Mango will block the ability of Home Brew apps to access registry, other native resources

June 25, 2011 | By Surur

With Mango even home brew apps will not have access to the Registry.

As is often the case, Microsoft giveth with one hand and taketh with the other.

On the one hand Microsoft will be greatly improving the ability for tinkerers to get access to their phones by blessing the Chevron WP7’s Home brew solution.

However it seems Microsoft has strengthened the sandbox for 3rd party Windows Phone 7 apps, including Home Brew ones, by removing the ability for these apps to make COM calls using Interop Services.

This restriction, which is enforced by the phone itself, will mean developers will be able to write whatever they want, as long as it does not access native resources like the registry, file system and just about anything else interesting.

The ChevronWP7 team are still seeing if there is a work around to the issue, but I suspect that this neutering of home brew efforts was Microsoft’s intent all along, so do not expect to see Microsoft letting such a work around stand in the long term.

Via nanpho.jp

About Surur

Site Admin and Windows Phone enthusiast, he has been using Windows Mobile devices since before they were called PocketPC’s. He is currently sporting a HTC 7 Trophy.

Tagged developers, home brew, software, windows phone 7

Anonymous

It’s good for the security of the phone, but it’s not cool for power users :-/

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=520891197 Abhinay Potluri

Tootally not cool

Jonny Rose

Is this on the new Chevron Unlock or all Dev unlocked phones?
Jonny Rose

My biggest worry about this, is that it will make the bluetooth streaming once again useless! because you need to change the bitpool registry from 30 to 40 to make it sound good, without doing that the quality is aweful! Which will be incredibly annoying, now they have added ID3 tag info the bluetooth streaming
Anonymous

Nooooooooo !
Sceptic

What is this sorcery? Come on, don’t do this do us (and yourself)! Imagine if MS decided how and what programs you could run on desktop Windows. People would be lining up with torches and pitchforks. I don’t see why you would accept it just because it is a phone? You also need to realize that most people, unlike the pious choir here want Warez. I can only hope some real hackers (not the Chevron sellouts) come along pronto and save this entire platform. WP7 needs to be cool and fluid like iOS and open like Android. Trying to make an OS that is either unspectacular or closed or both will relegate it to the recycle bin. How hard can it be to understand?
http://twitter.com/domineus Malcolm Williams

Wait a minute
does anyone realize that HTC and Samsung use these coms for their own proprietary software for their devices?
I wonder would this mean they’re cutting their own OEMs out of this too? That’s ludicrous

Anonymous

I would expect not. One of the reasons OEMS are given native access is so they can install custom hardware on their phones and include apps that use native access to interface with it. They are not about to break existing apps.
Anonymous

I would expect not. One of the reasons OEMS are given native access is so they can install custom hardware on their phones and include apps that use native access to interface with it. They are not about to break existing apps.

Stephen Bishop

Is it a joke? It is becoming ridiculous now…

I am fed to see Microsoft trying hard to make this OS so closed and locked down. It’s really too much now. The lack of freedom and flexibility is already the major weakness of WP7.
Peter

Disappointed by this, if only because there are some things that require accessing the registry to tweak. That’s one reason we’re somewhat into Homebrew apps in the first place. I don’t have a desire to pirate any apps/games, and even less so when considering MS can get a list of the apps installed at any point. I do want to tweak things sometimes to see what happens. Of course, I’ll have to wait to see what happens. Some people are pretty dedicated to finding workarounds.

Anonymous

but thats YOU. you think for a small fee people wont be happyhollymolly to pay and then go to places with cracked wp7 apps/games and install it? thats the thing, some people use that to nice stuff, but most wont. and there is few apps that need registry access.
its not bad to try to protect their product, look at what happens to android, good platform but with malware problems.

giving registry access and such its a double edge sword. but also you cant deny we want a secure OS, dont we?

Anonymous

This doesn’t prevent piracy at all. Marketplace apps don’t have registry/file system access anyway, so pirated apps can still be installed with the new home brew solution. This is just a way for MS to lock down the OS.

Also, the parallell to the Android malware issue also is not valid. You can get malware from the official Android marketplace. That’s right, the OFFICIAL Android marketplace is not secured, but WP marketplace is. So if you only download from the official marketplace you will be fine on WP, not necessarily on Android.

Side loading is not for everyone, and I don’t mind jumping through some hoops to get access to side loading. I also think that it would be reasonable to accept a EULA that anything that goes wrong as a consequence of side loading is the sole responsibility of the user, and MS and the phone manufacturer have no responsibilities for problems caused by side loading. Other than that I don’t see a need to restrict power users from making registry changes and making use of the file system.

AnonGuy

Android allows sideloading by default and rooting gives free reign to developers for everything. There are so many Homebrew android apps that require root that most people call you an idiot if you’re not rooted. Fixing simple things require it as well (I.e. Installing related apps).

