seem to be searchable with the term "Eternal Legacy". Gameloft's own website seems to require that one enters a service provider.
With the Transformer being an WiFi only device it doesn't have a service provider.
does anyone know how to get this game working on the transformer?
I'll go ahead and cover this. Gameloft is protesting the Android Market place. As such, they pulled all apps from the market and decided to sell them via their own means. The apps are available on their website via a moronic text system that more often than not, fails. None of the games are currently built for tablets, honeycomb or tegra optimized. So, unfortunately, until Gameloft offers the games on the site as such, you are SOL.
They're idiots...thats all I have to say.
blaine.hale said:
I'll go ahead and cover this. Gameloft is protesting the Android Market place. As such, they pulled all apps from the market and decided to sell them via their own means. The apps are available on their website via a moronic text system that more often than not, fails. None of the games are currently built for tablets, honeycomb or tegra optimized. So, unfortunately, until Gameloft offers the games on the site as such, you are SOL.
They're idiots...thats all I have to say.
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Click to collapse
And I learned something new today, thanks blaine.
So why are they protesting the market?
~DC
The reason, as far as I know, is unannounced. Weird move considering it's the largest phone platform currently on the market. Sure, they're not paying the google fee for apps but I think they lost the vast majority of sales by not being a presence on the market and making it difficult to get their product.
Time will tell
P.S. this game doesn't support tegra2 and will not run on the transformer, even if you find ways of installing it.
Gameloft really does have some of the best games ever, but they suck for not being in the market. And I wish they would start supporting tegra2 I really want to play this game on my tablet!
wonder who their marketing genius is behind this decision....personally will only buy games through the market...it's buggy at times but overall works well. Guess they're trying to build demand for the product. Probably some young hipsters trying to buck the man.
Gameloft has a store set up for the Xoom:
http://wapshop.gameloft.com/php5/us...80f5f752d267d656&from=ADID-149339&promo=bogof
And the Acer Iconia:
http://wapshop.gameloft.com/php5/us...&sv5551=e1d30053e0e9f082d4e0&from=ADID-147084
And I have read that the games for the LG P990 Optimus 2x will work:
http://wapshop.gameloft.com/php5/us...&sv5551=81c380d350b9d085c7b8&from=ADID-147084
I am debating buying the Asphalt 6 version for either Xoom or Iconia myself as I have read that they will work through some googling. If anyone is willing to spend the $5 to try them while I am talking myself into being a guinea pig at least they have the buy one get one deal going on. Asphalt 6 and NOVA for $5? Yes please.
krighton said:
wonder who their marketing genius is behind this decision....personally will only buy games through the market...it's buggy at times but overall works well. Guess they're trying to build demand for the product. Probably some young hipsters trying to buck the man.
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Click to collapse
Then why would you want to support the man?
The only reason why the Market exists is because there are dullards who can't Google the software websites for themselves.
The Market never existed in Windows Mobile, and I was able to find more quality software and information about software than Android.
So to cater to a unwashed masses of retards, software companies have to submit to Google's and Apples dumb down gateway system, letting them restrict freedom thru regulating on what kind of software is allowed and take a cut too.
Like with everything, masses of uninformed people are the single greatest barrier to freedom for everyone.
klau1 said:
I just discovered the existence of this game. where is it on the Market? It doesn't seem to be searchable with the term "Eternal Legacy". Gameloft's own website seems to require that one enters a service provider.
With the Transformer being an WiFi only device it doesn't have a service provider.
does anyone know how to get this game working on the transformer?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
See my post here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=13913276&postcount=246
May be good news for your search.
klau1 said:
Then why would you want to support the man?
The only reason why the Market exists is because there are dullards who can't Google the software websites for themselves.
The Market never existed in Windows Mobile, and I was able to find more quality software and information about software than Android.
So to cater to a unwashed masses of retards, software companies have to submit to Google's and Apples dumb down gateway system, letting them restrict freedom thru regulating on what kind of software is allowed and take a cut too.
Like with everything, masses of uninformed people are the single greatest barrier to freedom for everyone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
At the end of the day, it's all about convenience. If you can't offer that to your market...they aren't going to want the product. It is completely inconvenient for the masses to go to their site, enter MORE billing info, have a game TEXTED to you, download it via a usually broken link, then finally play it.
I was part of the old winmo crew and I fully appreciated downloading software from the companies site...but guess what!? This wonderful concept where all these applications were put in one spot ON MY PHONE with one billing method was invented and gosh darn it, I just think thats a swell place to get my apps!
If they do not want to fall into the market, they're missing 98% of the average phone users in todays world
So yes, Gameloft made a very horrible decision. Lesson here? Don't make your product hard to get.
krighton said:
wonder who their marketing genius is behind this decision....personally will only buy games through the market...it's buggy at times but overall works well. Guess they're trying to build demand for the product. Probably some young hipsters trying to buck the man.
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Click to collapse
I wouldn't be surprised if it was something to do with a clash over Gameloft's terrible licensing policy.
I think Gameloft want to optimize its game based on specific hardware.
And I definitely would not complain since:
1. the price is way cheaper compared to the marketplace, (probably the price differs from a country to another)
2. alternative payment option. the games can be paid through telco provider by premium sms charge instead of credit card. Quite convenience.
klau1 said:
The only reason why the Market exists is because there are dullards who can't Google the software websites for themselves.
