14 DAY TRIAL // A few hours ago, we told you that Apple started the fight against non-functional and outdated apps published in its store, and now it turns out that Microsoft is doing the same thing with titles available in the Windows Store.
Specifically, Microsoft has started emailing developers that their apps need to comply with the Store guidelines or otherwise they will be removed.
As compared to Apple, however, Microsoft is specifically looking into the quality of each app, as Redmond is no longer interested in quantity, but more in the experience that users get when installing apps from the store.
According to reports, the software giant is closely evaluating all apps, including those publicly available and in private beta programs, and developers are being told to update their apps should any adjustments be needed to comply with store requirements.
Microsoft more aggressive than Apple
On the other hand, Microsoft seems to be a little bit more aggressive than Apple with its app cleaning process, and while Cupertino guarantees developers that their apps will have their names reserved when getting unpublished, the software giant does exactly the opposite.
Microsoft says that, once an app is removed, it also loses the rights over its name, so devs might have to pick a different name should they want to return to the store.
It’s no secret that the Windows Store has an app problem, not necessarily because of the lack of apps, but mostly because there are plenty of spammy titles that do nothing more than to try to capitalize on the popularity of famous software solutions. The VLC case is living proof in this regard, as there were lots of fake VLC apps published in the store before the VideoLAN team launched the official multimedia player on Windows 8 and Windows Phone.
Microsoft has always promised to put the focus more on quality, and according to store guidelines, apps “must provide a valuable and quality user experience.” It remains to be seen how exactly this new cleaning process impacts the number of apps available in the store, but developers should be ready for the worst if they don’t comply with these requirements.