Microsoft Nukes 1,500 Windows Store Apps
Microsoft's Todd Brix recently updated the Windows blog with news that the company has removed more than 1500 apps from the Windows and Windows Phone Stores. He said that the developers behind these apps were "less receptive" to new policies regarding the app submission and listing process. These new policies are in place thanks to previous customer feedback.
"Earlier this year we heard loud and clear that people were finding it more difficult to find the apps they were searching for; often having to sort through lists of apps with confusing or misleading titles," Brix wrote. "We took the feedback seriously and modified the Windows Store app certification requirements as a first step toward better ensuring that apps are named and described in a way that doesn't misrepresent their purpose."
The changes include naming the application "clearly and accurately" so that customers know exactly what the app is supposed to do. Icons must also be differentiated so that the customer doesn't mistake a particular app from others listed in the two Stores. The apps must also be categorized correctly according to their purpose and function.
All new apps and existing app updates for Windows and Windows Phone Store will fall within these new guidelines, he said. The company is also combing through Windows Store to find out which apps do not comply with the new rules. Brix said that most of the developers are willing to modify their apps to comply. However, as previously stated, there's a group that has not been keen on the idea of changing their apps, thus the virtual boot off the two Stores.
"The Store review is ongoing and we recognize that we have more work to do, but we're on it," Brix wrote. "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."
Brix pointed out that Microsoft provides a "report concern to Microsoft" link within the two Stores if customers find bogus apps. Customers can also contact Microsoft directly at this email address or use the Notices of Infringement online form. Our sister site, Tom's Guide, noted the presence of this problem days ago.
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Kevin Parrish has over a decade of experience as a writer, editor, and product tester. His work focused on computer hardware, networking equipment, smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, and other internet-connected devices. His work has appeared in Tom's Hardware, Tom's Guide, Maximum PC, Digital Trends, Android Authority, How-To Geek, Lifewire, and others.
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therealduckofdeath About time! It's always been a pain in the rear to have to browse through a sea of fake apps artificially pushed to the top of the lists to try to find something useful in the Windows app store.Reply -
lp231 Rarely use the Windows Store, but everyone has to if you want to upgrade from Win 8 to 8.1 It's unorganized in there, Free games aren't free.Reply -
Amdlova I Got the lumia 630. the apps sucks alot. =) i got the phone because the friendly interface and the nokia maps =)Reply -
hannibal Good that they are taking those hoax seriously... It will allways eat reputation of store, is there are nogood apps there.Reply
@AMDLova: Yep, Nokia Maps is a great app!
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jasonelmore i'm happy to see the $15 VLC player and $10 Windows 8.1 Update apps gone. It's much much cleanerReply -
jalek How many are on Google Play? 500,000?Reply
How many duplicate the functions of others, 490,000? -
christinebcw Jalek, really? 10,000 unique ones? You ARE hopeful this Friday!!Reply
(And, yes, I'd have accused you of cynicism if you'd used MY figures - "499,900". ha ha) -
rawoysters This is purely a response for all the bad press they got this week about all the bogus apps they have populated their store with.Reply