Anyone wondering why they have some mad Russian app installed?

The_B_Man

I just saw this article from The Verge:
Google Play Bug installs Russian email app

So basically, Samsungs own email app was made by a company called Seven. This same company were hired to make an email app for some Russian company. They re-badged and translated their Samsung one, gave it to the Russians, who uploaded to the market...presumably without proper authorisation/consultation with Seven.

Now, since the package name, and the signing certs, were identical (Seven only changed the language and a few images), the market app thought that it was the same app as is included with most Samsung phones. Since the Russian one has a newer version, and Samsung set their email app to auto-update, surprise surprise, loads of people getting some mad Russian email app installed on their phone! Gas stuff altogether.

So, has anyone received this special package? Or is it only really stateside?

ED E

Serious egg on face there. Lawl.

srsly78

The signing key is what determines the origin of an app. That company would also have to have given Russians the key used for the Samsung app. Fail :P

wreckless

after flashing the last ROM from start, done a full wipe, all partitions cache etc. the first language it came up as default was..... yep...you guessed it...Russian.



but didnt get any crazy russian app.... feeling a bit left out now..

The_B_Man

srsly78 wrote: »

The signing key is what determines the origin of an app. That company would also have to have given Russians the key used for the Samsung app. Fail :P

From what I gathered, Seven made the app, then signed it and packaged it for the Russians. So they were just given the APK file to distribute.

srsly78

That would explain it. Same name+key = same app. Russians need to get their own key and publish it themselves.

The_B_Man

I'd wonder is it even meant for publishing. Is the Samsung built in mail app on the market? Maybe its just meant solely for bundling along with the phone.