Why does Poweramp need to verify license through Google Play when Poweramp Unlocker is installed?

[XrayDoc88]

This problem doesn't go away and gets no helpful attention from the developer.  I'm convinced the only way to possibly ever see this issue even worked on is for everyone to start posting bad reviews on the Google Play store and to specifically describe this bug.  ?

[MarkerB]

1 hour ago, XrayDoc88 said:

This problem doesn't go away and gets no helpful attention from the developer.  I'm convinced the only way to possibly ever see this issue even worked on is for everyone to start posting bad reviews on the Google Play store and to specifically describe this bug.  ?

Good idea.  I have the same problem, and have stopped using Poweramp because of it.

I'm a developer myself, and I was just about to defend the developer here.  Most of the time the costs of developing programs is high, and apps tend to sell for very little.  However, I looked it up and this paid version has over a million installs at $4 apiece!  That suggests a very enviable accounts receivable, high enough to offer a real solution to this.  Passing the blame to Google is a weak move, since a workaround could be coded.

[faulty_unlocker]

I am here for the same reason everyone else are - crappy license check mechanics.

No need to copy-paste excerpts from the FAQ, or redirect me to email the dev directly (it won't change anyrhing). I know exactly how the license check works and my problem is with HOW it works.

After each firmware update the player stops working within a day or two, and it usually happens at the most inconvenient times - during long trips without internet access. Now tell me.. WHY do I get locked out of the access to app that I paid for? This is a major flaw that should have been fixed a long effing time ago.

If at least it was possible to initiate the check manually to make it stop bothering me with these overly aggressive checks, at least until the next firmware update... but NO! It's not possible. You have to wait for it to happen randomly.

How many more people need to report this colossal failure for the developer to actually DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT?

Obviously, he's got our money and he doesn't care anymore. Looking at how they handle issues.. People report this problem --> someone copy-pastes the FAQ section --> if people are still unhappy they get redirected to the dev email, which usually is hanging without any response, and if you do get a response it's for sure blaming google, or you, or anything else, instead of accepting the truth.

I already gave the app and its 'unlocker' a 1-star rating, but something tells me it won't change anything. I encourage everyone who finds this irritating to do the same, and mention this issue in the review, so new potential customers are aware of this flaw and think twice before the purchase.

[FaultyStill2018]

Decided to also give this app a negative review having experienced problems regarding verification constantly, also I have directed people to this thread. Posting proof I purchased because I am not a thief nor a liar and won't have Max call me such.

[okievit]

So on the positive side, during my trip to Canada I had no problems for the first time. Flight mode, and Poweramp kept playing. On the negative side, this was the first time in quite a while, and after all the times when it did stop midflight, I'll never trust the app again (yes, I tried to contact Max, but never got a reply, and yes, I have a valid licence). I've looked at alternatives, and I will switch to Blackplayer as my primary music player. It comes with good reviews, and some options that Poweramp doesn't have.

Poweramp may never give up midflight from here on in, but frankly this is a trust issue now, which it never should have become.

[fahim]

I had this issue earlier.. I noticed Poweramp unlocker runs in background.. If I force stop it, this problem occurs in airplane mode.. then I whitelisted the unlocker and verified again using data.. this solved licence check problem.. Still now It never asked for licence in airplane mode..

[Zeljko1234]

So this problem still exists after so many years and even in v3?! Why I'm asking? Well, because I've got the license error today. Yes, my phone was offline. Went online, checked the license, passed and it's fine now. For how long?

I remember that problem years ago and because of it, I've stopped using the app. Recently, I gave another try. Most of the time I'm in roaming/airplane so you are telling me that player is still checking license every now and then. And that will stop working in the middle of the flight? Again?! In 2019?!

No single app I bought is doing such mess.

[AndyC]

I feel compelled to throw my $.02 in on this too.  I purchased Poweramp for an old phone (because I love it so much) that doesn't connect to the phone network anymore (only my Wi-Fi).  I only purchased in a couple of days ago, so maybe it was within its 24 hr purchase window, but my Internet Service Provider went down last night.  So, since I couldn't watch TV, I said "hey, I'll just listen to a couple of podcasts I had downloaded previously on my Poweramp device. Well, the danged thing shut off after an hour or so.  I tried clicking on the Unlocker again, but all it told me what that it couldn't find the internet, and shut down!!.  Shouldn't it have least fallen back to a shareware status or something.  But to shut down like it did.......boy was I mad. Since I had no internet, I couldn't research the problem, so luckily, I had JetAudio on another device, so gave an "up yours" to Poweramp and used Jet instead.

