Google Bans Cryptocurrency Mining Apps From the Play Store (bleepingcomputer.com) 111
The Google Play Store is no longer welcoming apps that mine cryptocurrencies on users' devices. The new policy plainly states: "We don't allow apps that mine cryptocurrency on devices." As a result, Google will start to remove any app from the Play Store that violates these terms. It will however still allow mining apps that are used to control cryptocurrency mining operations on remote devices -- such as servers or desktops. Bleeping Computer reports: Preventing cryptocurrency mining on Android is crucial because untethered mining operations can easily overheat or destroy batteries -- or even devices if the battery case deforms, leaks, or catches fire. Such scenarios have already happened. Android malware strains like Loapi and HiddenMalware have been known to cause physical damage to infected smartphones. Google didn't publicly announce the policy change, but developers who had apps removed complained on Reddit. Other policy changes were also made, such as the decision to ban apps with repetitive content. You can read the new "Restricted Content" section of the Play Store Policy Center here, and compare it to an earlier version here.
Re: (Score:3)
Re: (Score:2)
Yes, you can run mining software - sideload it. (Score:5, Insightful)
No problems here at all. If you want to cook your android device by running constant encryption on it, generating coins at a cost of many times their market value - go ahead and sideload the miner.
But most of the apps containing mining software are tricking users into mining for the app developer - and it's a good thing that they are being removed.
Re: (Score:3)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:1)
As muxh as I hate ads of any kind (they are annoying what ever form the take) I prefer them to a mine draining my battery and possibly damaging my phone, but that might just be me, infact if i find the app useful or entertaining enugh, I'll do an inn app purchase of whatever the called the no ads option. Side loading isn't a big thing for me since I'm on Ios but tph I've yet to fnd a need for it.
Re: (Score:2)
I don't like the mining-as-a-payment-for-services-rendered method any more than you do, but there are actually people that genuinely want to "pay for services" this way.
I've seen quite a few web sites that specifically allow for voluntary mining in addition to donations, and quite a few people appear to mine for them, because they tend to keep leader boards of the miners in question public.
Re: (Score:2)
I assume someone you dislike made a bunch of money on Bitcoin and now you're butthurt.
Re:I paid for my phone (Score:5, Insightful)
You can run what you like on your phone. Google is perfectly entitle to choose what it allows in its app store, however if you have a burning desire to run malware-infested crypto-mining apps (or any other kind of restricted apps for that matter), you can get them from an alternative app store, or sideload the apk.
Re:I paid for my phone (Score:4, Insightful)
Re: (Score:2)
Re:I paid for my phone (Score:4, Informative)
No, a company is not entitled to forever control what their customer does on the device they sold some time ago.
It's a good thing they aren't doing that, then. They're controlling what apps the user can get from their store, full stop. Google doesn't remove apps from your device retroactively when they ban them from the store. You may go now.
Re: (Score:2)
Google doesn't remove apps from your device retroactively when they ban them from the store.
In rare cases they do, at least if your device has the Google Play Protect [google.com] (formerly called Verify Apps) service enabled. Automatic removal is only done for particularly harmful apps, though. Normally GPP just warns you.
Re: (Score:2)
In rare cases they do, at least if your device has the Google Play Protect (formerly called Verify Apps) service enabled.
Fair point, though as long as you can turn that off (as you still can; I am running Oreo on my Moto G 2nd and I have it disabled) you're still in control of your device. And it's only reasonable to have it on by default, since most users have no clue what they are doing. The first thing I do when I get a new device is reflash it from a known good image, whether manufacturer-provided or an alternate ROM (usually the latter, for Android devices.) The second thing I do is go through every preference page and s
Re: (Score:2)
Yes, you can certainly disable it. Though I'd strongly recommend leaving it turned on.
And it's only reasonable to have it on by default, since most users have no clue what they are doing.
No user can possibly know everything that the apps installed on their devices do, especially since it changes day by day as updates are delivered.
Re: (Score:2)
Yes, you can certainly disable it. Though I'd strongly recommend leaving it turned on.
