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This question pertains to the re-link clause of the LGPL specifically on the Play Store.

There's lots of unclear information about this topic. Assuming there's an application on the Play Store that has a dynamically linked native library where the lib in question is a seperate *.so file in the APK, is it possible to relink another version of that library you'd need to

  1. Access and open the APK file somehow
  2. Modify its contents
  3. Run the modified APK

I know you can run unsigned APKs by modifying your device settings, but I don't believe you can access a Play Store APK without root access to your device.

Is root absolutely required to re-link libs in Play Store APKs? If it is, doesn't that imply that you cannot distribute an APK on the Play Store (or any store that protects user access to its APK files) that dynamically links to an LGPL library on a device that cannot be rooted?

Is this a valid concern (are there any devices that can't be rooted)?

Assume in this case that the distributors of the LGPL lib clearly require re-linking and don't provide any flexibility on that point.

edit: It seems like there's a workaround that lets you download Google Play applications directly to your computer: http://codekiem.com/2014/08/07/official-apk-downloader-v2-download-apk-files-from-google-play-store-to-pc/

I feel like this is a temporary fix though and might break at some point in the future. Still this seems to be a way to get an application without rooting your phone at all.

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IANAL. I only consider the LGPLv3 because there are huge wording differences.

Per section 4e, it is the responsibility of whoever "conveys" the "Combined Work" to also provide "Installation Information".

If you are the "conveyer", you can e.g. host the package on your own servers or whatever's convenient for you and use that in your "Installation Information".

If you are a user, nag/threaten the "conveyer" until they provide "Installation Information". I am fairly certain that, at some point, there have existed devices for which there is no known rooting mechanism, so I do not think "Installation Information" that requires rooting would be legit, unless they somehow restrict what models the package can be installed on.

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  • Yeah, I thought as much. Since you can side load applications without root though, it would be great if there was a clear and reliable method to simply get APKs you've downloaded or bought from the play store, so you can modify their contents. I wonder if its reasonable to ask someone who doesn't have a rootable device that wants to replace an LGPL lib in an APK to use a device that can be rooted to get the APK and modify it on that first. Commented Sep 28, 2014 at 0:43

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