[Resolved] Google Play In-App Billing

Solar2D Android
#21

Not sure I understand how Google Licensing helps protect IAP.  It seems like the most common scenario to use licensing is if you have a paid app, correct?  How does it work if you have a free app with IAPs?

Also, please correct me if I’m wrong, but Google’s Managed Products are for IAP’s like “Pro Upgrade” or “Unlock All Levels”, while the Unmanaged Products are for things like “100 coins” or “20 Hints”?  

#22

@JonPM, I don’t use Google Licensing, and I haven’t really looked into it.  But about your second question, yes, managed products are equivalent to non-consumable products and unmanaged products are consumable products.

Naomi

#23

Google Licensing (aka: LVL) is used for copy protection.  It is used to detect if the person who is running your app has actually downloaded/purchased your app from Google Play.  It checks by contacting Google’s servers.

Google Licensing is sometimes used by freely distributed apps as well because it allows the following:

  • Allows your app to be installed on external storage (ie: the SD card).  Note that Google Play will not normally install your app to external storage since the device cannot prevent the SD card from being inserted into another device that did not purchase your app.  Google Licensing allows SD card installation because it will check if the current device/user purchased the app.
  • Allows your app to use expansion files.  Google Licensing is needed in this case because Google Licensing provides a temporary URL where the expansion file can be downloaded from after the app was verified.  In this case, I think Google doesn’t want to waste server bandwidth on apps that were copied/stolen.