App attacks on Gphones
Malware has already made its way into the Android market place. According to these news reports 1, 2 applications which takes “advantage” of Android phones or applications which harms the phone are available for download in Android market place. According to few experts this has raised question on the policy of keeping the open market.
First of all, Android market place does not mean that Google or Open handset alliance is verifying the applications. So a user can be mislead to download a malicious application. Even though Google has reactively removed such application from market place, but from here onwards if Google/OHA wants to keep up the momentum around Android and make Android as mainstream mobile platform they will have to become proactive. A small certification fees which will cover the cost of testing out the application can be applied before an application is made available on the market place. I dont think Android developers and application vendors will mind such entry fees as we hope to reach a very large consumer base through such market place which users trust and hence use.
I am sorry, but charging fees per application or maybe even per application uploaded would kill free, open source and niche market applications. Perhaps an optional “Google Seal of Approval” or something could be bought, and consumers who are concerned could limit themselves to these applications.