After reading the Poweramp licensing topic, I'm going to try to let it active (re-activate?) on the offending device again, but after reading this topic...boy...I'm starting to wonder about Poweramp.  Maybe the fault this time was mine (maybe it had never activated the first time), but next time......

[Yoodjeen]

I am using Poweramp for 5 years, bought it, was using on Xiami Mi3, now i changed my phone to Redmi Note 5 Pro and i did not want to use v3, installed legacy version and after 1 week of using it i started getting license verifications failures, it pisses me off, i know in v3 i wont get these errors, but damn, v2 is my life, i have set all my playlists i love this skin and all the settings. please fix this error, it drives me nuts when i cant listen to music.

I get error on daily basis in the morning when im doing my morning commute and on evening it usually gets set back so when i travel back i can use it, but in the morning is driving me nuts. 

[andrewilley]

30 minutes ago, Yoodjeen said:

I get error on daily basis in the morning when im doing my morning commute and on evening it usually gets set back so when i travel back i can use it, but in the morning is driving me nuts. 

Does your device have a valid Internet connection? At least for 48 hours or so after first installation of the app and unlocker anyway. See http://support.powerampapp.com/knowledgebase/articles/323557-is-internet-connection-required

Andre

[Yoodjeen]

11 minutes ago, andrewilley said:

Does your device have a valid Internet connection? At least for 48 hours or so after first installation of the app and unlocker anyway. See http://support.powerampapp.com/knowledgebase/articles/323557-is-internet-connection-required

Andre

Yes, i am always conencted to 4G, i accessed Google Play services and still it says it failed.

ERROR_CONTACTING_SERVER

[andrewilley]

4 minutes ago, Yoodjeen said:

Yes, i am always conencted to 4G, i accessed Google Play services and still it says it failed.

ERROR_CONTACTING_SERVER

You don't mention your ROM version, but I assume it's a recent stock ROM not an old legacy version?

Andre 

[Yoodjeen]

6 minutes ago, andrewilley said:

You don't mention your ROM version, but I assume it's a recent stock ROM not an old legacy version?

Andre 

Im using MIUI 10.2.1.0
Android 8.1.0

[andrewilley]

2 minutes ago, Yoodjeen said:

Im using MIUI 10.2.1.0
Android 8.1.0

If you've read the FAQ, and tried a full uninstall/reinstall of both the app and unlocker, then please email poweramp.maxmpz@gmail.com. It might be worth trying to Clear Data for the Google Play store app too, in case anything is messed up in there. 

Andre

[Yoodjeen]

So after i fully refreshed my phone (factory reset) installed legacy version and it worked fine until next morning, got on the bus and same fffing problem, so i just gave up, updated to v3 and it works just fine, no problems what so ever but damn, i need the old UI i sincerely don't like it, ill get used to it or sm1 will make a skin same like v2 (i hope), with same UI.

[andrewilley]

v2 Google Play licensing should still work the same as v3.

Andre

[bek]

I just bought the Pro version yesterday.  Had this happen to me today with a Dasaita Android head unit for my car.  VERY annoying.  This scheme is unnecessary and a big hassle for the purchaser.  I will not have wifi 99% of the time I use this app.  I made a forum post before I did a search to see if others had this problem because I was so annoyed.  Really bad licensing scheme.  If it's not fixed, I guess I will go back to Pulsar, which was very good, but lacks the visualizers that impressed me so much.  But nothing is worth this hassle.

[Growler]

Bek...

If you only just purchased this yesterday and are already having issues, I would recommend getting a refund as per Google play store policy if it isn't suitable for your task, because I don't anticipate this being rectified.

You will spend all your time getting frustrated when it stops... This problem has been around forever.