If you turn it on, that means more spying. Google watches what you run. No thanks! I want to sideload things, and have them be my own business and not Google's.
Re: (Score:2)
Yes, you can certainly disable it. Though I'd strongly recommend leaving it turned on.
If you turn it on, that means more spying. Google watches what you run. No thanks! I want to sideload things, and have them be my own business and not Google's.
The only thing GPP does is act as a built-in AV. No data is collected for use in advertising, etc.
Re: (Score:1)
Re: (Score:1)
Indeed, this really drives home the "It's not a computer, it's just a toy / dumb appliance" mentality that the major smartphone and smartphone OS vendors have.
I have eight cores in my phone but I'm not allowed to use them for actually running stuff on? I've been purchasing computers since 1995 and every one I've purchased, I've been allowed to choose what to run on it, and had the choice to run software that max'd the CPU if I wanted to.
Sure, not every "Joe Public" type user is going to understand how to do
What's a desktop ? (Score:3)
I've been purchasing computers since 1995 and every one I've purchased, I've been allowed to choose what to run on it, and had the choice to run software that max'd the CPU if I wanted to. ... five or ten years ago I predicted that smartphones would usurp the desktop, and I was wrong, they remain basically toys / dumb appliances, with a few useful applications (e.g. navigation, flashlight, camera).
{...}
This is why smartphones have failed utterly at competing with the desktop, and why desktops are still years ahead for getting real work done
"- What are these 'desktop' and 'workstation' thingy you keep mentioning ? I find these concept fascinating " - Typed some hipster on his ultra slim Mac Book laptop.
Then suddenly his beard caught fire, because the laptop was over heating.
But he didn't regret, the laptop was sooo thin, and so shiny, and such elegance with so few ports...
--
You might have not noticed but (except for us geeks who still dwell on /. ) for the rest of the world, the computing experience has devolved into mostly "navigation", mostl
Re: (Score:2)
REAL programmers use a magnetized needle and a steady hand.
Re: (Score:2)
REAL programmers use a magnetized needle and a steady hand.
I keep hearing that real programmers use butterflies.
Re: (Score:2)
I have eight cores in my phone but I'm not allowed to use them for actually running stuff on?
You have a brain in your head but you're not allowed to use it? Google isn't preventing you from loading cryptocurrency apps on Android. They're preventing you from downloading them from their webstore, which they own. If you want such things, sideload them. Since you've got an Android device, you can actually do that... if you can figure out how.
Re: (Score:2)
You can run mining software off of it, just not with apps from the play store.
It is like selling your house, because you local hardware store doesn't have that replacement pipe.
Re: (Score:2)
Pretty sure you can still sideload arbitrary code. The Play Store is not the only feature of your phone.
Re: (Score:2)
I'm looking at this from Google's side. They can support mining software, and deal with:
1) People complaining about crappy battery life because they are running a miner
2) People complaining about their phone overheating and crashing because they are running a miner
3) People complaining about their cryptocurrency disappearing because the application developers didn't secure their shit right
4) Various other problems that I'm not thinking about at the moment, like compatibility issues with certain versions of
Why would google care? (Score:2)
Seriously, why would Google possibly care? In what way does it have any impact whatsoever on the Android Eco-system?
Who is it hurting to run this software? If someone wants to use their phone to run cycles on mining or watching hard core Japanese porno, who's fucking business is it?
Re: (Score:1, Interesting)
It hurts Google. Cryptocurrency mining is a way for app developers to make money in the place of serving ads.
The danger of overheating has nothing to do with it.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
^ This
Re:Why would google care? (Score:4, Insightful)
Destroys battery life, causes overheating in devices leading to hardware failures, makes products using their OS run like an Apple device post an obsolescence "update". It wasn't hard really. Now factor in "background" being added to "free" applications/games. See where this is going? Obviously not.
Please install realityDistortionFireld.jar (Score:2)
Wouldn't broken phones be good for Google? People would then have to buy more as they keep breaking.
Only Steve Jobs is/was equipped with a potent enough Reality Distortion Field, so that people keep re-buy Apple crapphone even after the previous ones crapped.
