Android - Setting usage flag

Question

I am currently creating an app and would like to create a demo version (free) and a full version.

However, I am wondering how I can set some sort of flag so that when the demo version has been used 5 times, you have to buy the full version to continue using. This usage will be detected on a submit button.

I was considering setting a flag in the app, however releasied that the user could uninstall the app and then re-install it overcoming my set flag (as this would set it back to 0).

Has anyone got any clever solutions for my little dilema?

Thanks

score 1 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 10:34

1

You might want to try one of the techniques in this answer: https://stackoverflow.com/a/996288/1205715

edited May 23 '17 at 10:34

Community

1
1

answered Feb 13 '12 at 14:25

jbowes

4,062
22
38

Looking at this I may have to go with the third option, as setting a time bomb I feel is a bad marketing scheme and the first option is the same issue I stated in my question. If you have any easier options please let me know. Thanks – SingleWave Games Feb 13 '12 at 15:18

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Feb 13 '12 at 14:32

0

I think that is not possible with an local application. File saving to sdcard with strange filename can be a way but It is not perfect. In my opinion, Right way is using an application server that manages user run times with unique UUID.

answered Feb 13 '12 at 14:32

lulumeya

1,619
11
14

Worth remembering that it can be difficult to get a unique device ID for android... telephony can work, but you gotta remember devices, like tablets, that don't provide that information. – Theblacknight Feb 13 '12 at 14:38
Android os provides UUID class which generates the unique id. – lulumeya Feb 13 '12 at 15:06
That's true, but if the user reinstalls you will get a new UUID. I was pointing out the difficulty in permanently tying a UID to a device. – Theblacknight Feb 13 '12 at 15:22

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Feb 13 '12 at 14:36

It might also be worth thinking about an alternative approach.

In app purchases are now available, so you could have a free and a restricted section in your app, and use the in app purchase to unlock the restricted section. You see more developers going with this approach these days, rather than managing two versions of the app.

Also worth considering the fact that if you have a paid version of the app it can be pirated pretty quickly, one person just needs to get their hands on the full apk. However, if you go with the in app purchase model you will be letting google handle a lot of these issues for you.... just a thought, and the road I will be taking with my next app.

This sounds like a fantasic idea and I will defintly look into implemnting this into my app. However, my app required full use otherwise it is not very useful therefore, this does not really solve my issue mentioned above. Brilliant advice though and I will be using this approach along with some sort of fix for my above problem. Thanks — SingleWave Games, Feb 13 '12 at 14:58

Android - Setting usage flag

3 Answers3