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and
klau1 said:
So to cater to a unwashed masses of retards,
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and
klau1 said:
Like with everything, masses of uninformed people are the single greatest barrier to freedom for everyone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Huh? dullards? unwashed masses of retards?
Do you think that possibly there could be intelligent informed users of Android devices who for their own reasons like the Android Market and (gasp) even some of them use the market and other means of getting the apps that they want?
Honestly...this was a pretty ignorant post...
Most of the developers that are protesting the Android market don't like the fact that people can get a refund when they find out that the game sucks.
These developers prefer the Apple market because they can develop crap games and then the consumer is out of luck once they have your money.
Anyway... it's usually about the refund system. Google has cut it back to 15 minutes because enough developers complained, and I'm sure it won't be long before they do away with it altogether.
Drybonz said:
Most of the developers that are protesting the Android market don't like the fact that people can get a refund when they find out that the game sucks.
These developers prefer the Apple market because they can develop crap games and then the consumer is out of luck once they have your money.
Anyway... it's usually about the refund system. Google has cut it back to 15 minutes because enough developers complained, and I'm sure it won't be long before they do away with it altogether.
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Click to collapse
This whole thought process I think is damning themselves. I know I've been less click happy on buying an app since they lowered the refund time. I had the market bug and not install the app (when it was 24 hours) and I couldn't get it installed until after the refund time was over, so I fear something similar will happen still and I only have 15 minutes to figure it out. If they get rid of it altogether, I'll deal without most paid apps. At the moment I already refuse to pay for an app through amazon because of their policy.
Of course I might not be the majority, but the return policy was a major reason (one of many) why I jumped ship from Apple and went with Android in the first place.
ok, first of all I'd like to state that I am not in fact trolling. This is a serious question from one dev to another. I have been devving on android for almost 2 years now and have been devving on wp7 for around 3 months. Studies have shown that despite the clear difference in market share that people who are developing the same app for each OS are making quite a bit more for wp7 and even more for ios of course due to app pirating. I understand why all these rooting and rom apps and over locking apps are made but why would anyone spend all the time to develop a game when the security is so minimal that any app could be either just stolen or given a crack without issue. Its sad really to see developers hard work go unrewarded but app pirating is way too easy. You can go download a folder with 10000 apks of all these different games on a torrent site in about a minute and honestly its sad. I really don't see how android devs survive without ad support.
z33dev33l said:
ok, first of all I'd like to state that I am not in fact trolling. This is a serious question from one dev to another. I have been devving on android for almost 2 years now and have been devving on wp7 for around 3 months. Studies have shown that despite the clear difference in market share that people who are developing the same app for each OS are making quite a bit more for wp7 and even more for ios of course due to app pirating. I understand why all these rooting and rom apps and over locking apps are made but why would anyone spend all the time to develop a game when the security is so minimal that any app could be either just stolen or given a crack without issue. Its sad really to see developers hard work go unrewarded but app pirating is way too easy. You can go download a folder with 10000 apks of all these different games on a torrent site in about a minute and honestly its sad. I really don't see how android devs survive without ad support.
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Click to collapse
lol... there are bad people in this world.. and everyone can become a bad person.. so everyone desires to be one? so everyone becomes bad.. nope
k do this.. go to your android market.. search for robo-defence..look at its price.. and look at its downlaods, it will say >500,000 and it cost 2.90 dollars
i think ill do the maths
thats around 1450000 dollars ...
obviously developer actually dint make this much .. but u get my idea.. he made a lot of money .. and if for instance he thought like u .. he would have not made all that money. he dint allow negativity to take over him.
and people who look for un-faithfull means.. find it.. and there are many who know about piracy but they have human values , they always pay.
and trust me there are so many who wodnt even know about where to find these pirated apps .. they actually dont care . These people pay
jags_the1 said:
lol... there are bad people in this world.. and everyone can become a bad person.. so everyone desires to be one? so everyone becomes bad.. nope
k do this.. go to your android market.. search for robo-defence..look at its price.. and look at its downlaods, it will say >500,000 and it cost 2.90 dollars
i think ill do the maths
thats around 1450000 dollars ...
obviously developer actually dint make this much .. but u get my idea.. he made a lot of money .. and if for instance he thought like u .. he would have not made all that money. he dint allow negativity to take over him.
and people who look for un-faithfull means.. find it.. and there are many who know about piracy but they have human values , they always pay.
and trust me there are so many who wodnt even know about where to find these pirated apps .. they actually dont care . These people pay
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Click to collapse
You are absolutely right my friend.even though I know where I can find those pirated stuff I bought talking tom, fruit ninja, file downloader plus from the market.respect you in this aspect that people pay
jags_the1 said:
lol... there are bad people in this world.. and everyone can become a bad person.. so everyone desires to be one? so everyone becomes bad.. nope
k do this.. go to your android market.. search for robo-defence..look at its price.. and look at its downlaods, it will say >500,000 and it cost 2.90 dollars
i think ill do the maths
thats around 1450000 dollars ...
obviously developer actually dint make this much .. but u get my idea.. he made a lot of money .. and if for instance he thought like u .. he would have not made all that money. he dint allow negativity to take over him.
and people who look for un-faithfull means.. find it.. and there are many who know about piracy but they have human values , they always pay.
and trust me there are so many who wodnt even know about where to find these pirated apps .. they actually dont care . These people pay
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well I'm on wp7 I i understand paying for apps. I've bought 13 Xbox live titles. Robo defense though has been around since my g1 was still a big device, pirating android apps didn't really start til after the Verizon droid came out and android went mainstream, sure it was there but it wasn't so easy. My stepmom could not navigate Facebook on her computer but she knows how to pirate apps, its made too easy. When I paid 9.99 for zenonia the day it came out and my friend pirated it for free 3 days I i was pretty peeved. These things are just far too easy on android and right now I'm considering if it's worth porting my new RPG over to android or not...
