[Q] Android Market and paid apps - Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Hi everyone
A lot of Chinese (non licensed) phones won't allow paid apps to be downloaded from the android market. On the other hand, I DO have a Chinese "no name" phone that downloads everything, including paid apps.
I'm trying to find out where all the information is located how the android market identifies the android device and either allows to download paid apps or denies it
My first guess of course was the build.prob, my friend copied the build.prob from my (paid apps download working) phone to his paid apps non working phone, NO SUCCESS, he still can't download any paid apps with my build.prob.
So, I'm guess there have to be other files(?) that also play a role on how a phone is recognized by the market?
Any suggestions?
Thanks

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I don't think you are using official market...
And cheating is not recommended here
Accidentally sent from my Google Nexus S using XDA Premium

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melvinchng said:
I don't think you are using official market...
And cheating is not recommended here
Accidentally sent from my Google Nexus S using XDA Premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Excuse me?
Of course I am trying to download paid apps from the official market, where else would I download paid apps?
And what you do mean by cheating? I don't want to cheat anyone, all I want is to fix a phone so I can buy apps from the OFFICIAL android market with that phone as well
Edit: Maybe I should keep it simpler? Here's the situation:
The official android market lets me buy apps when I am using my Chinese Phone A
When I try to buy apps with my Chinese Phone B, the download won't work, I can only download free apps.
What I want is to be able to buy apps with phone B as well. Nothing illegal, I just want to give Google some of my money

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ColonelZap said:
Excuse me?
Of course I am trying to download paid apps from the official market, where else would I download paid apps?
And what you do mean by cheating? I don't want to cheat anyone, all I want is to fix a phone so I can buy apps from the OFFICIAL android market with that phone as well
Edit: Maybe I should keep it simpler? Here's the situation:
The official android market lets me buy apps when I am using my Chinese Phone A
When I try to buy apps with my Chinese Phone B, the download won't work, I can only download free apps.
What I want is to be able to buy apps with phone B as well. Nothing illegal, I just want to give Google some of my money
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The main problem is that google doesnt allow China based phones to do this. There are reasons for this. It could also be that the phone tells the market where you are based on location.

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zelendel said:
The main problem is that google doesnt allow China based phones to do this. There are reasons for this. It could also be that the phone tells the market where you are based on location.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's what I'm trying to bring out. Because it is non licences phone, it won't allow you to do so. Even it is open source, phone maker still need to buy the license (Android 2.3 and above, the higher the os is, The more expensive it is. 2.2 and below is free ) from Google.
You can try using amazon if you want to burn some cash.
Accidentally sent from my Google Nexus S using XDA Premium

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melvinchng said:
Because it is non licences phone, it won't allow you to do so.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Like I wrote before, I DO have a Chinese phone that is definitely not licensed ( a Xperia Arc S clone) and that phone lets be me buy my apps
When I check all my devices on my pc when I login to the market, it is listed as "unknown" but still I can download any paid app I want to.
So, somehow this phone is identified as "o.k.", while other Chineses phones are not.
I'm just trying to find out what file(s) on the phone is responsibe for that, it can't just be the build.prob, I don't know this but I have the feeling the information must also be somewhere else?
Also, it can't be a valid or invalid IMEI because the same problem exists with some tablets pcs. Some are able to download paid apps, some are not and none of the have a GSM unit build in and there no IMEIs present.
That's why I was asking here, I was hoping somebody might know more about how the android market identifies a device

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ColonelZap said:
Like I wrote before, I DO have a Chinese phone that is definitely not licensed ( a Xperia Arc S clone) and that phone lets be me buy my apps
When I check all my devices on my pc when I login to the market, it is listed as "unknown" but still I can download any paid app I want to.
So, somehow this phone is identified as "o.k.", while other Chineses phones are not.
I'm just trying to find out what file(s) on the phone is responsibe for that, it can't just be the build.prob, I don't know this but I have the feeling the information must also be somewhere else?
Also, it can't be a valid or invalid IMEI because the same problem exists with some tablets pcs. Some are able to download paid apps, some are not and none of the have a GSM unit build in and there no IMEIs present.
That's why I was asking here, I was hoping somebody might know more about how the android market identifies a device
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What is your arc s clone 7th and 8th imei numbr and you current phone 7th and 8th imei number?
Accidentally sent from my Google Nexus S using XDA Premium

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ColonelZap said:
Like I wrote before, I DO have a Chinese phone that is definitely not licensed ( a Xperia Arc S clone) and that phone lets be me buy my apps
When I check all my devices on my pc when I login to the market, it is listed as "unknown" but still I can download any paid app I want to.
So, somehow this phone is identified as "o.k.", while other Chineses phones are not.
I'm just trying to find out what file(s) on the phone is responsibe for that, it can't just be the build.prob, I don't know this but I have the feeling the information must also be somewhere else?
Also, it can't be a valid or invalid IMEI because the same problem exists with some tablets pcs. Some are able to download paid apps, some are not and none of the have a GSM unit build in and there no IMEIs present.
That's why I was asking here, I was hoping somebody might know more about how the android market identifies a device
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, I have same problem....I've buyed Star A3 from china, and the paid apps I've buied I can't download it from the market it say to me impossible download "app name" error , I've make some try....modding myself rom mixed with other phone rom I've made a success ,but the mixed rom give me a lot of problem, I've changed to default rom adn still have same problem, I've also try to change some references at build.prop and now my phone is recognized from the android market like a samsung galaxy s gt-i9000 but still no work.....
excuse for my poor english

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Have you tried Market Enabler?
Supersonic Evo 4G | MIUI | Tapatalk

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pirolisi80 said:
yes I've tried
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Me, too, that doesn't do the job.
Question remains if all the impotant info in stored in the build.prob or what other file(s) might also be important in order how a device is recognized by the android market.

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ColonelZap said:
Me, too, that doesn't do the job.
Question remains if all the impotant info in stored in the build.prob or what other file(s) might also be important in order how a device is recognized by the android market.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
can you pubblish here your build.prop?
edit: please

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This is the build.prob from my x18i phone that lets me download paid apps:

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As you seen I've tried to change build.prop with yours until the build proprites I've also delete data and cache from market apk service framework and partner setup...for a clean try...but nothing I can't download my paid app from my market....thanks whathever...excuse me ror my poor english I hope you understand my words
Sent from my e1109_v73_gq1002_ctp using Tapatalk

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No problem understandig you I'm not surprised it didn't work, I still think the information must be stored elsewhere beside the build.prob, if only I knew were, hence this thread

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if it's possible can you upload system /app folder from your phone....I think is in this folder the solution...bye

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pirolisi80 said:
if it's possible can you upload system /app folder from your phone....I think is in this folder the solution...bye
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You really think so? That's the last place I would have guessed.
Here you go:
http://chinamobiles.org/downloads/zap/appx18i.zip
Let us know if you find anything

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You could try this solution:
http://www.slatedroid.com/wiki/index.php/Fix_Market_For_Slates#Get_AndroidID_From_A_Phone
Essentially it involves finding the androidID on your phone (or emulator) where the market works using
Code:
adb shell sqlite3 /data/data/com.google.android.googleapps/databases/gls.db "select * from meta";
and then copying that to the phone where the market doesn't work using
Code:
adb shell sqlite3 /data/data/com.google.android.googleapps/databases/gls.db "update meta set intvalue='idnumber_from_above' where name='androidId'";
It's not a ROM fix but at least it might help some people.