Android App Updates

[WildW]

Not had my Android phone long so I'm still getting used to the ways things are done. I haven't noticed any way to roll back an updated app to a previous version - so, if for instance a new version doesn't work on your particular phone, are you then stuck with a non-working version?

Can the author of a free app decide he wants to make money from it, and push out an update that turns a free full app into a demo version for a paid one? Just wondering how careful I need to be before hitting update.

 

[Spoooon]

Read comments and descriptions before updating. One reason why the "update all" option isn't that big a deal to me.

I don't know if a full app can turn into a demo, but I recall one card game becoming ad supported, which wasn't that big a deal, except the ad was on the card playing field as opposed to on the menu or loading screen.

edit: sometimes you do have the option to uninstall an update.

 

[murphy55d]

I think it just depends on the app. I know Rom Manager allows you to roll back the update you just installed, but I know not all apps allow this.

 

[WildW]

The thing that started if off in my mind was an update to Gameboid (The Gameboy Advance Emulator) last week - it made some significant changes to the on-screen controls. I've since gotten used to the changes and it's fair enough, but it occurred to me at the time that there wasn't a way (that I knew of) to go back to the old version if I wanted to.

I realise a lot of the app updates that appear are bumps by the author to get more exposure, but some seem to change the permissions of various apps, and I get paranoid at the sort of things developers might be able to pull if they wanted to. Do any rules exist that say what developers can and can't do with their apps on the market?

For instance, I can quite imagine that a free app could be updated with a newer version with less features, while a new paid-for version suddenly appears. You can read the comments, fair enough, but some people will always be the first few to download it.

I'm also slightly paranoid about internet access, which seems to be a feature of most apps, often seemingly to download ads. But, say you've downloaded an instant messaging client. . . when you enter your Windows Live Messenger username and password, what's to stop an unscrupulous developer from making the app email those back to him?

 

[vshah]

if you have root access you can get to the system folders and back up the old APKs. i believe there are also apps that will backup other apps.

 

[sswingle]

Astro file manager can copy the app to your SD card. You need to manually do that before you update though.

 

[SViper]

Astro file manager can copy the app to your SD card. You need to manually do that before you update though.

This. I also use Astro. You can backup and app before you perform the update and it copies it to your SD card. If you need to rollback, just uninstall the new version and install the old version you backed up (saves as .apk file).

You have to backup manually though is the only downside.

 

[whoiswes]

This. I also use Astro. You can backup and app before you perform the update and it copies it to your SD card. If you need to rollback, just uninstall the new version and install the old version you backed up (saves as .apk file).

You have to backup manually though is the only downside.

Yup, this works great for me. I have noticed though (and this is from a few months ago, so it may have been resolved) that an app installed directly from APK (again, via Astro) won't necessarily show up in the Market for future updates. At least that's the way it was with a particular app I was "demoing" (ahem) and have since purchased. YMMV.