Are you trying to say that you cant pirate wp7 apps? Or that wp7 users have better morals than us droids?
Every platform has piracy. Apologies if it's not right to discuss it here, but jailbreak WP7 and you're free to sideload XNA apps at no cost. Not ethically right, but possible. Exploits will always be found.
It has to do with the user base. As a mass market platform, the vast majority of Android users don't know or care about sideloading applications. You overestimate the lengths people will go to to save one or two dollars. If the right app is available for one click downloading, the convenience outweighs digging around for the right apk file. Same reason why iTunes was so successful in combating music piracy. Make piracy the less appealing option.
When I was a young poor student I was going to the torrent sites for all the software i use. Today i use linux at home( i'd buy a legal os otherwise) and buy all my apps from the market.
Sent from my HTC Desire using XDA Premium App
aFo3262 said:
Every platform has piracy. Apologies if it's not right to discuss it here, but jailbreak WP7 and you're free to sideload XNA apps at no cost. Not ethically right, but possible. Exploits will always be found.
It has to do with the user base. As a mass market platform, the vast majority of Android users don't know or care about sideloading applications. You overestimate the lengths people will go to to save one or two dollars. If the right app is available for one click downloading, the convenience outweighs digging around for the right apk file. Same reason why iTunes was so successful in combating music piracy. Make piracy the less appealing option.
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Click to collapse
Exactly, why bother going to the effort of hunting around the net, finding an old version of the apk, risking warez sites throwing malware etc at you, just to save $1.99
Yes there is piracy of WP7 apps too, and with such a small market share, there's the potential for it to hit developers' incomes far greater. So perhaps the question should be "Why develope for WP7 when piracy can have a greater impact?"
Think about it, if you've got a large enough market share that 10% piracy still leaves you with a large income from legitimate sales, then although it's a pain, it's still making you lots of money, where as if your sales are low due to the few users who own the device you're developing for, you need that 10% to make a reasonable amount as you can't have the same number of sales as the more popular operating systems.
If I sell $100,000 worth of bananas and it turns out $10,000 was actually stolen, then that still leaves $90,000 in my pocket.
But if I sell only $1000 worth of bananas and $100 were actually stolen, then I've only got $900 in my pocket.
I guess because the majority of users will stay pay for a game or app that they want.
It's the same with PC software and games...many people crack and download them for free, but the majority will still pay for them.
You have to jailbreak iOS and WP7 to sideload apps. That means that >90% of iOS/WP7 users will have to pay.
You can sideload apps on Android straight out of the box without rooting, which makes piracy just as easy as on desktop operating systems.
rogier666 said:
You have to jailbreak iOS and WP7 to sideload apps. That means that >90% of iOS/WP7 users will have to pay.
You can sideload apps on Android straight out of the box without rooting, which makes piracy just as easy as on desktop operating systems.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And yet people are still making computer programs.
To some developers the trade off is worth it even when you factor in piracy. Look at how many indie games don't have drm making an app is pretty much the same. There are enough people who will buy the app to make a living off of
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
ok, that is very interesting
dardragon said:
And yet people are still making computer programs.
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Of course.
Piracy is just a bit of background noise. Most pirates wouldn't have bought the app anyway.
What I get from the people around me, is that if the app is good enough or do fit their needs, they're willing to pay for it.
I like to see it this way:
When I get hungry I go to a vending machine a buy let say a Mars or something for 1 euro.
When I'm bored and I have to wait for a few minutes, I look on the android market and buy a funny game for about that same amount of money.
I hope that other users see it the same way. The amount that an app or game will cost is so small, that most probably will spend more in the weekend on a beer.
An app is not a Mars bar.
Candy bars are not free. If you want a Nuts or a Bounty instead of a Mars you'll still have to pay.
For every paid app there's a free alternative. Usually there are many free alternatives, and the market has a built-in feature to find the free beer.
The Android Market has a "related apps" link. What other markets force their merchants to provide free advertising for their competitors in their very own market stall?
Tricky-Design said:
I hope that other users see it the same way. The amount that an app or game will cost is so small, that most probably will spend more in the weekend on a beer.
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Spot on.
Ive paid for damn near every app on my phone. I appreciate the work and am more than willing to contribute. And still, all in all, ive spent maybe 15bucks total in the past 4months. Seriously, apps are one of the more affordable ( and not to mention hella convenient) luxuries in this day and age(and in this economy).
Try and go see a movie these days? How much?
Go buy a board game at wal- mart? How much?
Go to the arcade? (if you can find one anymore) how much?
Go buy a book at books a million? How much?
xaccers said:
Exactly, why bother going to the effort of hunting around the net, finding an old version of the apk, risking warez sites throwing malware etc at you, just to save $1.99
Yes there is piracy of WP7 apps too, and with such a small market share, there's the potential for it to hit developers' incomes far greater. So perhaps the question should be "Why develope for WP7 when piracy can have a greater impact?"
