A question of security; freedom vs control in the Android App market

As any developer of mobile applications will tell you, there is one major difference between how Google and Apple manage their versions of the app store. That is how easy it is to get your application into the Android marketplace compared to the period of scrutiny that Apple affords each submission to the Apple app store.

Recently, there have been numerous stories about apps that contain malware being released onto the Android marketplace to be freely downloaded by unwitting Android owners. The issue has surfaced in this week’s news as a new application in the Android marketplace that records your calls and saves them to your SD card has surfaced, much to the annoyance of anyone who unwittingly installed the app.

Security issues on the Android marketplace

Now in my usual haste to pigeonhole, I simply cannot deny that all these security scares and words such as ‘malware’ and ‘infections’ remind me very much of the Microsoft issues that plague many Windows based PC owners. Similarly, the lack of malware that Apple Mac users generally have to worry about mirrors the state that these two markets are currently in.

Many would cite the fact that the Android OS is open source and that Google pay less attention to their app marketplace that Apple does, instead being in favour of monetising the search options and advertising areas of the operating system that manufactures like HTC and Samsung are choosing to run their devices.

Others would say that Apple are total control freaks who only think about their own agenda but is Google’s approach misguided for long term growth of their mobile OS?

The rise of malware on Andriod

In the first half of 2011, the amount of apps found to have malware contained within them grew from a relatively small 80 to a huge 400. One such example is Droiddream, a ‘developer’ which has released more than 80 apps that basically take control of the users phone in some way or another. If you never heard the name before, you have now.

Now I have to ask the question, why does Google allow the same developer (at least in name) the opportunity to release over 80 apps that basically do the same thing?

As a recent convert to Android from Apple’s iPhone, I must say that I’m quite happy with Android as an OS, my phone (a Samsung S2) is fantastic but the Android app marketplace is a little lackluster and as an experience, it’s pretty dull in terms of quality and variety of apps available. So it comes as no surprise that in Google’s attempt to make sure they compete with Apple on sheer volume of apps available, they are allowing utter dross to fill up their marketplace.

Should you worry about malware on your smartphone?

Far from smartphone’s being humble, they are now a huge point of contact for all manner of communications; email, banking, online purchasing, and pretty much anything you used to do with your PC, such is their power nowadays.

So should you be worried that certain apps that find themselves in the Android marketplace are recording your calls or making texts on your behalf? Personally I feel that Google needs to know or at least be reminded that consumers will not be placed under such needless threats. They should take a leaf out of Apple’s book and have a system that vets all application submissions, checking for malicious code and that the app sticks to their guidelines.

While I hear many app developers state that Apple are too fussy, I wonder if these Android developers would as happy with Google if the worst case scenario happened; people abandoning the Android OS in their droves and leaving Android developers very much out in the cold.

Google’s Android needs to be careful

The Android OS has come under heavy litigation from many corners, relating mainly to patents and a growing unease over just how safe things are online and especially in their own marketplace. There is a real danger that the hard work Google has done so far could start to unravel as the impending collaboration between Nokia (safe hands) and Microsoft (shifting hands) move further into the smartphone and application marketplace.

With various options such as the Windows OS for mobile device manufacturers to choose from and a rumour that even Mozilla are developing a similar open source OS to Android, Google should be careful that their own marketplace does not become a breeding ground for viruses that eventually kills the brand as well as consumers trust.

Looking back to Sony’s recent Playstation 3 hacking fiasco, PR nightmares like this can only serve to damage a company. Google seem willing to allow something as dramatic as this to happen because of their total disregard to security in their app marketplace.

Anthony Munns is the editor in chief of Mobile Inquirer, a site updated daily and dedicated to news, reviews and analysis related to mobile, wireless technology and marketing. He can also be followed on Twitter via @MobileInquirer.