Feature request: identify apps that were paid/free

[touiqette]

I don't know how easy it is to access the data that Google Play Store or Amazon.com store as far as paid or free apps, but boy would it be handy to know if I paid for an app that it needs to check my phone identity for piracy reasons.

I have too many kid-games on my gadgets, and I forget which ones are paid.  I have no problem with the controls that are in place for piracy (except that they have to be there in the first place), but I'm very suspicious of free apps that can get my IMEI & phone number, and I'd like to shut them down, or uninstall them. I'm just not sure how to figure out which is which without uninstalling (deleting my kids' game scores) and checking to see if the Market listing says "purchased" or sorting through my receipts.

Yes, I know, it's pretty irresponsible of me, but I can't imagine that trying to undo that kind of behavior is terribly unusual.

(OK, and can someone please explain to me the rationale, besides laziness, that the phone state and IMEI have to fall under the same permission?  Wouldn't a boolean return for phone state make more sense?)

[svehlak]

I do not understand you at all. Could please describe your idea more clearly? Btw. In Play / My Android Apps / My Account is visible, what is purchased and what is free.

[Filip Havlicek]

Hi,

I'm afraid that's not possible on non-rooted devices. The Google Play application may have information about purchase price of an app, but I'm pretty sure such data are unavailable on non-rooted devices (if they are there in the first place). I know that Google Play webpage has a list with all the apps you have ever installed so there may be some sign of a purchased app.

About the permissions - I think the reasoning was so the user knows what does the application has access to. Unfortunately if all those things were separated, there would be at least hundreds, maybe even thousands of permissions, which nobody would read. So what they did is they took those permissions and grouped them together for better or worse.

Filip

[Lisandro]

I know that Google Play webpage has a list with all the apps you have ever installed so there may be some sign of a purchased app.

Side note: unfortunately Google limit the history of the installed apps. So, if anybody loves to try new apps, it kept from the letter A until the limit of installed apps... Others are just "lost". Unbelievable...

[SafeSurf]

If you read the permissions on most of the apps. they read your personal information anyway...free or paid.  There are apps. where you can prevent your personal information in another app. from being read, but I have found it to prevent the app. from working properly on an un-rooted phone.

I would suggest to the OP that you get an app. that is like CCleaner for a PC for your phone (available at Goog. Play for free), and clean your phone/history at least every day.  In addition, use your Task Manager to disable your apps. that you are not using but are on and using battery; I do this after cleaning the phone.  And turn your phone off when you don't need it.  If you're really paranoid, then keep your phone in an RFID case when not in use as well.