Think about it, if you've got a large enough market share that 10% piracy still leaves you with a large income from legitimate sales, then although it's a pain, it's still making you lots of money, where as if your sales are low due to the few users who own the device you're developing for, you need that 10% to make a reasonable amount as you can't have the same number of sales as the more popular operating systems.
If I sell $100,000 worth of bananas and it turns out $10,000 was actually stolen, then that still leaves $90,000 in my pocket.
But if I sell only $1000 worth of bananas and $100 were actually stolen, then I've only got $900 in my pocket.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you should really look at the general profit margins from OS to OS, even your average developer makes more on wp7 than android because as someone already stated, there's a free version of pretty much everything on android and what's not can be pirated. Then there's the fragmentation for every app that was made for 2.1 plus. Sure, you CAN pirate on wp7, its a long, complex process that doesn't work fully on Xbl games and actually requires some knowledge, its not androids out-of-box pirating or iOSes one click jailbreak with everything done for you. Its the only OS that adds some level of complexity to doing such things and that little bit is more than enough for your average user.
Next OS ; WHY CANT I MAKE AS MUCH ON WP7 APPS random_os001 makes more WAHHHH
(YEAR OR TWO LATER~!) RANDOM_os002 WAS RELEASED (os001 sorry ur gonna lose money now unless u try to stick with the pack.)
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-5...s-study/?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20
to summarize, the article claims that the iOS app store generates more revenue for developers because people are more likely to buy there.
problem is, this article, and others like it, ignore the glaring flaw in their reasoning: revenue from sales is not the only source of revenue for an app developer. ad based revenue models area ctually very lucrative, proof of this can be easily seen from Google's success, and Facebook's success: their entire business model is nothing but ad based revenue!
in fact, ad based revenue is more lucrative in the long term than sales are, because with app sales, the dev gets revenue once, the first time a person buys the app, and then nothing from that customer ever again. but with ad based models, the dev gets money every time a person uses the app, as they get they revenue from a pair of eyes watching the screen.
so then, why does the app store have lots of sales, when the Market has only few sales? what's the difference? the reason is, iOS is not always connected tot he internet, and therefore cannot always receive ads to display, or transmit back user data. true, the iPhone is always on, and the iPad is almost always used at home on a wifi connection, probably 80% of the time at least.
the problem here, is the iPod touch. it's a highly mobile device (thinner than even the iPhone) and has access to all the same apps. it's also very popular. so, any iOS app developer choosing between releasing a free app that's ad based, and a premium app, will have to consider all the millions of iPod users without an internet connection with which to transmit ads over. the dev would be unable to make any money from them, and even if ads were preloaded, there's no guarantee that the user would turn on the app when their wifi is on later to be able to send user data back, confirming the ads were actually seen (especially since it's an on the go device, so people aren't using it at home that much). so that would be millions of downloads the dev would never see money for, unless that person eventually gets an iPhone or iPad, and its a gamble whether they actually would, or when.
Android, however, doesn't really have that problem. there never really was an iTouch style Android device except for the Galaxy Player, which wasn't even available in America (the largest market) until about a month ago. on top of that, until Honeycomb debuted, Google restricted official installation of the Market app itself to only cellular equipped devices, so even if you buy one of those cheap craptablets from CVS pharmacy or Borders running Android 2.1, you can't download Market apps, and therefore aren't relevant to the dev's business model.
it's also worth pointing out here, that the ad based model is better for consumers, too. not only do they get the products for free, they also are more liekly to receive updates in the future. after all, the dev with an ad based model makes money when people continue to use the app. so if the dev updates his app regularly with new features and levels, the user is more likely to continue using/playing or start again after a lull. which means the deve gets more money all the time, and the user gets new entertainment or utility all the time, for no more cost or very little. No more buying sequel after sequel.
For example, look at Angry Birds. it was one game, and was successful as a premium app on iOS. 2 sequels were planned and released; around this time, it came to Android. and Rovio did something different: they released it for free, as an ad based app. and wouldn't you know it, after that happened, there were no more sequels. yet the levels keep getting added and added and added to each game. compared to the original levels in the first game, there are now probably enough levels to fill 10 or 15 games, yet they keep adding them to the same games. they do this every time people tend to finish the last level pack and stop playing, then they add another and it starts up again.
all very interesting info quoted from Cnet
but what is the point you are trying to get at by opening this topic?
One other reason sales are higher on the App Store: people who buy into the Apple system accept the high premium that comes along with it and generally don't take issue with spending for apps. Part of the mindset coming in with Android is the idea of open, free development and therefore a lot of people sit back and wait for a free version of paid apps to come out. Just part of the different perspectives generally seen in the two markets. Developers who understand this have ad-based apps and still get their revenue, especially the ones who make it quite easy to accidentally click ads =P
There's also the fact that some developers allow you to donate as you like and don't require you to do so directly through the market, so there's more revenue that isn't directly seen as a "paid app" sale.
I dont think Android being open source may much of a difference, if you look at the world as a whole 99.9% of people looking at phones/tablets have no clue what open source even means.
