System and method for linking pre-installed software to a user account on an online store

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by a computing device, causes the computing device to perform steps comprising:

• receiving communications from a client device, the communications including a user selected option configured to authorize linking a pre-installed application with a user account on an online store and a unique hardware identifier based upon hardware metadata associated with the client device, the online store being configured to transmit application updates and application purchases linked with the user account, wherein a pre-installed application is an application that was installed before acquisition of the computing device by an entity other than the user;
• determining that the pre-installed application is linkable based upon the unique hardware identifier;
• linking the pre-installed application with the user account when the pre-installed application is linkable;
• and
• transmitting, to the client device, an approval message notifying the client device that the pre-installed application has been linked with the user account.

A computer-implemented method, comprising:

• receiving a user request to link a pre-installed application with a user account on an online store, the online store configured to transmit applications associated with the user account to at least one computing device associated with the user account, wherein a pre-installed application is an application that was installed before acquisition of the computing device by an entity other than the user;
• determining that the pre-installed application is linkable based upon a unique hardware identifier associated with a computing device;
• and
• linking the pre-installed application with the user account when the pre-installed application is linkable.

A system, comprising:

• a server that includes a processor and a memory, the server further including:
• a uniqueness table configured to store unique hardware identifiers associated with electronic devices that have adopted one or more pre-installed applications,
• an applications database storing applications and application updates available for distribution by the server, and
• a configurations database storing an original configuration of a client device, the original configuration including a list of pre-installed applications on the client device;
• and
• a communications network coupling the server with the client device including a user account, an application pre-installed on the client device, and a unique hardware identifier based upon one or more identifiers associated with hardware components of the client device, wherein the client device is configured transmit a request to adopt the application, the request including the unique hardware identifier, and
• wherein the server is configured to process the request, the process including querying the uniqueness table for the unique hardware identifier to determine whether the client device has already adopted the application and querying the configurations database for the unique hardware identifier to determine whether the original configuration of the client device includes the application.