Google tightens Android app rules for device interference and in-game purchases

[wraggster]

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2013/05/googleio2013-0099-1.jpg (http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/23google-tightens-android-app-rules-that-ban-device-interference/)Google occasionally updates its Play Store rules to weed out inconsistent (http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/26/google-policy-change-play-store/) or shady (http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/01/google-play-dev-policy-update/)behavior in Android apps, and we're witnessing one of its larger clean-ups today. The company's new guidelines (https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/3311168) more explicitly ban device interference: titles in the Play Store can't modify settings or other apps without permission, and they can't install bookmarks or icons that pitch a third-party service. Google is also adamant that any in-game purchases of virtual goods must go through its billing system. As usual, new apps have to follow these guidelines right away, while developers with existing apps have a 30-day grace period to make any changes. The policies won't necessarily stoprogue code (http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/24/master-key-exploit-in-the-wild/) from sneaking into the Play Store, but Google can at least say that it gave fair warning.

http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/23/google-tightens-android-app-rules-that-ban-device-interference/