That little 'ITunes' card makes the world of difference. I had an IPAd for 1 year, I spent maybe 20 bucks on apps, I have spent maybe 5 bucks on android apps in a few months. Now if I were to get an Android 50.00 gift card, I bet I would spend that within a month!
These gift cards are HUGE for the younger market where they dont have cell phones and they all have ipods, and starting to get Ipads/Iphones.
Interesting
Sent from my LG-P925 using XDA App
This make sense
I don't know, man. I'm pretty sure that Apple's philosophy is not conditioned by a single, specific device.
With the second part I do agree. Apple users are generally people who are able to pay for more expenses. Especially those who have a few Apple products. If you're willing and able to pay over 1k$ for a laptop, then a couple of bucks for an app is nothing.
There's a third reason why Apple has more app sales: it forces you to link your account to a credit card, so you're automatically set to pay for apps. In the Android market, you have to "detour" to link your credit card to your account.
Sent from my LT15i using XDA App
For the Android developer point of vue it is most valuable to use the freemium approach instead of the classic app purchase. It seems that the player prefer to play for free and buy something here and there to improve the game experience. A lot of games are doing that out there.
Most Android phones sold are of the buy 1 get 1(sometimes 2) free variety, and virtually all Android users that I know either don't download apps, have no clue that their phone runs Android or pirate apps by side loading. Personally I only bought 1 app in 2yrs of using various Android phones because most of them were far inferior to iOS versions usually sporting awful UI(due to the fact that Android SDK is a joke compared to Xcode).
Phrenks said:
I don't know, man. I'm pretty sure that Apple's philosophy is not conditioned by a single, specific device.
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I'm not talking about Apple's philosophy, I'm talking about the revenue potential for developers for iOS devices. What I'm saying is, the iPod has created iOS's own form of fragmentation. a Large portion of iOS users have an iPod touch that's only occasionally able to receive ads (connected) and even then, it's probably not connected when using most apps, especially games.
I had an iPod touch for 2 years back before I got an Android phone, and I only ever turned on the wifi to use the browser, a few news reader apps while killing downtime at work, and the app store/iTunes. that last one I did only very rarely, and I always turned the wifi off immediately after those uses, with the battery being so weak. I NEVER turned it on during games; in fact, If I was playing a game, I always made sure wifi was off, because so many games drained the battery very quickly, so I had to be especially power conscious.
So, if a dev wants to make apps for iOS, they have to consider that if they go ad based, a large portion of people will not give them any revenue at all due to being not connected to receive ads. that's why developers often charge for iOS apps, yet often make the same apps free or cheaper on Android.
Don't make the mistake of assuming Apple has a smarter philosophy than that; remember, the iPhone and iPod touch were never originally designed to have a downloadable app store to begin with. in fact, Steve Jobs openly admitted that he was opposed to it when his subordinates tried to convince him to allow it. It wasn't until the first iOS devices were jailbroken and hackers created Cydia (well before the official app store) that Apple saw the potential and caved. at that point, they had already released the iPod touch anyway, so they were stuck. Add to that the fact that they didn't really have a division designed to sell and distribute ads for other businesses at the time, and you can see how they weren't really prepared to see what the best long term system would be.
alex2792 said:
Most Android phones sold are of the buy 1 get 1(sometimes 2) free variety, and virtually all Android users that I know either don't download apps, have no clue that their phone runs Android or pirate apps by side loading. Personally I only bought 1 app in 2yrs of using various Android phones because most of them were far inferior to iOS versions usually sporting awful UI(due to the fact that Android SDK is a joke compared to Xcode).
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Really? I wish I knew where I could get two for one as never seen any uk retailer offer a deal like that and would love two for one
Out of curiosity though what is it about android sdk you think is a joke? Its not the sdks fault if an apps ui is bad yet anothers is good or all should be bad.
But back on topic most android users I know prefer free apps with ads so it could be true android users aren't so keen to buy apps whereas iphone is more a lifestyle choice and when you buy into a lifestyle your more likely to be willing to spend money investing in it.
Dave
Sent from my LG P920 using Tapatalk
I just need to vent. I'm a fairly active developer for the android platform. I've created a number of kernel patches and applications that I have released at no charge to the community for about 10 or so devices.
All this I do in my "spare time", which I have very little of because I am a full time professional student who takes on 32 credit hour semesters.
Recently, since my 1994 geo prizm is literally falling apart and I was hoping to scrounge together a little bit of money to get a new car so I don't end up stranded on my way to class, I decided to release a paid application. Fastcharge / Force AC toggle which allows you to toggle on and off the force AC feature. A feature which I have personally implemented and released source patches for on a number of devices.
Not only in every thread where I released the patch on a device did I write up how to toggle the feature through the command line, but I also stated that I also implemented a toggle into my completely free application that you can also download from the market, IncrediControl.
In good faith and knowing how annoying licensing is, I elected to not include licensing in my application. This is a huge regret.
Within a couple days of releasing the application to the market I googled it to see if anyone was talking about it. One of the first links was to a piracy site where a user was requesting the widget, to which another user obliged and posted the apk to a filesharing site. Doing something I never though I would have to do, I filed a DMCA takedown request, which was answered quickly and the app was taken down. Monitoring the thread, every single time a link gets taken down, another user requests the app and the original user reuploads it, most recently to 11 different sites.
So now, after filing dozens of takedown requests. This user has decided to unzip my apk, change out the artwork, and now is going around releasing it as his own work.
