Comments on: 4 Ways Google Can Clean Up the Android Market

By: What Would Adding PayPal Mean to the Android Market?: Tech News «

What Would Adding PayPal Mean to the Android Market?: Tech News « — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 18:31:14 +0000

[...] integration would be a huge step forward for Google’s Android Market, but there’s still work to be done. Though finding apps is a chore (which is ironic, considering Google’s expertise in search [...]

By: Android Is Finally Expanding Paid Apps to More Countries: Tech News «

Android Is Finally Expanding Paid Apps to More Countries: Tech News « — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 23:00:39 +0000

[...] on rolling out a web store for online purchases of Android Apps. But the storefront is still lacking the polish and usability of the App Store. It makes me wonder if this laissez-faire approach is part of the reason why Amazon and others are [...]

By: Apple Relaxes Development Demands as Android Grows «

Apple Relaxes Development Demands as Android Grows « — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 13:42:52 +0000

[...] waited for months to gain approval, or rejection without detailed reasons, for that matter. I’ve criticized Google’s Android Market in the past, but perhaps Apple is concerned that rising Android device sales are starting to attract the [...]

By: Android Devs Wait Patiently For Profitable Future «

Android Devs Wait Patiently For Profitable Future « — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 17:20:56 +0000

[...] Bloomberg piece reiterates several of the challenges faced by developers and consumers in Google’s own Android Market that we’ve m…. The Market isn’t available in every country where Android phones are sold, which quickly [...]

By: Developers Say Nokia’s Ovi Store Needs Fixing

Developers Say Nokia’s Ovi Store Needs Fixing — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 18:18:00 +0000

[...] Android for smartphones going forward. I think it would, for the sales momentum reason alone. Even though the Android Market is far from perfect, it currently looks to be the only challenger to Apple’s software [...]

By: makin257 - 4 Ways Google Can Clean Up the Android Market

makin257 - 4 Ways Google Can Clean Up the Android Market — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 12:44:13 +0000

[...] there, so the time is right for Google to follow these simple steps and neaten the store.Source:http://gigaom.com/2010/06/28/4-ways-google-can-clean-up-the-android-market/ var stLink = jQuery('a:last')[0]; stLink.href = 'javascript:void(0)'; SHARETHIS_post = [...]

By: androidUser

androidUser — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 01:47:32 +0000

Thanks, Chuck, for your answers. I also agree with Mike saying nobody can guarantee that code is not malicious. But users can minimize the chance of being 'compromised'.

Sharing contacts would be okay if the app couldn't use it except on my phone and for limited purposes. I'll have to reread some of those warning messages Chuck mentions. I really don't mean to misinform and don't mind being corrected. To my knowledge, I have never been hacked on my android phone.... :)

By: Mike

Mike — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 23:58:04 +0000

"They can’t guarantee that the app is not malicious without a code review"

Wrong on two levels. First, nobody can guarantee that an app is not malicious even with a code review. The idea that Apple's app store reviews guarantee well behaved apps is a myth.

But Google does something that Apple is incapable of doing: they have given Android a solid permission system. Unlike the app store review, Android's permission system really does guarantee that if you don't give an app permission to do something, it can't do it.

By: Mike

Mike — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 23:51:58 +0000

"A friend of mine, professional, can use tech for work, has almost no apps on his 4 month old Droid. When I asked why, he said the detailed list of access scared him actually installing any app."

Good, because that's what it is intended to do: if you don't understand the permissions don't install the app.

On iPhone, the situation is far worse since there are no permissions you can see and you're completely at the mercy of Apple's review process; and Apple's review cannot reliably detect malicious applications.

By: Mike

Mike — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 23:49:09 +0000

Nobody has the capabilities to meaningfully review applications for "malicious intent". Apple certainly isn't doing that. Apple and Google are doing the same thing: if there are complaints, they remove the app.

The reason Android shows you these permissions is because they can actually support them; iOS doesn't even have a meaningful permission system. With iOS, you're completely at the mercy of the app vendor.