So, officially we can save Apps on SD CARD right?

illidanx

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No its not easy to reverse engineer. Its completly encrypted

No, it's only encrypted in the .xap you download from store. When you install the app, everything is unencrypted. That's why MS did not allow apps to be installed on SD Card in WP8 and that's why MS provides the choice for developers to opt out of this feature.
 
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Jaskys

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No, it's only encrypted in the .xap you download from store. When you install the app, everything is unencrypted. That's why MS does not allow apps to be installed on SD Card in the first place and that's why MS provides the choice for developers to opt out of this feature.
Will you opt out?
 

sinime

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Unfortunately I don't have a link to post, but I've read multiple times that on WP8.1, you will be able to install and run apps from SD card... And I believe the apps will no longer be stored as XAP files.
 

Jas00555

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It doesn't matter if its encrypted anyways, Microsoft has a security system in place to detect if that .appx file has been used on more than one device, but if there is a way to do it in the emulator, I haven't found out how.
 

bionicgt

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I wonder if developers will now go and make their apps to be saved on SD CARD or will it be automatically an option on all apps , I dont know :p !! ...
 

illidanx

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I wonder if developers will now go and make their apps to be saved on SD CARD or will it be automatically an option on all apps , I dont know :p !! ...

It's an opt-out thing. If developers make no change to their apps, users will be able to install their apps on SD Card by default.
 

pdelvo

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No, it's only encrypted in the .xap you download from store. When you install the app, everything is unencrypted. That's why MS does not allow apps to be installed on SD Card in the first place and that's why MS provides the choice for developers to opt out of this feature.
Thats just wrong. Its completly encrypted bound to the device and the app
 

illidanx

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Thats just wrong. Its completly encrypted bound to the device and the app

Then why do you think interop-unlocking those Samsung devices opened the door to piracy? It's because the user of an interop-unlock device has access to the app files post-installation, which is completely unencrypted.
 

pdelvo

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Apps on the sd card and apps on the phones memory are stored differently. the apps in the phone are encrypted by bitlocker, so for the code running on it it seems unencrypted. but the data on the sd card is encrypted each app differently.
 

illidanx

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Apps on the sd card and apps on the phones memory are stored differently. the apps in the phone are encrypted by bitlocker, so for the code running on it it seems unencrypted. but the data on the sd card is encrypted each app differently.

We will return to this after I got my hand on the developer preview.
 

Talderon

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Just to make a couple clarifications.

You can install and run apps from the SD Card. I have tested this in many SD Cards and even some of the slower cards run without lag/stuttering.
You can move apps to/from the phone or SD Card.
Storage Sense is great for keep track of stuff and moving thing around.

Storage Sense - Imgur

Link has screenshots I just took from my 1520.

Encryption and all that? I can't say, but it is cool to see the discussion. :D
 

DavidinCT

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No, it's only encrypted in the .xap you download from store. When you install the app, everything is unencrypted. That's why MS does not allow apps to be installed on SD Card in the first place and that's why MS provides the choice for developers to opt out of this feature.

That brings up a bigger question. Will Microsoft encrypt the storage, like if they used like a program files\ directory and set crazy permissions on it.? Or even partition a % of the drive for applications?

If Microsoft didn't do something like that, offering this feature would be almost worthless as every dev of a good app/game would block this feature. I am sure your free apps and games would allow it but, any big game or app, that you would WANT to install on the SD would be blocked.

So, this could be a bigger problem....What is the point of a feature if no one supports it ?
 

illidanx

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That brings up a bigger question. Will Microsoft encrypt the storage, like if they used like a program files\ directory and set crazy permissions on it.? Or even partition a % of the drive for applications?

If Microsoft didn't do something like that, offering this feature would be almost worthless as every dev of a good app/game would block this feature. I am sure your free apps and games would allow it but, any big game or app, that you would WANT to install on the SD would be blocked.

So, this could be a bigger problem....What is the point of a feature if no one supports it ?

Well given you obtain the unencrypted xap from SD Card, the users that you distribute the xap to still need dev unlocked phones to sideload the xap. That, or you make a throw-away dev account to upload the unencrypted xap as a hidden beta app so that every person who signs up for your beta testing list can download and use.

Edit: currently, unecrypted xaps can be obtained fairly easily if you have an interop-unlocked Samsung device. This only makes obtaining the unencrypted xaps easier.
 

DavidinCT

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Well given you obtain the unencrypted xap from SD Card, the users that you distribute the xap to still need dev unlocked phones to sideload the xap. That, or you make a throw-away dev account to upload the unencrypted xap as a hidden beta app so that every person who signs up for your beta testing list can download and use.

Edit: currently, unecrypted xaps can be obtained fairly easily if you have an interop-unlocked Samsung device. This only makes obtaining the unencrypted xaps easier.

Yep, as it seems you know how the "pirates" are doing it (I'm sure as a dev you understand pretty well). I have a very strong feeling that they will encrypt them in one way or another. The key thing that devs like about Windows Phone is how secure their apps will be with it. If anyone can install to a SD card, copy out the files, zip then to a XAP, then everything will be pirated and with very little effort.

This is something I am sure MOST devs would like to block as well as MS.

It will be interesting how it plays out....
 

Talderon

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Ok, I am running WP8.1 on a real device (Lumia 1520). I have apps on the phone and the SD card. If there is anyway I can help to get information to you guys, please, let me know.
 

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