Google outlaws Android app updates that don't come from its Play store - ZDNet

Summary: Doing what Facebook did in March will now considered a 'dangerous' act for Android developers. By Liam Tung | April 26, 2013 -- 11:29 GMT (04:29 PDT) Google has tightened the security screws on Android app developers, forbidding them to issue updates to apps available on Google Play outside of the store. From now on, if an Android app is downloaded from the Google Play store, no updates can be issued to it through any other channel. Read this Facebook Home downloaded 500,000 times in 10 days "An app downloaded from Google Play may not modify, replace or update its own APK binary code using any method other than Google Play's update mechanism," says Google in a statement recently added to the 'dangerous products' section of its Google Developer Program Policies. It's not certain exactly when or why Google added the new rule, however, its introduction comes after Facebook surprised some Android users in March by pushing a new beta build of the Facebook app to their devices outside of Google Play. Users took to the social network's community pages to voice their disquiet over the move, questioning whether the "install new build" for Facebook could actually be malware. The update was legitimate and was seeking permission to install future updates without notifications, but Facebook never explained why it was attempting to issue it outside Google Play. While Facebook had not breached Google's developer policies at the time, it will now have to limit itself to issuing new build updates through Google Play. The new guidance only affects updates of apps originally downloaded through the Play store — Android owners will still be able to install apps outside Google's official store, however. Topics: Security, Android, Apps, Mobility, Software Development About Liam Tung Liam Tung is an Australian business technology journalist living a few too many Swedish miles north of Stockholm for his liking. He gained a bachelors degree in economics and arts (cultural studies) at Sydney's Macquarie University, but hacked (without Norse or malicious code for that matter) his way into a career as an enterprise tech, security and telecommunications journalist with ZDNet Australia. These days Liam is a full time freelance technology journalist who writes for several Australian publications, including the Sydney Morning Herald online. He's interested primarily in how information technology impacts the way business and people communicate, trade, and consume. Kick off your day with ZDNet's daily email newsletter. It's the freshest tech news and opinion, served hot. Get it. Log in or register to start the discussion via Technology - Google News http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNFKsrTMNFXqjb97QhBoU5Lfs3zRQg&url=http://www.zdnet.com/google-outlaws-android-app-updates-that-dont-come-from-its-play-store-7000014574/

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