I finally gave in and installed Truecaller as I wanted to avoid all those annoying telemarketers. I registered with my phone number, enabled blocking of “spammers” and disabled features I didn’t feel like I needed.
The next day I received my first notification reminding me something about Truecaller. The day after that again.
As standard Android notifications were not enough, there was couple of custom popup’s after I received text messages.
That made ma look to the actual preference file of the app. It contains records such as:
<boolean name="truecaller.alarm.notification.TYPE_1DAY.fired" value="true" />
<boolean name="truecaller.alarm.notification.TYPE_2DAYS_NEW.fired" value="true" />
<boolean name="truecaller.alarm.notification.TYPE_2DAYS_UPGRADED.fired" value="true" />
<boolean name="truecaller.alarm.notification.TYPE_5DAYS.fired" value="true" />
<boolean name="truecaller.alarm.notification.TYPE_7DAYS.fired" value="true" />
<boolean name="truecaller.alarm.notification.TYPE_15DAYS.fired" value="false" />
<boolean name="truecaller.alarm.notification.TYPE_20DAYS.fired" value="false" />
<boolean name="truecaller.alarm.notification.TYPE_RESCHEDULE.fired" value="false" />
<boolean name="truecaller.alarm.notification.TYPE_UPDATE_SPAM.fired" value="false" />
<long name="truecaller.alarm.notification.TYPE_1DAY.set" value="0" />
<long name="truecaller.alarm.notification.TYPE_2DAYS_NEW.set" value="0" />
<long name="truecaller.alarm.notification.TYPE_2DAYS_UPGRADED.set" value="0" />
<long name="truecaller.alarm.notification.TYPE_5DAYS.set" value="0" />
<long name="truecaller.alarm.notification.TYPE_7DAYS.set" value="0" />
<long name="truecaller.alarm.notification.TYPE_15DAYS.set" value="0" />
<long name="truecaller.alarm.notification.TYPE_20DAYS.set" value="0" />
<long name="truecaller.alarm.notification.TYPE_RESCHEDULE.set" value="0" />
<long name="truecaller.alarm.notification.TYPE_UPDATE_SPAM.set" value="1466500401780" />
So Truecaller will spam you 1, 2, 5, 7, 15, and 20 days after installation with various reminders to keep you using the app, installing other Truecaller apps, start using widgets or liking/sharing.
[
{
"d": {
"a": {
"u": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrtF7WVqtiw",
"i": "http://i.imgur.com/uIc5NZJ.png",
"s": null,
"t": "The Smarter Way to Make Calls"
},
"e": {
"i": 1228,
"s": 1,
"c": 1465344000,
"t": 4
}
},
"s": 2,
"m": 1
},
{
"d": {
"a": {
"u": "market://details?id=com.truecaller.messenger",
"i": "http://www.truecaller.com/img/notifications/truemessenger.png",
"s": "Truemessenger keeps your SMS inbox spam-free. Download it today!.",
"t": "Introducing Truemessenger"
},
"e": {
"i": 1105,
"s": 1,
"c": 1464652800,
"t": 4
}
},
"s": 2,
"m": 1
},
{
"d": {
"a": {
"u": "https://youtu.be/-Ew7mKIGDxg",
"s": "",
"t": "Truecaller´s widget enables you to reach your super call log directly from your homescreen. Would you like to see how to add the widget?"
},
"e": {
"i": 193,
"s": 1,
"c": 1464652800,
"t": 4
}
},
"s": 2,
"m": 1
},
{
"d": {
"a": {
"u": "http://m.truecaller.com/likeus.v4",
"s": "",
"t": "We hope you are enjoying your Truecaller experience and want to share it with your friends! Click here to like us!"
},
"e": {
"i": 61,
"s": 1,
"c": 1464652800,
"t": 4
}
},
"s": 2,
"m": 1
}
]
Notifications, campaigns, feedback, ads, promo, Play Store reviews, invites, banners, premium upgrades…
<boolean name="CAMPAIGN_USER" value="true" />
<boolean name="featureAutoTagging" value="true" />
<boolean name="featureEmailSource" value="true" />
<boolean name="FEEDBACK_HAS_ASKED_AFTERCALL" value="true" />
<boolean name="filter_filterJustActivated" value="false" />
<boolean name="tagsDownloadedAtLeastOnce" value="true" />
<long name="adsDisabledUntil" value="1464521755859" />
<long name="afterCallPromoteLastShown" value="1465667134003" />
<long name="afterCallPromoteTmTimestamp" value="1464968979540" />
<long name="dialerPromotionStartTime" value="1465910055882" />
<long name="dismissed_truebadge_tip_timestamp" value="1464435392963" />
<long name="FEEDBACK_PLUS_ONE_FIRST_CHECKED" value="1464435357271" />
<long name="GOOGLE_REVIEW_ASK_TIMESTAMP" value="1465674316127" />
<long name="INVITE_PEOPLE_FIRST_CHECKED" value="1464435357268" />
<long name="last_banner_dismiss_timestamp" value="1464435391718" />
<long name="latest_seen_truebadged_call_timestamp" value="1464162369390" />
<long name="notificationLast" value="1466234214838" />
<long name="premiumRequests" value="0" />
<long name="swUpdateNotificationLast" value="1465414358095" />
<string name="TMCrossPromotionAfterCallBody1">Find out who sent that SMS</string>
<string name="TMCrossPromotionAfterCallBody2">See their name and photo by downloading Truemessenger</string>
<string name="TMCrossPromotionAppChooserBanner">Open with Truemessenger</string>
<string name="TMCrossPromotionAppChooserTitle">Use a different app</string>
<string name="TMCrossPromotionDetailsTitle">Block SMS from this contact</string>
<string name="TMCrossPromotionSettingsTitle">Get Truecaller for SMS</string>
<string name="TMCrossPromotionSubTitle">Download Truemessenger</string>
<string name="LocalNotificationAddPhoto">Tap here to add a photo to your Truecaller profile and look professional.</string>
<string name="LocalNotificationBlockNew">Truecaller can also block annoying spam calls for you. Tap here to open Truecaller & learn more.</string>
<string name="LocalNotificationBlockUpgrading">Truecaller can now block annoying spam calls from disturbing you. Tap here to open Truecaller & learn more.</string>
<string name="LocalNotificationEasierLife">Has Truecaller made your life easier yet? Tap here to spread the love.</string>
<string name="LocalNotificationRegister">Tap here to sign in to Truecaller and start enjoying live Caller id.</string>
<string name="LocalNotificationSearch">Find the name behind any phone number instantly. Tap here to open Truecaller & learn more.</string>
<string name="LocalNotificationUpdateSpam">New spam protection available, tap here to update.</string>
This is just too much for me. I only have 50 apps installed on my phone but if every app pushed notifications like that, I would go crazy.
In the end, it seems like Truecaller is (just) using www.muzutozvednout.cz anyway (at least for some numbers here in Czech Republic).
Ok, Truecaller offers “Upgrade to Professional”, but it’s monthly subscription (29 CZK = 1.2 USD per month) and it says “Remove all ads” but doesn’t specify what marketing experiments will I still be part of. I don’t care if I “Get the Pro badge on your profile”.