Really, all this to avoid paying $1.50 (only ~$1 of it actually going to me) to an individual whose yearly income is low enough that he doesn't have to file taxes?
This disgusts me.
This is even worse than the 50% "order cancellation rate" that the widget has. I'm not stupid, I know exactly what users are doing, but yet initially I was willing to ignore it. But this has gone too far.
What is even the point of pissing off a developer so much that he is considering saying screw the platform all together? It doesn't even make sense. We, the developers improve your devices, generally at little or no cost, and this is how we're repaid. With ~50% of current users of the application having pirated it. To avoid paying just over $1.
Now before someone even counters with the "my area doesn't support paid applications" argument I've actually gladly GIVEN the widget away to a number of users who casually mentioned in the release threads that they couldn't download it for this reason. Not to mention, everyone knows there are apps that unlock the market in these areas to be able to purchase apps.
How much more generous can a developer be than to provide source code patches for a feature, provide information on how to toggle the feature, provide a COMPLETELY FREE way to toggle the feature, and then charge a measly $1.50 for a secondary, slightly more convenient way to toggle.
Yet he's repaid like this .
Of course, this must suck for a developer like you. Unfortunately, it seems to happen more and more often, and all I can really say is:
I would gladly pay a few bucks for an application like IC or BootManager. That BootManager seemed really interesting, but we can't buy apps from the Play Store without CC (and as a 16-year old, I don't have one). I asked the developer if he accepted Paypal, but he didn't.
Don't get me wrong, and this is not an attack to you personally: developers, if you made something really nice, and people will like it, 70% of the people will gladly pay for it, just make sure you allow them to.
Chaosz-X said:
70% of the people will gladly pay for it, just make sure you allow them to.
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I honestly thought this was the case. It's really not. The problem is much worse than that. If 70% of users in the root community paid for apps it would be astonishing. Its made pretty clear by the number of users who download the app, back it up and then cancel the order.
If a 16 year old kid had made me that offer, the e-mail reply I sent would have the apk attached.
Well, that is a real flaw of Android: tweakability is really impressing, but these things make it really difficult to earn some money as a developer.
We have been thinking about anti-piracy measures as well, with stuff such as authentication with a server, and locking down the code and verifying integrity of APKs and stuff to make sure it's really hard to mess with the code, but it's just sad that there's a need for these measures..
The trouble is everything has piracy right from movies to game consoles through to mobiles and music.
I mean the iPhones appstore would be a hell of a lot bigger if there was no jailbreaking and installous.
Every platform has been cracked so you'll get it regardless of what you develop for.
Sent from my HTC Desire using XDA
I think you know you just needed to vent but can I change your picture.
There are some people in this world who just don't buy the idea of an idea as property. That's not compatible with this business model. That's the first problem.
The next problem is that
there's a million and one apps out there and which one are we going to choose? Where does it start, where does it end? We all have our limits. What's yours?
For me, the app has to be something very unique and possible generate me cash. For example something I use every day at work. If it's something that the phone should do anyway I tend to skip it and save the $1 for the next phone that does it out of the box. Your app is a great thing, but there's many utility apps out there. It just doesn't fall into the kind of thing I'd cave my strict budgeting for. There are people here with a 1000 apps installed and you expect them to pay $1000 in this sense.
Another way would be having utility in the cloud and then the app is free. Another one of course, advertising.
The difference with both of these is we don't need to risk a credit card with the market. That's the main reason I personally haven't bought many apps and I'd imagine it's a problem for minors too.
The very community that allowed us to create the app fails to pay for it's products is like life itself.
I'd say make something for the iphone instead because there's more profit there but that would never have been possible, see what I'm saying? That's the 3rd problem.
So you've got 3 problems there all converging into one big push towards piracy. But remember, can your app assure security that the pirated version cannot for example? This is how one has to think.
In short,
you can't do something and hope to make a bit from it on the side. You got to go out from the start and get the money aspect central from the start. I mean, that's business and of course that's exactly what the android community works hard to free us from.
Still, summarising those 3 points for suggestion:
- offer something free things can't (i.e. security, brand etc) For example, I never run pirated stuff for fear of insecurity on my data whereas I'll try out software that way on an old PC
- can always put a service in the cloud aka the javascript trap
- iphone is there if you want...
- needs to "the one app" a certain person would pay for, not something everyone likes
Also just to make that point again, if one does not believe in property then inconveniently there is no moral crime here. I suggest learn to live with this and go with the flow
I hope google sells PlayStore cards (like itunes cards) that allows user to buy apps, music, movies, books without a credit card. I really want to buy some amazing apps but i dont have a credit card so i just use free apps. I think that if u cant buy an app that cant be a reason to piracy or sidedownload that app.
jago25_98 said:
For me, the app has to be something very unique and possible generate me cash. For example something I use every day at work. If it's something that the phone should do anyway I tend to skip it and save the $1 for the next phone that does it out of the box. Your app is a great thing, but there's many utility apps out there. It just doesn't fall into the kind of thing I'd cave my strict budgeting for. There are people here with a 1000 apps installed and you expect them to pay $1000 in this sense.
Another way would be having utility in the cloud and then the app is free. Another one of course, advertising.
The difference with both of these is we don't need to risk a credit card with the market. That's the main reason I personally haven't bought many apps and I'd imagine it's a problem for minors too.
