Err, typo there: Free apps cannot request the com.android.vending.CHECK_LICENSE permission.
(Billing works just fine with free apps.) -- Trevor Johns Developer Programs Engineer, Android http://developer.android.com On Fri, Feb 4, 2011 at 9:44 AM, Trevor Johns <[email protected]> wrote: > Technically the backend license servers allow it and return a large > validity timestamp, BUT... > > The market publisher console will not allow you to upload an APK that's > free and requests the com.android.vending.BILLING permission. > > In practice, this means that free apps cannot use the LVL, because you > won't be able to upload them. > > (Marco: This change was made very late in the development of the license > service. For a long time during development, it was indeed possible to use > licensing with free apps. The reference you found in the docs was probably > an artifact from this that that we just missed before publishing. I'll > submit a change to remove it to prevent confusion.) > > -- > Trevor Johns > Developer Programs Engineer, Android > http://developer.android.com > > > > On Fri, Feb 4, 2011 at 6:14 AM, MarcoAndroid <[email protected]> wrote: > >> @rojorshi: here's the link you were looking for I think. Seems you >> should be fine for free apps. Just search for the word 'free' in this >> link: http://developer.android.com/guide/publishing/licensing.html >> It looks like you won't be able to upload a free version with the LVL >> permission in it... if your app is already available as free. >> >> But it also says it returns LICENSED for free apps in table A-2. So >> what situation would this be then? >> >> >> On Feb 3, 6:01 am, rajorshi <[email protected]> wrote: >> > I had developed a game intending to publish it as a paid application >> > using the Android LVL with the default ServerManagedPolicy licensing >> > policy. Now, the powers that be have decided that we have to publish >> > it as a free app. For some reason I do not want to remove/disable the >> > license checks. My question is: how does the licensing service handle >> > free apps? Will checks always fail or always pass? Is there any way I >> > can make the license service accept any installation of my free app as >> > licensed? >> > >> > I found the following on free apps in the official documentation, but, >> > it doesn't help me much. >> > >> > "Only paid applications published through Market can use the service. >> > [...] Licensing is currently for paid apps only, since free apps are >> > considered licensed for all users." >> > >> > I would have assumed that checks will fail, but, I remember reading >> > somewhere that for free apps the licensing server will return a very >> > large validity timestamp (long.MAX) ensuring that the license is >> > always valid for free apps. Unfortunately, I have lost the link to >> > that source. >> > >> > Note: >> > 1. The problem is not as crazy as it sounds. It's just that I am not >> > able to explain my use case further without giving away some >> > proprietary information. >> > 2. I had posted the same question on StackOverflow but did not get any >> > response. Hence, posting it here. >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >> Groups "Android Developers" group. >> To post to this group, send email to [email protected] >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> [email protected] >> For more options, visit this group at >> http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en >> > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Android Developers" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
