Too many apps with names and images that promise more than they deliver and Google takes action: either you change or you leave the Play Store.
No more apps or games with misleading or deceptive names, references and icons. This is how Google has chosen to change the rules of the game for apps on the Play Store, the virtual store dedicated to Android, publishing the guidelines that developers will have to follow in the coming months, under penalty of exclusion.
With a handful of simple but targeted rules, the Mountain View company aims to radically change the user's approach with the offer present on the immense Google Play Store. In fact, in the coming months will be many applications and games already available that, if they still want to be present in the immense library dedicated to the operating system of the robot, will be forced to change its name or preview images to adhere to the recently released guidelines that are already showing companies and developers what you can do on the store and what, instead, not.
Play Store, how app names change
According to the Mountain View giant, apps passing through the Google store will soon have to follow some strict regulations that will add to those currently in place. In addition, all apps will have metadata, i.e. information regarding the name of the program, the icon and the developer's references.
Specifically, in the future apps will not be allowed to have names longer than 30 characters. Also, the title can't include references to in-store performance (such as "Best-selling app"), specific promotions or the developer's name. The same goes for any misleading graphics inside the icon.
Play Store, previews change
Everything that doesn't fit Google's guidelines will be removed from the store. Even the previews that show the app in the dedicated tab will have to follow stricter rules. The images, in fact, will have to represent accurately the apps and games, avoiding some words that could mislead or encourage the download/purchase by the users.
The attention, according to what established by Big G, will be only on the functioning and not on elements that recall the free or the sales results obtained in store. In addition, everything that will be shown in the previews will have to be easily identified by the user inside the app.
Play Store, when will the guidelines arrive
As anticipated, Google has not yet communicated an official date for the entry into force of the new guidelines dedicated to games and apps but, according to Mountain View, they will be included in the Play Store policies in the second half of this year.