[andrewilley]

Please see http://support.powerampapp.com/knowledgebase/articles/323557-is-internet-connection-required . You will need to have an internet connection during install and for a period afterwards, but once it has been validated and checked there should be no further need for the licence to be checked online. The timeouts have been improved for v3 so hopefully this problem should not suddenly appear later as could happen with v2.

Andre

[jammer99]

I've used vs 2 for two years with no problems. I decided to do a 'Wipe cache' on the phone. Poweramp must have been storing some license related data in there because the next time I started up Poweramp I started having this license verification problem. I reinstalled the app and unlocker. Having to wait hours or days for it to do what it needs to do is ludicrous. I can't upgrade to vs 3 because of an Android version that is too old. Besides, it is not an app issue; it is this unrealistic verification mechanism. All my other apps are working fine.

This would definitely affect my decision to participate in any future paid upgrades.

[andrewilley]

12 hours ago, jammer99 said:

 I can't upgrade to vs 3 because of an Android version that is too old. Besides, it is not an app issue; it is this unrealistic verification mechanism.

Pre Android 4 there were issues with more recent versions of the Play Store getting installed. Could you try either clearing cache & data for the Play Store app, then do the Poweramp install., or if that does not work roll the Play Store back to the factory-installed versions, install and allow the PA licence to validate (ideally allow 48 hours), then re-update your Play Store. 

Andre

[maxmp]

@jammer99 this is how Google implemented paid apps verification process. Poweramp just asks Play app, is it licensed or not. All verification errors are coming directly from Play app. So the key here is to have Play app working (open it and ensure it loads initial page).

[MarkerB]

42 minutes ago, maxmp said:

@jammer99 this is how Google implemented paid apps verification process. Poweramp just asks Play app, is it licensed or not. All verification errors are coming directly from Play app. So the key here is to have Play app working (open it and ensure it loads initial page).

Please...  I have plenty of apps that use Google's paid app system, and none that are so unreliable as Poweramp.  This is so obviously an integration problem, and continuing to just blame it on Google is ridiculous.

Poweramp chose to use a Google library, among the many libraries that any application needs.  If a chosen library is failing, it is up to the app's developer to make it right.  You don't just blame the library and wash your hands of it.  The library was your choice, and so it is your responsibility to fix.  You can code a workaround, replace the library with something else, or provide amnesty for those experiencing the problem.  It is unacceptable to blow off your customers, while continuing to sell the app.

[Growler]

2 hours ago, maxmp said:

@jammer99 this is how Google implemented paid apps verification process. Poweramp just asks Play app, is it licensed or not. All verification errors are coming directly from Play app. So the key here is to have Play app working (open it and ensure it loads initial page).

Out of the hundreds of apps I have used over the years... Many of which I have paid for through the Play Store... This is the only one I have ever EVER had a licensing verification issue with, or stopped working on me repeatedly, when I am without internet connection.

Seems strange that this is simply blamed on Google Play when no other app has this problem.

[jammer99]

Thank you for the replies. OK, I have some direction from Alex, andrewilley, and maxmp. I have tried to condense the suggestions into a plan of action.

- I have uninstalled both the app and the unlocker. (PA vs 2)

- I have verified that the current Play Store version on the phone is the same one that Poweramp was originally installed with--although it appears that there may have been updates applied which I could unstall but have not.

Please tell me whether the following looks like a good plan. Please adjust/correct as needed:

1. Make sure Android (2.3.5) Background App sync is on.            DONE: Yes, on.

2. Go into Settings>Applications>Manage App’s>Google Playstore:  Clear cache and data.      DONE.
        - What about Google Play services, do I need to clear cache/data there as well?

3. Launch Play Store. Make sure it fully loads, then install Poweramp app; Install Unlocker

4. Do not close Play Store. Leave it run in background.

5. Launch Poweramp.

6. Check Task Manager and verify that both Playstore and Poweramp are running multitasked.

7. Wait 20 minutes, check Poweramp to see whether validation succeeded.

8. If no validation, exit Poweramp and relaunch. Wait 20 minutes again, check validation.

9. If still no validation, exit Poweramp and relaunch, leave both Play Store and Poweramp apps running with internet connection for 48 hours.

10. If still no validation, report back.