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Google enables workaround for paid Android Wear apps

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Android Wear hands on
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Two days ago, we reported on the Android encryption bug that prevented paid Android Wear apps from being installed onto the Android Wear-powered smartwatches currently available, the LG G Watch and Samsung Gear Live. Fortunately, in a post on its Developers blog, Google introduced a workaround to the problem.

“The workaround is to place the wearable APK in the res/raw directory instead,” according to Google. In other words, as highlighted by the four steps necessary for the workaround to take effect, this is not something that should be done by the technically unsound among us. For those unfamiliar with HTML, it might be a good idea to simply wait for an update.

The problem lies in Google’s app encryption measures. These measures, meant to dissuade pirating, encode paid apps with a device-specific key. Unfortunately, the bug prevents the system from properly extracting the Android application package (APK). Because of this, the installer assumes there is nothing to install and aborts the process.

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There is no word from Google on when it will issue an update to rectify the situation, but it would be a good idea to keep an eye out for one in the near future.

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Williams Pelegrin
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