Any other brand attempting the same stun would have people coming at them with pitchforks complaining that such low quality CANNOT BE ALLOWED.
Also note that Google themselve doesn't make any relevant amount of money directly on the phone sold.
The manufacturer are making money on they phone.
Google makes most of their "Uncle Scrooge's swimming pool"-lev
Because Google isn't stupid (Score:5, Insightful)
Seriously, why would Google possibly care? In what way does it have any impact whatsoever on the Android Eco-system?
Several ways.
1) It makes Android less attractive as an ecosystem. (ruins battery life, performance, privacy, etc)
2) It provides marketing fodder for competitors to use against them
3) It impacts Google's revenue from their ad business
4) Many of these apps are obvious attempts at fraud
5) Liability due to the above issues
Who is it hurting to run this software?
Most of the people running it as well as Google and companies depending on the Android ecosystem.
If someone wants to use their phone to run cycles on mining or watching hard core Japanese porno, who's fucking business is it?
No one but nothing is preventing you from doing that. Doesn't mean Google is under any obligation to help you do it though. Go ahead and sideload the stuff if it is that important to you. None of us will care I assure you.
Re: (Score:1)
Here's one possible reason they might care - they may be entering the market, and this would 'conveniently' harm existing currencies that would be in competition with theirs: https://cryptoinsider.21mil.co... [21mil.com]
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Who is it hurting to run this software?
Users. Phone damage aside there's pretty much no legitimate idiot who would download this. Most of this software is mining without the user's knowledge.
Re: (Score:1)
Real customers who paid for ads do not want consumers using their ads CPU power.
Re: (Score:2)
So basically a company with a monopoly is encouraging developers to not compete with each other.
No, they are saying if you make an Angry Birds clone called Ornery Penguins, you're going to get pulled. I see this as Google saying they don't want clones and spammy apps all with the same content, they want real competition with original content.
complained? (Score:2)
"...developers who had apps removed complained on Reddit"
Really, THEY complained?! Those poor developers!
"Smart" means "idiot" (Score:1)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
More proof that so-called "smart" devices are a euphemism for "computers that you do not, and cannot, control." Mr. Stallman gets proved right again and again.
He does, but not by this. You can control your android phone. Just don't connect it to Google. Problem solved. What, you bought an Android phone without checking first if there was AOSP or LineageOS available for it? Are you new?
Re: (Score:2)
Most people should have a computer that they cannot control. It should definitely be an option.
Don't blame mining software for bad devices (Score:2)
crucial because untethered mining operations can easily overheat or destroy batteries -- or even devices if the battery case deforms, leaks, or catches fire.
Sorry.... If this results just from the resource usage of the App, then this is not an App issue but a Defective device which lacks the appropriate thermal/discharge rate controls on its batteries that should be recalled and not be allowed to be sold.
Re: (Score:2)
That was my first thought as well, but those devices are already out there.
In the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco we saw not only that even mainstream manufacturers could make defective devices but also that a large number of users don't turn their devices in despite of the dangers being widely publicised.
What Google is doing (now) is about "damage control": limiting the extent of the damage.
the Electroneum app appears to be unaffected (Score:2)
I mined 100 of those ETN for 1 night with a 1080TI, and with my phone I couldn't even mine 1 for a few days, so I don't know if it is even worth it to waste battery and hinder the phone's performance with such an activity as "mobile mining".
Thus the quote marks.
Why? (Score:2)
Maybe -as they say in the article- they're doing it to prevent device damage
The problem is that we're giving Apple and Google too much power over our devices. They can basically do whatever they want. I wish an open OS had survived the smartphone wars but, alas, it seems we're stuck with iO
Re: (Score:2)
Cheap and efficient is not actually the point of crypt-currencies, it's about spreading out the pool enough to be able to decentralize trust. If you want cheap and effecient, bring back the $500, $1000, and $10,000 dollar bills.
Real Headline: (Score:2)
Google censors application to cover up design deficiency in manufacturer partner's phones.
In reality the generic solution is better, let device manufactures set maximum average power draw and throttle apps accordingly when the phone is not connected to an external power supply.