Restricting the sharing of android application apk

Question

I am new to android. I have a application to make where in i have to restrict the application\'s .apk file getting shared by the user to the other phone android phone holder

Answer 1

Unless a user uses a USB cable/Astro file manager like utility, on a ROOTED phone, he wont be able to extract the apk out and transfer to another phone. And the percentage of users knowing how to root a device is very low. So this issue should not arise.

Even if it is assumed a user can very easily extract an apk (which a general user wont be able to), the problem whittles down to generating a unique identifier string on each apk, and then packing it within this apk. Now when it is extracted and installed on another device the app can check with identifier and close after displaying a "no-copying" message.

Note that the identifier should be tied to a unique string, say the device IMSI number, or phone number, or a combination of both. And this string needs to be written to a file that is transferred over when apk is copied, I would recommend a properties file in assets folder within the apk for this. Hope this helps

Answer 2

if somehow we manage to attach the app data folder with that APK.file of that app, then our problem will rectified easily. like if you send the folder of the app to someone then app will automatically loads your data to the other user. if he can't separate that two things (apk. file of APP and data folder of the APP). Hope it will help you...and me too..

Answer 3

1) You can not stop users to forward your apk if they have apk in storage, what you can do is to delete it after your app installed(you should search it via some api and if found delete it), Limitation :- apk can be shared before installing.

and there are tools/apps exist in market which claim to convert installed app into apk, and then it can be forwarded to other device.

Similar question on Forward locking of apk

2) Though you can not stop user to forwarding of your apk, But can stop other user to use it, if they receive this app from other sources then your web, as I myself did it earlier, by client server communication where a key is getting generated on Server based on mobile IMEI, so this app is going to be activated for particular mobile based on IMEI number. hence if other users try to use it you can check if this IMEI is register or not, and take action accordingly.