In the developer console "active installs" is supposed to be the number of devices that the software is currently installed on. I know how many successful sales have gone through Google Checkout (this is lower than the "total installs" on the developer console which I think includes purchases cancelled inside the 15 minute returns window) and the active installs figure is 40% higher than the total of successful sales.
My conclusion, given that most of my sales are in the USA, is that couples/families where at least a couple of people have an Android phone may be sharing a generic Google Checkout account so that they can buy an app once and share it around for free. That's ok-ish when there is no ongoing cost of running a back end server. It's going to destroy my business model if I need a back end server though. I'm considering using the Google Order Number as a licence key, thereby allowing multiple installations, but no simultaneous use on different devices. And I'll write up a licence to reflect that. On Oct 1, 7:17 am, Zsolt Vasvari <[email protected]> wrote: > I didn't read the rest of your question when I saw this: > > "40% of users have my application installed on more than one > device." > > How do you know this? If you go by the numbers given to you on the > Developer Console, those numbers are at least misleading, and probably > completely wrong. I have very, very hard to believe that 40% of > Android users have multiple devices with the same Google Id tied to > the, > > On Oct 1, 7:41 am, Phil H <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > > > I'm looking at the LVL code and had a question about user identity and > > the DeviceLimiter interface. I've one app in the Android Market that > > uses LVL in its recommended form, so users can install the application > > on any device they have set up their account on. Early indications are > > that the software is being repeat-installed at a higher rate than I'd > > expect - 40% of users have my application installed on more than one > > device. That seems a bit high but, for that application in particular, > > it is no more significant than some lost sales - there are no ongoing > > running costs for me to support. > > > It is enough to make me concerned about my next app though, which > > requires a server in the cloud. Application sales should cover the > > cost of this but if the repeat installation rate is high, my > > application may not be sustainable in the medium to long term - server > > costs will eat into income and I could end up running at a significant > > loss - and the more popular the app becomes, the bigger that problem > > is. So this got me thinking. Repeat installations by one used are not > > a problem, but one core function will account for the majority of > > server load - both processing and bandwidth. So, my tentative thought > > is that if a user is currently using that core function on one of > > their devices, they will not be able to use that function on any other > > until they are done with it on the first device. > > > To be able to implement this I need access to a piece of data that is > > common to all the installations, which brings me round to the > > DeviceLimiter interface. Is the userId supplied here the same for a > > given application, purchased by a single user, regardless of the > > device it is installed on? Or is it the ANDROID_ID for the device? I > > don't want any identifying information (like an email address), I just > > want to be able to spot, from my server code, when multiple instances > > of a single purchase are using my (relatively) expensive resources > > simultaneously. > > > A fall back solution would involve the user putting in their Google > > Checkout order number to activate the application - is there a service > > exposed to securely obtain details about an order that my server could > > make use of? All I really need is to know is the application > > purchased. > > > A bit rambling I know, but any suggestions on ways of tackling this > > issue are most welcome. -- 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
