Android Users Should Avoid These GTA 5 Apps

[Josh Engen]

Android Users Should Avoid These GTA 5 Apps

Two malicious Grand Theft Auto V apps have surfaced on the Android Marketplace.

Just before the launch of Grand Theft Auto V, Rockstar released a mobile app called iFruit, which allows players to feed their GTA addiction [http://www.rockstargames.com/newswire/article/51371/the-free-gtav-ifruit-and-game-manual-companion-apps.html] on the go. Currently, the application is only available for iOS, but that hasn't stopped two suspicious versions from showing up on the Android Marketplace.

The first is called Grand Theft Auto: iFruit, and, according to the app's description, it's an "un-official 100% fan-guide including tips and tricks." However, several users are reporting that it simply displays a YouTube video, and others are claiming that it's a form of aggressive malware.

The second, called iFruit GTA Grand Theft Auto, is almost certainly malicious. The user reviews are thoroughly negative, and many have reported warnings from their virus applications.

Both apps have co-opted the logo that Rockstar used for the official version of iFruit, so they can be difficult to spot. Hopefully, potential users will check the comments before downloading, but people will continue to be affected until the apps are removed.

This morning Grand Theft Auto V became the fastest selling title in videogame history, raking in over $1 billion within its first three days [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/128014-Grand-Theft-Auto-V-Breaks-1-Billion-In-Three-Days]. So, the fact that other companies are already trying to siphon a little of that success is unsurprising. However, Android users should probably wait until Rockstar makes an official announcement regarding an Android edition of iFruit.

Surfing the Android Market has become a dangerous game.

Source: Google Play [http://www.destructoid.com/don-t-download-this-gta-v-app-on-the-android-store-262141.phtml]

Permalink

 

[MrGalactus]

I'll have finished the game before the real Android one comes out. Not cool.

 

[Cheeseman Muncher]

The weird thing is, there are easily a larger number of Android phone users vs the number of iPhone users. Only releasing your app for that one platform more than halves your potential customer base. Even if they're free apps that's a lot of free marketing you're missing out on.

 

[Alcom1]

The logo looks like one of those multiple-image optical illusions. Is it a bowl of fruit, a really happy face, or boobs?

 

[Genocidicles]

The logo looks like one of those multiple-image optical illusions. Is it a bowl of fruit, a really happy face, or boobs?

Considering what game it's from, it's likely supposed to be a penis.

 

[Infernal Lawyer]

So apparently sticking in a few safeguards into the marketplace is too hard for whoever runs the Android marketplace. You'd have thought something as simple as "See if it has a virus in it" or "does it instantly crash on boot" wouldn't be beyond them.

 

[BoredRolePlayer]

So apparently sticking in a few safeguards into the marketplace is too hard for whoever runs the Android marketplace. You'd have thought something as simple as "See if it has a virus in it" or "does it instantly crash on boot" wouldn't be beyond them.

Going by what the top post said, it's malware. Which means it's not being what it's advertised to do, that doesn't mean it's a virus. Malware could be a program that doesn't harm your PC but has a key logger in it, a virus is made to harm your PC (Like a fork bomb). There is a big difference. Also if it was a real virus Google would have updated Bouncer to kick apps like it pretty quickly (It's happened before).

 

[Alcom1]

The logo looks like one of those multiple-image optical illusions. Is it a bowl of fruit, a really happy face, or boobs?

Considering what game it's from, it's likely supposed to be a penis.

Huh, I wonder for what Freudian reason I did not think of that.

 

[Infernal Lawyer]

So apparently sticking in a few safeguards into the marketplace is too hard for whoever runs the Android marketplace. You'd have thought something as simple as "See if it has a virus in it" or "does it instantly crash on boot" wouldn't be beyond them.

Going by what the top post said, it's malware. Which means it's not being what it's advertised to do, that doesn't mean it's a virus. Malware could be a program that doesn't harm your PC but has a key logger in it, a virus is made to harm your PC (Like a fork bomb). There is a big difference. Also if it was a real virus Google would have updated Bouncer to kick apps like it pretty quickly (It's happened before).