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The feature is 100% unique and so is the widget. Not to mention, if you didn't want to pay the $1, I provided a free way to toggle the feature in the utility app. The point is, that there is nothing forcing people to pay for the widget to use the feature. But instead of using the free option provided, they not only pirate the paid app, but edit the artwork and release it for free as their own. It defies logic.
Also, ad based apps don't work with the rooted community. I learned that early on. Myfree utility app is ad supported. With over 40,000 installs you would think it would make even a dollar a day. Nope, makes nearly nothing. That's when I realized that the same niche I was marketing to are the same people who block ads. Even if someone didn't want to block ads, they can't install a single ROM that doesn't include an ad blocking hosts file out of the box.
chad0989 said:
[...] How much more generous can a developer be than to provide source code patches for a feature, provide information on how to toggle the feature, provide a COMPLETELY FREE way to toggle the feature, and then charge a measly $1.50 for a secondary, slightly more convenient way to toggle.
Yet he's repaid like this .
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Be sure you're looking at all sides. Yes, you're in a losing war with guys intent on pirating your app. You can't stop them, and well, you goofed on the licensing, so someone will no doubt release the clone.
First of all, don't do the Big Media thing and assume that everybody that pirates your app would have paid for it if it hadn't been available. A lot of folks collect, or just try something once. You'll only work yourself into a funk thinking about all that money you "would" have if only they hadn't been able to pirate it. They wouldn't have. At least not all of them.
More importantly, be aware that placing something out there with value does reach folks that otherwise would have no idea of you or your plight. More than once, I've purchased an app that I don't really need, but found clever and cheap enough I can buy it without thinking about the investment. I've spent more on Android software at $1-15 over the last year than I did over the last 25+ at $30-100 a pop. I've only refunded an app once, by accident.
Finally, be up front about your situation. A guy trying to make do does influence my impulse buying. So does his reputation. If you're doing a lot, be sure that's clear on your app page, and let us know clearly you're the guy that also brought us whatever.
I am curious, though: How much did you actually bring in?
Chad- thanks for telling your story, I agree that you have every right to be disappointed. Especially the buying and refunding, that to me send almost worse because you can't stop dedicated pirating, but I would have hoped the rest would have bought the app.
It's easy to forget the human side of development, so thanks for sharing your side.
Jesus christ Chad. This is f$%&*#@ ridiculous. Probably the best and most generous kernel dev I have ever come into contact with, and people are cheating you out of 1.50. Please don't abandon Android. I need kernels when I get my rezound! but in all seriousness, warez needs to stop.
Sent from my ADR6400L
Yep. Sucks. After getting serious about android , which wasn't too far in, joining with a nexus one and seeing all the free HARD work we get, I definitely try buying stuff I use. If I can't pay sometimes I will see if dev does something else I can donate to. Its an issue I've thought about and part of it really boils down to how sorry people are in general. They want free and cheap. $1 is laughable even when it can be easily had for free. You really should market yourself a bit even though you don't want to. And people should really put a complimentary $5 or so budget a month or more and try to support devs. Maybe if you have something he gave free but has an app you won't use for a buck, buy the dollar app and uninstall after the 15 minute period. Or throw him a 5 through PayPal or something. Its simple really. If these devs don't have to resort to ramen and water they keep dev'ing especially for the community supporting him or her. And if they're eating vegetables and have plenty of red bull money it gives them wings. Otoh, the devs that make us pay to reinstall an app after we bought it on another or lost our phone suck. Balls. Won't buys theirs anymore.
teach a man to fish, you feed him for life. teach a man to fastboot, and you create competency. and less threads on xda.
Maybe you should implement a system like some developers do where you download the app for free with a time limited trail, then they would go to another website to pay for the app to unlock it, and the unlock codes would be unique for every user which would minimize piracy.
Sent from my GT-N7000 Samsung Galaxy Note "Go big or go home" using XDA app
rafa6571 said:
I hope google sells PlayStore cards (like itunes cards) that allows user to buy apps, music, movies, books without a credit card. I really want to buy some amazing apps but i dont have a credit card so i just use free apps. I think that if u cant buy an app that cant be a reason to piracy or sidedownload that app.
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In the Netherlands we have prepaid Visa card.
Works well.
Maybe you google something similar in your own country.
(3V prepaid Visa cards)
That does suck but if someone wants to pirate an app even licencing doesn't stop them as there is an app that apparently patches licence checks.
It is so easy for even a non root and new user to find cracked apps, I have seen links on here and even on peoples facebook sites, it's got to the point where people can just browse a webpage and click a link to get the cracked version of an app.
Unfortunately if someone wants to crack it they can. Unless you could implement your own security check somehow, something obfuscated in the code, licencing is the only alternative as it would stop people using backed up cancelled versions at least.
Unfortunately it seems a lot of people just don't want to pay for apps.
Dave
Sent from my LG P920 using Tapatalk
also have to look at both sides. some people just refuse to pay for **** whatever it is, or get it as cheaply as they can. being android apps, the free route is how they're going to go. but the other side, you hsould be grateful for all the people that do pay. they're the ones helping keeping google, open source, android and everything in between chugging along. open source is the future and you can tell every corporation i said that. and thanks for you your work even though i've never used it.
jago25_98 said:
...