The maleware comparison is valid. To make the os secure it has to he locked down. There’s no other way around it and the fact that you can get it from the android market really isn’t a factor in this discussion… Thqh

http://twitter.com/notebookgrail Notebook Grail

Its true atleast for Registry. MS is cracking down on this with all OEM’s. This is from a trusted source.

http://twitter.com/domineus Malcolm Williams

wow so they are doing this even on the OEM level…bizarre to say the most I just asked that question and now verified. I wonder if LG is also in this considering they’re the most “open” system

http://profiles.google.com/blueandwhite89 Daniel Purdham

Bad move by MS… very bad move. If users want to load unofficial apps, then let them, whatever happens to their phone is on them. And 99% of people who would load side apps are tech savvy and understand the risks. Besides, the majority of homebrew apps are from XDA probably and the forum is monitored. Just like the DDRouter app or whatever its called that screwed up Zune usability on some phones, thats the risk the user assumes.. Theres more good than bad that comes out of allowing Home Brew apps. Whats the point of homebrew if they cant do anything cool!

http://fxfp.com/ Alex F.

This does not prevent loading unofficial apps – that prevents them from messing up the OS.

AnonGuy

And keeps aware under control. Hi here’s my new terms game sort it sends me all your info etc.

Thanks but no thanks. The people who dint like this need ti get an android phone plain and simple.

http://profiles.google.com/blueandwhite89 Daniel Purdham

Bad move by MS… very bad move. If users want to load unofficial apps, then let them, whatever happens to their phone is on them. And 99% of people who would load side apps are tech savvy and understand the risks. Besides, the majority of homebrew apps are from XDA probably and the forum is monitored. Just like the DDRouter app or whatever its called that screwed up Zune usability on some phones, thats the risk the user assumes.. Theres more good than bad that comes out of allowing Home Brew apps. Whats the point of homebrew if they cant do anything cool!
Anonymous

I really could care less about home brew apps no offense to power users but most consumers don’t either. Microsoft is trying to find that perfect balance between IOS and Android so please power users give them credit for that. I came from Android and It scares me greatly to hear MS embracing the home brew/hacking crowd with so many security issues I dealt with in Android. Now those that are upset that MS isn’t coming all out with an all access philosophy need to remember that sales aren’t driven by the home brew community and if MS doesn’t show deviation for those that are abandoning and will abandon Android for WP7 for those security concerns their sales will never peak. Most of the folk I hear that came to WP7 from Android wanted a great experience they could trust and didn’t have to put their phone at risk to be user friendly. WP7 is everything Android is not. I will like the best WP7 apps in the marketplace not on Amazon or some invented Wp7.com site. I want to know that I can trust that the access I give to an app is only being used for that said purpose.
Oshalabi9

Why does everyone always get their panties in a knot. I am not a hacker. But I do believe in one thing. EVERYTHING is hackable. Nothing is impossible. A problem always has a solution you just have to know the answer. So all I have to say to MS, iOS, or Droid is bring it, the community is waiting.

Heretic

True, everything is hackable. And tons of people are using jailbreaks for iOS. But I’d venture a guess that most people are in fact NOT jailbreaking. How much of an MASS appeal will an OS or APP have if it requires a semi-difficult hack (like a re-flash with a custom rom)?. As a software pirate I do realize better than most that I am walking a thin line since we’re all in a sense biting the hand that feeds us. On the same note, who is going to put serious development effort into apps that no one (except us few clever pirates) can run in the first place? So BAD IDEA.

Anonymous

This is very disheartening. I’ve been struggling with this platformm, mostly because of the tight control. I was looking forward to Mango and all the improvements that come with it. But, I fear, this is the final straw for me. I think I’m finished with Windows Phone.

One of the biggest problems Windows Phone has had so far has been gaining any kind of mindshare. This decision is going to have a negative impact on that very fragile mindshare.

Mindshare starts with the heavy users, enthusiasts,and bloggers, who embrace much more open platforms. This will give them even more of an excuse to not endorse Windows Phone. Once again, another poor marketing maneuver by Microsoft.

Dave
http://fxfp.com/ Alex F.

Good!
They should not mess with OS settings – end of it. I bet it is the “walshed” NoDo phones fiasco (and how public blamed Microsoft for the failure of jailbreakers) that forced Microsoft to do this.

After this change there are two ways to get apps on WP:
1. Official – through Marketplace with all restrictions (no competition with Microsoft, “no pubic hair”, etc).
2. Chevron’s semi-official – with no restrictions, except ones aimed at keeping core OS intact and stable.
And I think that’s the best combination for everyone.
http://fxfp.com/ Alex F.

Good!
They should not mess with OS settings – end of it. I bet it is the “walshed” NoDo phones fiasco (and how public blamed Microsoft for the failure of jailbreakers) that forced Microsoft to do this.

After this change there are two ways to get apps on WP:
1. Official – through Marketplace with all restrictions (no competition with Microsoft, “no pubic hair”, etc).
2. Chevron’s semi-official – with no restrictions, except ones aimed at keeping core OS intact and stable.
And I think that’s the best combination for everyone.

jimski

Well ok, but I paid to unlock my phone for the sole purpose of figuring out why push/live tiles don’t work. Today, I probably know more about this problem than Microsoft. If I couldn’t access the registry, we would all still be scratching our heads. So this is not a good thing.

Vinnie

Sorry for the vulgarity but, FUCK THIS SUCKS.
Aceofspades25

I think this is shocking!! This is nothing but an outright decleration of war on the group of people who like to have their phones work the way they want them to.

There is no good reason for them to act like assholes and do this.

This is a big mistake and is going to lead to a lot more people being even more annoyed with this locked down, limited platform.

Hey at least Google will love them for it.