We’re sure that many of you guys have come across apps while browsing the app store that seem to resemble other apps. They might share a similar-ish logo and a similar-ish name, but for those who are a little bit more savvy, you guys know that the app probably isn’t the real deal and is probably out to capitalize on the real app, or used as a scam to cheat money out of unsuspecting users.
App stores such as the iTunes App Store, Google Play, and the Windows Store have all been plagued by such apps, with Google recently purging the app store of Swing Copters clones, Microsoft has decided to follow suit by announcing that they will be cracking down on the number of fake apps in the Windows Store.
According to Microsoft, they will be making changes to the Windows Store app certification requirements to help ensure that all apps will be named and described properly so as to not mislead or misrepresent their purpose. Microsoft also revealed that they have already begun reviewing the Windows Store to identify apps that do not meet their certification requirements.
So far they have removed more than 1,500 apps where the developers have refused to cooperate with Microsoft and adhere to the guidelines. “The Store review is ongoing and we recognize that we have more work to do, but we’re on it. We’re applying additional resources to speed up the review process and identify more problem apps faster. No approach is perfect, so we encourage people to report any issues they may encounter with Windows Store.”
Filed in . Read more about Apps, Microsoft and Windows Phone.