Also just to make that point again, if one does not believe in property then inconveniently there is no moral crime here. I suggest learn to live with this and go with the flow
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There is plenty to disagree with in your post as it all seems like an attempt at rationalizing ways to get around the system. This last statement is a ridiculous attempt at summarizing why stealing is OK. Your morals don't define the crime, the law does. Stealing property, physical or intellectual, is not legal and not right regardless of your morals or lack of.
Chad,
I am sorry to hear of your products' abuse. I used your kernels all the time on my Incredible devices and bought IncrediControl to support development. I have purchased many applications just to support development and believe that is the way to get high quality applications.
Piracy is just so damn easy on Android. I know ppl that are doing it who I wouldn't even expect to be doing such a thing. This guy I know love android only because he can get everything free by just googling the apk.
awww thats sad i feel really bad for you!
I've used pre paid visa debit cards to buy apps. You can find them in Any money shop like Cheque cashing places for example. You can even just stick a dicky diver (£5) on them. Perfect for situations like this
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda premium
We all know how easy it is to cheat developers and find apk's on the internet. Well it seems developers are complaining and if nothing is done then they will focus on the iphone appstore matketplace. More details in this articule http://androidprirates.blogspot.com/
Ever heard of installous on iOS? Piracy will find a way. If most resort to only iOS, chances are piracy on the Apple platform will also skyrocket.
The thing is, trying to fight piracy head on is an uphill battle, and after so many legislations, millions spent on safeguards and lawyers, and bashed sites (megaupload, piratebay?) pirated stuff is as easy to access as before (and for a lot of stuff, its even easier today).
I believe that if piracy is costing so much money, then there's a problem with the business model. Labels and record companies had to accept this when they adapted the napster model to online stores like iTunes and Netflix, and stopped charging ridiculous amounts of money for CD and DVD without added value (remember the last time you paid 30 or 40 bucks for a 10 song CD back in the 90s? Now its usually a buck per song).
Bringing down sites that offer pirated apps will cost more money than what it's worth, it's just information that can and will be put up again in a docen other microsites.
Troughout history it's the black illegal market that has innovated and pushed the legal market fordward to meet people's demands. In this case, i believe a lot of piracy on android is the result of not having alternative payment methods (how i long for iTunes-like prepaid cards on the playstore). Also, such an open source platform could make better use of the add-serving model the internet is based on, after all, that's how Google makes money anyway.
Well it's impossible to stop piracy. They should just make app's cheaper and more people will simply buy it. Profit for everyone.
Don't assume that 100% of pirated app downloads were going to be bought. But the issues facing Android with piracy are no different than Windows for example. Nowadays most expensive Windows programs contain a way of activating online when first installed and some even check the software key when downloading updates. Even with this, there are still pirates that get around activation. But there are still plenty of programs and games being made for Windows even though its had these problems with piracy for decades, despite what "Don't Copy That Floppy" warned. I don't see Android being any different, developers and Google Play will just adapt better app activation.
spunker88 said:
I don't see Android being any different, developers and Google Play will just adapt better app activation.
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Absolutely agree with you on that. The only way to fight piracy is better protection and online activation can improve this situation (like in case with the activation via Steam account for PC games).
Even though there is piracy in appstore , I still think android is much easier to pirate. There is no jailbreaking needed , just one click and install.
There's no point removing sites like this.Pirates are gonna find a way around it. just make apps cheaper and people will buy them
Yeah your right plus the googleplay store isnt good when it comes to refund. You can buy the game save the apk , then get a refund. Its like there is no way developers can win.
I got a question for android developer here on xda-developers , how has piracy effected your games or what do you do to make some money on andriod market.
What are the ways you made money ADs, IAP, etc. Share your tactics to go around piracy!!
A person from india recently commented on my blog that the reason for android piracy in india is there are no ways to pay , so the only choice you have is to pirate games and apps.
Piracy is ultimately inevitable. Trying to stop it is just pointless
Sent from my SCH-I535
True you can't stop piracy but there are signs that piracy on the mobile platforms are slowing down. This was the reason that Installous shutdown because they weren't having as much traffic as they used to.
zarpy said:
We all know how easy it is to cheat developers and find apk's on the internet. Well it seems developers are complaining and if nothing is done then they will focus on the iphone appstore matketplace.
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nobody really cares, Android is primary OS for developing countries, like Brasil, India, China, Africa, east europe & cis, and if google would DRM its Play well ppl in that part of world will turn to some opensource alternatives like Firefox OS, Meego, Tizen etc etc. And Google will find itself with declining android phones sells and even less revenue. It's like with Windows, till Vista it was easy to pirate and B.Gates intentionally did that to grab market share from Apple. And only then, in 8th version they made some good antipiracy lock with addition to cheap affordable price. Now it's easier to pay $70 for upgrade from W7 to W8 than look for loaders and sorts
To combat piracy, provide value added services to legit owners like perhaps a unified scoreboard, gaming social features, and more. Similar to steam.
Also, malware should be encouraged to propagate outside the play store lol
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Markuzy said:
To combat piracy, provide value added services to legit owners like perhaps a unified scoreboard, gaming social features, and more. Similar to steam.
Also, malware should be encouraged to propagate outside the play store lol
Sent from my GT-N7000 using Xparent Skyblue Tapatalk 2
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Dam malware hahaha no that would be going too far but I remember reading a case were a developer uploaded a non-working game to a torrent site to boost downloads.