Google Play store may get built-in malware scanner

Those downloading apps off the Google Play store may now rest their worries about malicious apps. Reports indicate that Google may be working on a built-in malware scanner for its Play store.  Android Police now reports that Google may have in the works an ‘App Check’, which it describes as a tool to allow Google to scan every app that a user has already downloaded. An app blocker that will warn the user about suspicious apps. The report adds, “It also sounds like they will have a “shut up and download it” button, for people that like to live on the edge.”

Interestingly, it has been known that Googe may have some new artwork coming along for its latest additions. There are exclamation point signs, all separate pieces, each signifying some variation of ‘ic_warning_dark.png’, and the artwork depicting a shield is called ‘ic_shield_dark.png’, assuring everything is ok.

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Keeping malware at bay

Google is rolling out an update for its official one-stop-shop for Android apps, Google Play. The latest update to the store allows you to remove apps from the All Apps list, which records all your app downloads to date, in addition to remembering your location in lists, and new icons for notifications and installed apps. The latest version number is 3.9.16. Android Police was the first to report on the matter.

In addition, the updated Play Store remembers where you are when looking at a list, including the All Apps list as well as the My Apps list. This feature will remember your location in a list, so that whenever you click on an option in a list and go back, you’re returned right to the place where you were earlier.

Google recently held a massive discount sale in celebration after its Play Store recorded 25 billion app downloads. The search giant was offering top rated games and apps at discounted rates of just 25 Cents (Rs 13). The company was also promoting special collections like 25 movies you must own, 25 banned books, 25 albums that changed the world and the store’s 25 top selling magazines, at special prices.

However, Goole hasn’t been particularly kind to India. It was recently revealed that India’s listing in the official list of countries where developers could register as certified Google Checkout Merchants was short lived. Pluggd.in’s Ashish Sinha writes, “So for India based Android app developers, things are back to what it was earlier – i.e. you cannot sell paid apps in the Play store (some workaround here). We have asked Google to update us on the final status (or was it some drunken employee updating the support page?). For sure, Google needs to revisit this strategy. If not, Microsoft is going to snatch away these Android app developers with a better integrated strategy (it’s already happening).”