How can I modify the phone model in build.prop to get unsupported apps?

Question

I currently have a rooted HTC Legend. In light of the current Android Market sales, I would love to be able to purchase some of the apps on sale without a compatible handset, since I plan to get a GNex in the next few weeks.

I've read that it may be possible to modify my build.prop file to a more modern handset, however beyond this suggestion, I can't find any more specific details, nor which phone model would be ideal for this. How can I do this?

I note that a number of people complain they've bricked after messing with build.prop. Is this a real danger or would it just require fixing the build.prop from adb, or reflashing the ROM?

Answer 1

There is no particular phone that's ideal, given the app devs can choose to support whatever subset of devices they wish. The Nexus devices are probably the most likely to be broadly compatible though.

You can't brick with build.prop as far as I know, though you can certainly prevent your phone from booting if you change the wrong setting. Make a backup of the file and don't edit anything under this line:

# end build properties

Just edit anything that has the device name, e.g. 'ro.product.device' or similar. Replace it with the corresponding entry from the build.prop for the device you're emulating (extract it from the ROM or see if it's been posted somewhere). Updating any other text to be accurate (like manufacturer) is best too. Note that changing the version of Android in this file won't help, since it looks like the Market polls the system directly. Nothing you can do about that unfortunately.

After editing, make sure /system is mounted read-only. Then reboot and clear the data for the Market.

Below is the relevant portion of my Vibrant's build.prop, with which I just got Minecraft for 10 cents :)

# begin build properties
# autogenerated by buildinfo.sh
ro.build.id=FROYO
ro.build.display.id=Bionix NextGen 1 by TeamWhiskey
ro.build.version.incremental=UVKA6
ro.build.version.sdk=8
ro.build.version.codename=REL
ro.build.version.release=2.2
ro.build.date=2011. 01. 18. (화) 21:53:23 KST
ro.build.date.utc=1295355203
ro.build.type=user
ro.build.user=jaeyoon.yoon
ro.build.host=SEP-05
ro.build.tags=release-keys
ro.product.model=SGH-T959
ro.product.brand=Samsung
ro.product.name=SGH-T959
ro.product.device=SGH-T959
ro.product.board=SGH-T959
ro.product.cpu.abi=armeabi-v7a
ro.product.cpu.abi2=armeabi
ro.product.manufacturer=Samsung
ro.product.locale.language=en
ro.product.locale.region=US
ro.wifi.channels=
ro.board.platform=s5pc110
# ro.build.product is obsolete; use ro.product.device
ro.build.product=SGH-T959
# Do not try to parse ro.build.description or .fingerprint
ro.build.description=SGH-T959-user 2.2 FROYO UVKA6 release-keys
ro.build.fingerprint=Samsung/SGH-T959/SGH-T959/SGH-T959:2.2/FROYO/UVKA6:user/release-keys
# Samsung Specific Properties
ro.build.PDA=T959UVKA6
ro.build.hidden_ver=T959UVKA6
ro.build.changelist=860813
ro.tether.denied=false
# end build properties