Is Google Play LVL license check "package" or "public key" specific?

Question

I am the developer of 2 applications which are availabe in Google Play (non-public, in progress).

One app is free, the other is non-free.

The free app is checking if the user has a license for the non-free app. Therefor I'm calling the LVL from the free-app with the public-key of the non-free app.

Until now I thought it's working, but then I realized that the "test result" which one can configure in the Google Play Developer Console is not per application, but global-wide.

Which means: If I configure the test-result as "LICENSED" or "NOT_LICENSED", it won't matter which of my apps checks the license - and that's my problem.

Who knows, if it has any affect which of my both public keys I'm using? Does the LVL really uses the public key to identify the app, or is it using the "package of the calling app"?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Answer 1

Sadly no, it is NOT possible to check the license of an other application via LVL. It does not matter if you are the developer of both apps, nor does it matter which public-key or package you are providing to the LVL.

A totally other solution is to use in-app-purchasing in the free app. Users then could "buy" just an "unlocking license" via IAP.

Have a look at here: http://grokbase.com/t/gg/android-developers/11c5znp9qh/can-the-lvl-check-for-paid-app-be-done-from-my-free-app