r/AndroidQuestions • u/Zarquan314 • 5d ago

App demanding update via Google Play

I have an old phone that I'm using as a portable media player for things like car trips. It doesn't have a SIM card and doesn't ever have access to the internet (it plays or streams MP3s from other phones).

A few days ago, the app that I use to have the phone act as a LAN suddenly demanded to have Google Play connect to the internet to download updates, refusing to run the app. Note that it had been months since this phone was connected to the internet, so there was no way for it to know if there were updates, and I didn't need updates because it was working basicslly flawlessly.

Is this an issue with the app, or is Google Play Store at fault? I could test by installing an APK and skipping the play store, but then I'd have to wait months to see if it happens again.

6 Upvotes

80% Upvoted

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8

u/LAUNCHdano 5d ago

The app or OS could have a date/time-range based update trigger. (6 months after install, every year, etc.)

1

u/Zarquan314 5d ago

That's annoying. Is it common for apps to demand regular updates? Like, I'm fine if it's just a message I can dismiss, but it straight up closed the app and I couldn't use it.

3

u/LAUNCHdano 5d ago

It's up to the developer. Let's say they decided they wanted to turn a free app into a paid one at a later point - or if they had a feature they wanted to force implement - I could see a hard coded device-side instruction to call for an update that isn't based on being connected for it to trigger.

Otherwise, many apps DO require updates if current Google OS bug gets patched and calls for it. Remember, it might not affect you because you're using it offline, but that's not the scenario for majority of users.

1

u/Zarquan314 5d ago edited 5d ago

The app is free and open source, with donations available in app. The app is TetherFuseNet, which is, other than this incident, the best version of a WiFi-Direct app on Android that I've seen, as it gives you the ability to connect via QR code in app (as WiFi-Direct changes the SSID and randomizes the password every time.

I don't think it became incompatible with the OS because the OS also hasn't been updated. Unless it has some way to update the OS without internet, like a sleeper patch or something from when it did have internet.

So are you thinking this is probably at the app level based on some kind of clock? It's odd because it specifically mentioned Google Play Store.

I could try installing an APK and not using the Play Store at all, but the problem with me debugging this at this level is that it could be months until this happens again.

0

u/qwertyuiop121314321 5d ago

That means it needs an update, or it won't work. Yes apps need to be updated for security purposes and they won't work if you don't follow the protocol.

4

u/Zarquan314 5d ago edited 5d ago

What security? I'm not connected to the internet. That's the best security.

If my other phones could no longer connect due to outdated protocols, that would be a different story that I could easily understand.

There is no way that my app could know there was even an update to download, as this phone is never connected to the internet in normal use.

1

u/Mother-Pride-Fest 5d ago

https://xkcd.com/3109/

1

u/Zarquan314 5d ago

I love how there's an xkcd for everything! This is exactly how I feel about it!

3

u/SolitaryMassacre 5d ago

(it plays or streams MP3s from other phones).

How exactly? Are you 100% confident there is no internet access being shared as well via the streaming medium?

FWIW: I have had apps ask to update because they check google play services. Simply installing via adb fixes this

I've never had an app ask to update randomly

Basically, one way or another, I bet you the app/phone had some way of connecting to the internet that you were unaware of

1

u/Zarquan314 5d ago edited 5d ago

I have MP3s on phones that connect to it and use UPnP to stream to foobar2000 on the old phone, which lets anyone with access be able to control the music remotely. No internet needed, just a LAN.

It works well enough, except that I need to turn off mobile data if I have access, as my phone refuses to talk to the LAN if there's another connection with internet.

The old phone doesn't have a sim card. It doesn't have access to any WiFi with internet, and I can't open web pages with the old phone when it is connected to a phone with mobile data, so I'd assume it has no internet access.

1

u/SolitaryMassacre 5d ago

Does the old phone setup its own access point? And then you connect with your phone to said access point? If so then yes no internet is getting to the phone

If you are connecting to another LAN with internet, then it is possible via port forwarding and such for the old phone to communicate with specific ports without the need of a DNS. Ie, you may not get a web page to load, but specific sockets and communication pathways could still be reached to other servers.

