XPost: comp.mobile.android, uk.telecom.mobile   
   From: theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk   
      
   In comp.mobile.android David Wade  wrote:   
   > On 17/03/2025 20:16, Bill Powell wrote:   
   > > On Mon, 17 Mar 2025 17:55:17 +0000, David Wade wrote:   
   > >   
   > >> As I said my experience with Spanish only apps is that they use the   
   > >> play-id country code rather than the network id for geolocation.   
   > >   
   > > Can you log into Aurora using your Play ID country code for Spain?   
   >   
   > Well it then means google is aware of what apps I am using?   
   >   
   > Does it mean Aurora can use the card attached to that Play Account?   
   >   
   > Don't I have to sign in to Google Play at some point to create the account?   
      
   Aurora can use either your Google account or one of their anonymous pool   
   accounts.  If you use your own account I think it works similar to the usual   
   Play Store client.  It won't let you buy apps, but will install paid apps   
   you previously bought (either in Play Store app or on the website).   
      
   However Aurora do say:   
      
   "However, you may want to be careful as Google retains full rights to block   
   any account under their Google Play Terms of Service §4, because using   
   Aurora Store clearly violates their terms of services.  Being banned means   
   that the very Google account you used to sign in with will be blocked   
   forever.  It might be worth using a dummy account for that reason.   
      
   If you do happen to get your Google account banned, you can try appealing,   
   which may or may not work.  If they reject your appeal then there's nothing   
   much you can do about that account.  You can try your luck by filling out   
   their form here."   
      
   https://auroraoss.gitbook.io/wiki/troubleshooting-and-faqs/faqs/   
   urora-store#why-would-i-use-my-own-account-is-it-safe   
      
   As for geolocation, the Aurora folks say the apps you can access are based   
   on IP location rather than the country of the Google account.  Perhaps being   
   an unofficial client allows them to do things that the official Play Store   
   app won't do?  I'm only repeating what it says in their FAQ - I have no   
   ability to test this.   
      
   However Aurora does show me UK apps even using their anonymous account.  As   
   I assume Aurora's anonymous accounts are not all for the UK, I can only   
   assume it's using a generic account and it's Google who are geolocating.   
      
   Theo   
      
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