How to fake another device in Android Market with root

[mercado79]

In case anyone is interested...

Pulled these build.prop settings together (for the Galaxy Tab 10.1) and tested it out. Works as expected on my Nexus S. Just downloaded Backbreaker Football (still on sale even though it's not on the banner page). Woot!

ro.product.model=GT-P7500
ro.product.brand=samsung
ro.product.name=GT-P7500
ro.product.device=GT-P7500
ro.product.board=GT-P7500
ro.product.manufacturer=samsung
# ro.build.product is obsolete; use ro.product.device
ro.build.product=GT-P7500
ro.build.description=GT-P7500-user 3.2 HTJ85B XWKK4 release-keys
ro.build.fingerprint=samsung/GT-P7500/GT-P7500:3.2/HTJ85B/XWKK4:user/release-keys

 

[Janzomaster]

In case anyone is interested...

Thanks!

But it just won't work... Which Market-Version are you guys using?

 

[jcsy]

question is , will it work on other devices by editing the build.prop?

 

[alejo443]

question is , will it work on other devices by editing the build.prop?

Yes. My case: Nexus One with CM 7.1, not compatible with any Gameloft HD game.

My build.prop (this config is working right now):

ro.product.model=Desire HD
ro.product.brand=htc_wwe
ro.product.name=htc_ace
ro.product.device=ace
ro.product.board=ace
ro.product.cpu.abi=armeabi-v7a
ro.product.cpu.abi2=armeabi
ro.product.manufacturer=HTC
ro.product.locale.language=en
ro.product.locale.region=US
ro.wifi.channels=
ro.board.platform=qsd8k
# ro.build.product is obsolete; use ro.product.device
ro.build.product=ace
# Do not try to parse ro.build.description or .fingerprint
ro.build.description=2.36.405.8 CL47853 release-keys
ro.build.fingerprint=verizon/voles/sholes/sholes:2.1-update1/ESE81/29593:user/release-keys
# end build properties

I know, my ro.build.description is inconsistent with the fingerprint version, but, it's working!

Following the d-lite's instructions, update the build.prop, reboot to recovery an wipe cache, clean android market data (Manage applications -> Force stop -> Clean data), start again the market, and voila! the apps are available.

Now waiting to upgrade my phone to play those games.

 

[Nil Einne]

I managed to get my LG P500 to appear as both a Samsung GT-P7500 and GT-I9100 (as specified in this thread). So far it hasn't helped. None of the games that are currently unavailable to me became available. This includes 'BackStab HD', 'SimCity™ Deluxe', 'Captain America', 'Jenga' and 'Block Breaker 3 Unlimited HD'.

I don't know for sure these games are supposed to work with the Samsung GT-P7500 or I9100 but these are fairly high end devices and one's a tablet so I'm surprised none of them do. I'm guessing I need to do something else.

For those still having problems, I'm using Market 3.3.11. I only replace build.prop then restart phone then close and clear cache (Edit:meant data which of course clears cache too) for Market. Nothing else like Dalvik cache etc. After I start the market in my phone, it takes a while for my new phone type to show up in the web market, perhaps 20 minutes or more. I don't seem to have to download anything but obviously do agree to licence agreement and I do usually click on stuff. (Since I haven't yet made any apps available that weren't available before, I haven't seen if it shows in the in phone marketplace instantly.)

Remember you have to refresh before it will shot up your 'new' device. If you are an existing page, it still show the old device until you refresh. Even if you refreshed in another page, it will still show the old device in old pages. This includes when it isn't actually clearly showing the device like if you are in the 10 billion download promo page. Best thing to do is to load market.android.com fresh.

Anyway I guess I may have to fool around with other settings in build.prop. One thing is I'm still working out what settings are safe, e.g. can I chance CPU type.

Of course it's already too late for Sim City etc, but oh well....

 

[cmlusco]

The only thing the market reads is the ro build. Go to manage applications and force stop the market, and clear its cache. Then go to /data/data/com.android.vending/shared_prefs/vending_preferences.xml and open it with a text editor. At the top you will see "last build fingerprint" change that to a phone that is compatible with the games you want. Also change it in the /system/build.prop. After that reboot to recovery and clear cache and dalvik-cache and reboot. It works for me every time.

 

[Nil Einne]

(EC) With the alejo443 settings (Edit:forgot to mention I excluded platform and region) I got all the games I mentioned I was missing, except Sim City, guess compatibility for that is very poor, while it's too late now I'll look around and see just for future use. Also the games become instantly available when I restart Market after I do what I mentioned previously. In the web market, my phone is still showing up as a Samsung (as said it's slow to update).

 

[alejo443]

btw, with Sim City was funny... on the promotion page, the app appears not compatible (before the build.prop modification), on the phone market didn't appear too, but, looking for the app details page on the market app (using a qr code), the Purchase button was enabled, so, I was able to buy it without do anything special (it doesn't apply to Gameloft games, no idea why).

Hoping that Google give us a 'Last chance day' (like Steam with christmas promotions) :s

 

[Shark_On_Land]

Dude...your a newb.

You have 0 dev skills
So you think your helping everyone. But in reality everyone that is even on here is is pretty profient with computers. So please stop luding the forms with brane less nonsense.

Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk

 

[cmlusco]

Dude...your a newb.

You have 0 dev skills
So you think your helping everyone. But in reality everyone that is even on here is is pretty profient with computers. So please stop luding the forms with brane less nonsense.

Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk

I dont know who that was aimed at but its rude and makes YOU sound brainless. And what does being proficient with computers have to do with andriod? Also i dont see recognized dev in your profile so who are you to judge?

 

[Nil Einne]

I haven't bothered to read the other replies since I'm a bit tired after having done a lot of confusing testing, and I'll do a more detailed write up later. But I'll post this because of the time sensitivty for anyone still trying to get Block Breaker 3 HD.

I've found it can be rather complicated to get apps to become compatible in the eyes of the marketplace, at least with my LG P500.

For starters, the ARMv6 prevents quite a few games from being compatible. If you have an ARMv6 device meaning there's no armeabi-v7a anywhere in you're build.prop, try modifying it with this:

ro.product.cpu.abi=armeabi
ro.product.cpu.abi2=armeabi-v7a

(I reversed the order which still seems to work, I don't know if it makes a difference but it's possible it's slightly safer if it means apps first try armeabi and only try armeabi-v7a if they need it.)

I'm not sure if it's necessary (testing still ongoing) but you can try using the HTC fingerprint in the build.prop.

ro.build.fingerprint=verizon/voles/sholes/sholes:2.1-update1/ESE81/29593:user/release-keys

However it's more complicated then that, for example I found when trying with stuff from the build.prop that the Motorola Milestone 2 fingerprint (along with the abi) also works but if I include too much of the details from the Milestone (well the version I was trying anyway) Gameloft games like BB3HD are no longer considered compatible.

Captain America is even stranger when it's compatible and when it isn't, but since it's not on sale anymore I'll wait until I've finished testing before I say more. And I still haven't convinced the market to let me have Sim City Deluxe. (Jenga seems to be mostly about the ABI.)

P.S. As always, any modifications are are your own risk. I'm guessing you may break some apps if they try to use the v7 ABI so I don't recommend you keep your build.prop like that for long. Also I don't think it's likely the apps will updated to support ARMv6 phones so I only recommend this if you are planning to upgrade or something of that sort.

 

[Kondra007]

Tried to fake Note 10.1 to Xperia Tablet S - no luck
App on my pc still shows GT-N8000 while Play Market shows Sony Sony Tablet S