Since RIM announced their new BBID-associating encryption and tagging system with PB 2.1, have any devs out there held off on updating or releasing new apps prior to the next OS update?
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Since RIM announced their new BBID-associating encryption and tagging system with PB 2.1, have any devs out there held off on updating or releasing new apps prior to the next OS update?
There is a LOT of misconception going on about this so let me clarify everything, I think this will be helpful for everyone.
Since PlayBook OS 2.0.1, The apps and games downloaded via App World are encrypted. These apps would only function if they were running on the PlayBook/BlackBerry ID combination that had made the purchase.
In other words, if I purchase an app, gave you the .bar file it would not work on your PlayBook.
Android apps once repackaged into a .bar file and accepted into App World are now considered "BlackBerry Apps" the same rule applies.
Sideloading Native apps/games as well as Android apps and games from App World was restricted in OS 2.0.1
Lets say you like Twitter for Android, you can download it, repackage as a .bar file and you can run it on your PlayBook, that same file will run on my PlayBook and anyone else with a PlayBook can run that same .bar file.
Why you may ask? Well since it's an Android app, that has NOT been downloaded from App World, the PlayBook will run it because it does not have an encryption sequence.
Yes you can still sideload Android apps, Alec Saunders made this clear already, many have misinterpreted what he wrote over on twitter, and I'm not blaming anyone because quite honestly I believe that when I read those messages again that if someone didn't fully understand what I wrote out above absolutely they could be confused.
Hope it helps :).
i dont think that is correct. How is galaxy on fire and sonic able to be sideloaded then?
Yeah, I was under the impression it hadn't been implemented yet.
From the article:
He went on to say that PlayBook OS 2.1 would not, after all, be losing sideloading. Instead, it would include “a feature that will encrypt apps so they can only be run by the user who purchased the app.”
There is no current or planned encryption of apps.
The encryption is of backups on 2.0.1 firmware.
Whats that quote from Alex S. about then?
if you search the forums you will find this explained many times.
backups are incripted, sideloading process will still continue so devs can test apps
So you don't think they've planned additional security features that will crackdown on games and apps piracy for 2.1?
I'm kind of expecting a quiet version of this: DirecTV's Secret War On Hackers - Slashdot
Apps piracy is kind of key. If you can eliminate piracy on a platform, developers will adopt it.
Define piracy..... "The unauthorized use or reproduction of another's work"
Sideloading??
I find it interesting that the same people who want security for devs are often the same people who want the option to sideload and not support the devs.
Yes i know off topic, just a thought.
You guys know what I meant :p
Explain iOS then LOL
Every mobile platform has piracy.
If you remove the ability for users to grab the .bar files, on BB10, then there will be no piracy on BB10 -- a first among smartphones and tablets.
If i may,
I'm a noob in this dev stuff, and only because its extremelly easy to sideload is why im able to do so.
So, in OS 2.1 will we still be able to grab and apk or bar file from any site(i only do so in the "legal" ones so i don't have a surprise ^^) and sideload it to the PB,right?
Sorry for the possible repeat...
Sent from a beautiful but old BB 8520 or a new and shinny PB 2.0
I'm pretty sure that they're leaving sideloading in 2.1 and any current .bar file you find for an app can be sideloaded.
But going forward with 2.1, all future software coming out of App World looks to be under a new security system and since RIM is all about security it'll probably be tight.
While iOS was first to the market, both Apple and Android markets are leaky and exploitable. I'm doubting RIM will fall into the same trap.
And if they pull off a piracy free platform, I don't think it's just a first for the mobile space... it'll be a first for computing in general.
Tks for the assurance ;)
Sent from a beautiful but old BB 8520 or a new and shinny PB 2.0
I believe that unless the dev marks the app as for 2.0.1 or higher than it will not be encrypted. If they mark it anything lower than 2.0.1 then it will be subjected to piracy.
Apps aren't encrypted afaik.
BACKUPS are encrypted, so once you upgrade to 2.0.1, you can't GET the .bars to pirate them.
howarmat mentioned Sonic 4 and Galaxy on Fire though.
They came out after 2.0.1 was released, how are they able to be pirated?
Because if someone knows that you can't pirate PlayBook apps if you've upgraded to 2.0.1, they can just not update to 2.0.1.
These apps only require firmware 1.07 to install I believe.
Even if they did require 2.0.1, there is nothing stopping the pirate from downgrading to 2.0.0.
Yup. Luckily, 2.1 prevents you from downgrading below 2.0.1.
what scrid said. The apps arent the flaw really, its the backups which exposed the devs. Its plenty easy to downgrade also. The next step is somehow making the apps secured.
Which is what I thought the whole BBID tagging system was supposed to be...?
The ability to extract app code from a backup was not the only possible way of pirating PlayBook apps. The new encryption of app backups (and, incidentally, media and settings are now encrypted in the backups too) is merely RIM plugging one hole in a fairly leaky bucket.
Until they finish the process and plug the remaining holes, piracy will still be pretty rampant on the PlayBook, as it still is even after 2.0.1 came out.
And no, I'm not interested in discussing what the other holes are. Suffice to say they will probably not all be plugged until BB10 launch is imminent, so some developers may be reluctant to do major updates until then.