True, but that doesn't change the fact that it shouldn't be in there (which goes without saying) and that there's readily available technology designed to check for that kind of thing. If it's true that you can slip that kind of thing onto a program that's being sold on the Android Market, well, I just found myself a new get rich quick scheme /sarcasm.

 

[Infernal Lawyer]

True, but that doesn't change the fact that it shouldn't be in there (which goes without saying) and that there's readily available technology designed to check for that kind of thing. If it's true that you can slip that kind of thing onto a program that's being sold on the Android Market, well, I just found myself a new get rich quick scheme /sarcasm.

What shouldn't be in there?

A youtube video?

Ads that show up on your notification bar?

Those are all legitimate things to have.

Unless you missed the 'aggressive malware' part, I suggest you use the /sarcasm tag in future.

 

[VanQ]

Seriously though, $267 million spent in production and they couldn't fund a port for the app for Android? I was pretty bothered by this. Were they paid off by Apple or something?

 

[FURY_007]

The weird thing is, there are easily a larger number of Android phone users vs the number of iPhone users. Only releasing your app for that one platform more than halves your potential customer base. Even if they're free apps that's a lot of free marketing you're missing out on.

Yeah, I really, really, really hate this trend of releasing shit on the Apple store and not Android. more people in my friend base have a Android device rather than an Apple. Like you saidtheres at least as much Android users as there are Apple users, if not more. It's just bad business sense to just release an app on one rather than both.

 

[BoredRolePlayer]

So apparently sticking in a few safeguards into the marketplace is too hard for whoever runs the Android marketplace. You'd have thought something as simple as "See if it has a virus in it" or "does it instantly crash on boot" wouldn't be beyond them.

Going by what the top post said, it's malware. Which means it's not being what it's advertised to do, that doesn't mean it's a virus. Malware could be a program that doesn't harm your PC but has a key logger in it, a virus is made to harm your PC (Like a fork bomb). There is a big difference. Also if it was a real virus Google would have updated Bouncer to kick apps like it pretty quickly (It's happened before).

True, but that doesn't change the fact that it shouldn't be in there (which goes without saying) and that there's readily available technology designed to check for that kind of thing. If it's true that you can slip that kind of thing onto a program that's being sold on the Android Market, well, I just found myself a new get rich quick scheme /sarcasm.

Someone already did the ultimate rich quick scheme I'm afraid.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Am_Rich

 

[saintdane05]

You know, as hard as it is to get apps onto the Apple store, I'm surprised that android allows stuff like this.

<youtube=_h6dD674stw>

 

[tdylan]

Grand Theft Auto V became the fastest selling title in videogame history, raking in over $1 billion within its first three days.

What I gathered from this is that Activision is going to jump into the GTA market space with an annual, open world release, and EA is going to do a piss poor job following suit.

 

[gphjr14]

Unless you missed the 'aggressive malware' part, I suggest you use the /sarcasm tag in future.

Define "aggressive malware" as it relates to android devices. As an android developer, I'm not so sure you know what you're talking about.

I think they've confused adware with malware. Either way you don't want the crap on your mobile device since it's not really made by R*.

Doesn't really matter the iOS version is crap anyways. Since day one of the game's release there's been connection issues, I've only managed to get it to connect successfully a handful of times. Though it really doesn't affect the game as the dog Chop hasn't done much since the first quarter of the game.

 

[Infernal Lawyer]

Unless you missed the 'aggressive malware' part, I suggest you use the /sarcasm tag in future.

Define "aggressive malware" as it relates to android devices. As an android developer, I'm not so sure you know what you're talking about.

*throws up hands in frustration* Really? No, I don't have an android, but is saying 'aggressive malware is a bad thing' REALLY that wrong?

many have reported warnings from their virus applications.

I'm genuinely curious now as to why I shouldn't be scoffing at the Android market for not picking this up when any average Android can.

Or are we just nitpicking over semantics here? Would you accept it if we called it a virus or something else instead?

 

[ThunderCavalier]

The logo looks like one of those multiple-image optical illusions. Is it a bowl of fruit, a really happy face, or boobs?

Considering what game it's from, it's likely supposed to be a penis.

Dammit. That's all I see now.