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Something odd is going on with Google Books and Music. Both services remain off limits for non-US Android users, but for some in other regions updated apps are downloading and installing where they once did not exist. More specifically, owners of Nexus One and Nexus S handsets have seen the latest apps for both Google Books and Google Music installed to their devices, though access to purchasing books and storing music in the cloud don’t come along for the ride. The Books app at least syncs up public domain titles already available to the world at large.
The new apps may be an indicator of Google’s plan to launch these two services worldwide, but more likely are simply a result of the Nexus family of phones being closely tied to all that is new at Google. Users cite the existence of Google Voice as a hidden app on non-US Nexus One phones as a prime example. Why the apps are being pushed to phones (and they are being pushed whether owners want them or not) still remains up in the air.
[via Reddit]
I confirm that the apps have been pushed to my Nexus S in Italy (vodafone IT). But while I was able to correctly install (it actually looked like an upgrade) and run Google Books, I get an error that the app can’t be found when trying to “upgrade” Google Music.
If you want Music, just go to My Apps in the Market. You’ll see it listed as a manual update. Long-press it and select Update from the pop-up menu. It works without actually going to the app’s page. That’s what I did on my N1, and now I have the nicer new UI. But, of course, no access to Music Beta yet.
This was a surprise to me but I got Music and Books pushed to my Nexus one. The books app works and I can even read few books although I still cannot buy books or read some of the samples as they are “not available in your region”.
The Music app is also there.. Or at least I see it in my market account. There’s no way to launch it though. And if I try to open the market entry it says that the item was not found.
I’m not sure what’s going on. I think there was some mistake actually…. I hope that I’m wrong because I’d love to have both of those services and even pay for them!
Hmm. The music app didn’t work an hour ago but it seems to work now. I was able to update it and run it now. It’s not connected to their cloud service though.
Google Books pushed to my Nexus One in Canada (Rogers)
Damn i was hoping they would be available in the market for other phones too. Doesnt look like it…
I’m on a Desire Z running CM7.0.2 (Android 2.3.3) and got forcefully pushed the Google Books app. The thing just started downloading on itself. It showed up on my app list with the orange ‘update’ word and somehow started downloading. Not that I’m complaining. :-)
Waiting for the music app to be pushed next.
I confirm it too, I updated them on my Nexus S in Spain.
They both appeared as updates on the market, but when I wanted to go to their respective app page, I too got an error that the apps couldnt be found.I managed to install both of them using the long-touch menu on the updates-list on the market.
Well, yet another loss due to copyright laws so tight, Abe Lincoln crys whilst these companies pinch pennies. They probably wanted their hand in it, and Google said no, then the laws of the universe dictated that there won’t be anything like this for US Android users, all thanks to some f’d up copyright laws.
This is all due to some tightwad companies and them feeling the need to pinch pennies so hard that Abe Lincoln rolls in his grave. I cannot stand some of the copyright laws that have resulted as a result. Those laws probably are why we don’t have such a thing in the US. We US Android users always get the short end of the stick because of copyright laws….
What are you rambling about? Books and Music have always been available in the US, it’s the rest of the world that gets constantly shafted because of your stupid copyright laws. We can’t even get TV shows on iTunes where I am thanks to your jerkwad movie companies.
I am complaining about just that good sir, our copyright laws suck like the local whore, and some major reform needs to be done for the better, so that people can enjoy productions wherever/whenever without having to worry about being sued from the overly powerful organizations known as the RIAA and MPAA, they simply need to go away. They’ve sued 85-year old grandmothers who didn’t own computers for pirating, and these organizations need to dissappear.
I was able to update Music by long-pressing it in the Market, and pushing update. It seems to work like any other music-playing app.
Long press one of them in the MyApps then press update. Worked for me. Showed up in launcher after.
I’ve had no luck with the Music app but my Books updated a couple of days ago and has worked since, although I am still unable to purchase due to being in the UK.
I got both Books and Music yesterday, too. N1 in Canada (Telus). Books came automatically, but Music was a manual update. Neither app shows up in the Market on my phone. They do on the Web, where both are Installed, but not available for install on my device. This definitely feels like a screw-up, but still I hope it might be an indication that Books and Music could be extending beyond the US soon-ish.
On a semi-unrelated note, the update for books reminded me about how ridiculous it is that you can’t disable auto updates over mobile data. If this bothers you, please star the issue on the Android Market forum and the Android bug tracker:
http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/Android+Market/thread?tid=7e67a7d4c25d0fb9&hl=en
http://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=10461
I have a us nexus in brazil, and i got the books and music apps. Also got an invitation for google music and its working just fine
Google Books was pushed to my unlocked Desire HD running Cyanogen 7.0.3 (UK), Tmobile SIM. No google music though…
Confirmed working in Canada on both Nexus One and S and on my Xoom Wifi!
Also using a US Proxy I got my google music invite and so I can use the new service as if I was in the US! Rock on Google!
Such oddity isn’t new. Google Voice app has been available on Canadian Market forever, but the service itself is unavailable. Stupid.
Yup, I live in the Netherlands and own a Nexus S, and they also appeared in my “installed apps section” in the Android Market. It didn’t get installed automatically though, had to update them manually (thanks smartypants4 :) )
I tipped you guys about it , more then 24hours ago…..but am I the source of this…NOOO…stupid Redit…….
Either way….nice update…weird that we get the update but cant access it in the market……I hope Google Voice becomes available next…..or google movies :P
Nexus One in Canada here, and Google Books got pushed to my phone with NO prior consent yesterday. Google Music has appeared as a “manual update” within my downloaded apps list in the market, but was not forced on me (yet).
I got the forced books update, and like others needed to long press on music and select update to get the Music update…
Also, I have Flixter Movies installed from when I was travelling America, It works great here in Ireland, but you cant install it in Ireland. But i was also able to manually update it by long pressing and selecting update.. So i think this could be some sort of error in the market…
I’m quite annoyed by the no-consent installation of the Books app when I’m not in the USA and can’t purchase anything in any case, as space on my N1 is at a premium. Luckily the Google Music app is a manual install and I’m certainly not going to bother unless we can purchase music outside of the USA.
I have the Google Music Beta app on my Wifi Xoom but aside from playing local music that’s all I can do. (I’m in the UK but bought the Xoom in the states).
I also had the Books app when I first got it but it never worked and then dissappeared later on duirng an updat.
Rob, did you ask and get the Music Beta invite? Did you upload some music to Music Beta?
I came across these two apps installed on my nexus s yesterday, I didn’t approve them and checked my settings for auto updates and sync to which neither was on. I’ve deleted books but had to stay with the music as my old version disappeared. It is a bit out of order that they can install these without permission, it makes me wonder what else they or others could do to my phone without my knowledge.
I got books a couple of days ago too but i cant open it. Still cant update music but it appears as updateable in market.
// Nexus S in sweden
How are you guys getting this?
I saw Books as a hidden app under ‘All’ in the application manager and then got an update prompt a day later.
But so far no Music Beta as a hidden app and I can’t see it under the ‘My Apps’ section of the Android Market either.