Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT)’s has a long way to go, in terms of number of apps to catch on rivals like Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG)(NASDAQ:GOOGL) and Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL). However, apart from just increasing the numbers, the software has to ensure that the apps are useful for users. There has been a lot of discussion in recent times that the Windows App Store has a huge number of misleading apps that existed with the sole purpose of scamming the consumers, who paid for downloading such apps, but could not derive any value from those.
Removes 1500 fake apps
The online tech magazine ‘How to Geek’ highlighted the issue saying that the scammers develop such apps by ripping off the names and logos of the original ones. This led Microsoft to take some serious measures to check on those apps, and it recently removed 1500 such apps from its app store. Errors in titles and description of the apps have caused people a loss of money, which the company intends to refund to the victims.
Hence the company has taken some strict measures to check the entry of the apps designed for scamming customers. The company has also revised policies that will be applicable to all new applications submitted and also to the updates of the existing apps for both Windows and Windows Phone Store, Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT)’s says.
Microsoft updates polices
The new certification requirements posted by the company on ‘Building Apps for Windows’ blog are mentioned below:
- Naming – to clearly and accurately reflect the functionality of the app.
- Categories – to ensure apps are categorized according to the app function and purpose.
- Icons – must be differentiated to avoid being mistaken with others.
Microsoft hopes that this will help in thwarting the malicious apps from making entry into the Windows App Store. The changes to policies have been welcomed by most of the developers and they have also agreed to make changes to their current apps by having distinct names and logos so as to differentiate them from the more popular apps that are older than theirs.
Presently, the app market is lead by Google that offers apps way more than others, and also accounts for huge number of downloads which have crossed the 50 billion mark.