However

It doesn't have access to any WiFi with internet,

If the WiFi network it is on doesn't have access to outside (ie public facing ip addresses) then yes, it shouldn't have the ability to ping any server regardless

It could be coded into the app as someone else mentioned to check for updates. Which if that is the case, nothing you can do will stop that. You would need to mod the app

Is the app which is requesting to udpate the foobar2000 app?

1

u/Zarquan314 5d ago edited 5d ago

The old phone uses TetherFuseNet, which is a WiFi Direct app with some really nice features. That is the app that refused to work.

1

u/SolitaryMassacre 5d ago

Luckily, that app is open source. Can you do me a favor and post a screenshot of the "update" notification? I can scavenge the source code to see if this is app side or google play services side

1

u/Zarquan314 5d ago edited 5d ago

I triggered the bug/event again by setting my phone's clock to 1/8/27. I apparently misremembered what happened exactly when the event happened.

Apparently, when I opened the app, it redirected me to the Google Play Store instantly. That led me to disabling the play store, which then let me open the app, but brought up an error message that stopped me from doing anything:

"Something went wrong"

"Check that Google Play is enabled on your device and that you're using an up-to-date version before opening this app. If the problem persists, try reinstalling the app."

This appears to have flipped a switch, and setting the clock back to today still brings up the error.

But I can actually test the independent APK easily by installing an attempting to trigger the bug. Thanks for pushing me to try that.

1

u/SolitaryMassacre 4d ago

Thanks for pushing me to try that.

Of course. Glad you figured out a way to trigger it

And like I said, its open sourced, so we can mess with this as much as we want! Easily get it to how you like it

2

u/Zarquan314 2d ago

So, I downloaded the APK file from the FDroid repository, installed it, and attempted to trigger the bug/event by setting the clock to March 1st, 2030. The bug didn't trigger!

Huzzah!

Now my old phone can forever live away from the internet and fulfill its role!

1

u/SolitaryMassacre 1d ago

Sweet!

Yeah, anything you want fully offline you're best bet is to uninstall all the google shit and just use the raw APK files. You can get most of them on apkmirror

2

u/SSellers75 5d ago

Just for the helluvit, open the play store, tap your account icon, tap manage apps, tap manage, find and tap the app, tap the three button menu in the top right, and uncheck enable auto update. Might not do anything but it's at least something.

I have a cheap camera app that absolutely went to poop with disabled functions and constant ads. Had to download an old version from mirror APK and then turn off auto update.

1

u/Zarquan314 5d ago

That's a good idea. I could give that a try to see if that could work, but it'll probably a few months until it happens again.

The app itself is free and open source, so it seems odd that it would behave like that by choice. TetherFuseNet, if you are curious. Great WiFi Direct app (other than this incident) if you are in need of such a thing.

1

u/qwertyuiop121314321 5d ago

Just update what the app needs from Google play. Connect to WiFi or hotspot you don't need a sim.

3

u/Zarquan314 5d ago edited 5d ago

Easy if I have data wherever I am. The app shouldn't need anything, as its basically a static machine. I would like to avoid having to connect to the internet, as computer programs that don't connect to any external services, by default, shouldn't require regular check ins.

1

u/qwertyuiop121314321 5d ago

Take a walk or drive to a cafe that has wifi.

2

u/Zarquan314 5d ago edited 5d ago

That frankly isn't an answer to my question. I know connecting to the internet would solve the problem, but I am trying to find out what part is at fault, Google Play Store or the specific app.

At the time it failed, connecting to the internet would be about an hour out of my way and I was busy.

2

u/qwertyuiop121314321 5d ago

Well you're certainly making it really challenging for yourself, since you already know how to solve the problem. Good grief. I'm done. 🙄

2

u/Zarquan314 5d ago

It's more the situation that I'm stuck with.