Mobile Authenticator available for Android
by Robin Torres 
Feb 10th 2010 at 2:00PM
Though we were unable to find this app from Blizzard directly, we believe it to be legitimate. However, we have contacted Blizzard for confirmation. We'll let you know what they have to say when we hear back from them. Update: Here is the link to the official Blizzard support page for the Android app. Looks like it's legit. Update 2: Here is the official announcement.
If you don't have an Authenticator yet, we can't recommend it enough. The added protection an authenticator provides to your account is much greater than the slight inconvenience of needing access to your phone whenever you login. This is particularly the case if you game at internet cafes.
Filed under: News items, Account Security
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Steve-o Feb 10th 2010 2:07PM
I wish they would finally add support for verizon storms. :(
Philodox Feb 10th 2010 2:09PM
I just checked on the Anroid marketplace, I see the authenticator, and it's published by Blizzard Inc. Sweet, I've been waiting a long time for this.
Bonksy Feb 10th 2010 2:10PM
Mobile Armory please
nashikage Feb 10th 2010 2:19PM
There is a Mobile Armory called Droid Armory for Android Phones as well. Its nothing super but its nice.
wdm+hall Feb 10th 2010 2:20PM
/agree
/beg
Kassanu Feb 10th 2010 2:12PM
OMG YES FINALLY! More love for Android pleaseeeee :D
Cuddles Feb 10th 2010 2:15PM
Grrrr.... I waited how long for an non-hacked Android version before I finally bought one from the Blizzard store and now they offer it free... *anger rising*
Elena Feb 10th 2010 2:17PM
Don't get too angry over your $6.50 or whatever chump change an authenticator costs - the physical key is more secure than a phone that connects to both your computer and the internet.
Superthrust Feb 10th 2010 3:16PM
WTF I JUST BOUGHT THE KEYCHAIN AUTHENTICATOR FOR $6.50 YESTERDAY!!!!
AND NOW THIS FOR FREE!?!?!?! WTF!!!
ericwoodford Feb 11th 2010 5:50PM
at least the authenticator battery is going to last longer than your android. Battery dead on cell, no gaming for you.
lospringlos Feb 10th 2010 2:18PM
Still waiting for a Symbian version of the Authenticator. All in all, great that Blizzard is making improved account security more available to everyone :)
pandaba Feb 10th 2010 4:50PM
Even though you have to jump through a few hoops to get it downloaded, the J2ME version works nearly perfectly on an E71. By nearly perfectly, I mean it occasionally (3-4 times out of the dozens that I've used it) gives an error on startup but otherwise works fine. With the error on startup, you just have to close the app and re-launch it.
The synchronization works over WiFi too and isn't dependent on the phone having a data plan.
hempnight Feb 10th 2010 2:23PM
Just downloaded it and connected it to my account. Hopefully it works right or else I might have issues logging in later.
Mike Feb 10th 2010 2:24PM
Huh. I wonder if one could get this compiled for x86 processors, and run it in a virtual machine-powered Android install on one's own computer.
Edge Feb 10th 2010 2:59PM
Too bad I couldn't get that android SDK to run in Windows 7 64-bit. Otherwise this is a great idea if it works.
pandaba Feb 10th 2010 4:46PM
As an experiment I put a copy of the (J2ME) mobile authenticator into a cell phone emulator and it worked perfectly.
I used Microemulator with a portable install of Java (so it would run off of a USB key) in case you want to try this at home.
serrif Feb 15th 2010 12:47PM
A couple notes:
1. The android SDK definitely works on Win7 x64 (I've played around with it a bit, including loading something up onto an emulator)
2. You're losing the security of an authenticator by running it in an emulator on the same machine you type your password into. The whole point of an authenticator is that if your machine gets pwned then you are still safe since the one time password sits physically outside the machine until the point you log in.
Halegar Feb 10th 2010 2:25PM
Appears to be legitimate. Went into the Android Market on my Droid and searched for "mobile authenticator." There is an app purportedly published by Blizzard Entertainment, Inc., where you can download the mobile authenticator. It lists as the publisher's website Blizz's support site. I went there and searched for "android" and it popped up an article about a Battle.net Mobile Authenticator for--you guessed it--Android. Here's the link to the Blizz support article (I hope I'm doing this right): http://us.blizzard.com/support/article.xml?locale=en_US&articleId=31126&pageNumber=1&searchQuery=android
This is the real deal. Downloading now; I strongly encourage other Android users to do likewise.
Robin Torres Feb 10th 2010 2:38PM
Thank you! Updated post.
Epikfail Feb 10th 2010 2:26PM
Does anyone know how those apps work? Lets say I get one, and for one reason or another I uninstall the software and reinstall it (say phone issues), how does blizz know that it is the same authenticator? I wouldn't want to have to reinstall the software and end up losing my account because the mobile authenticator doesn't match up with my account anymore.
Is there any info on this?