Microsoft is creating some changes in its store policies. The latest one to date will be banning developers from taking fees for apps that are free of cost. And it’s likely to be implemented as early as next week.
The policy will solely be limited to open source applications or other such apps that can be found for free around the internet. See, the ultimate goal that is quite discernible is related to putting a stop to certain individuals who tend to profit the most off of such apps. And to many people’s surprise, a lot of these apps can’t even be found on the Microsoft Store.
This just adds more confusion to the matter as many people end up thinking or wrongly assuming that those apps are premiere versions or can only be found after you pay for them.
One common example is the application called Paint.NET. While the app is put forward by the original creator, it’s being charged a fee on the Microsoft Store while in other places, users can attain it for free. Clearly, that doesn’t seem or sound fair and it’s time Microsoft began cracking down on such practices.
But some developers are now putting forward their arguments. They claim that the fee being charged supports the app’s development. Meanwhile, if you happen to get the app from any developer’s website, they do ask you to make a small donation but it’s not deemed mandatory by any means.
Now, with this new Microsoft policy in place, we don’t see that happening anytime soon. But wait, we could be mistaken as the company recently sent out a tweet in this regard.
Giorgio Sardio revealed how the whole purpose of the move was to provide protection to users from so many misleading offers where an app that was designed to be used for free actually ended up generating more funds by tricking customers. And that’s why the company is planning to clarify its terms further in the policy to avoid misunderstanding.
On the other hand, the tech giant has mentioned how it’s trying hard to prevent developers from asking for exuberant prices in relation to the features on offer. And if there’s a huge mismatch, then they do hope to prevent such listings.
But it is still not clear what the software giant means by the term exuberant prices because if you actually search for something as simple as media players on the app, you’ll find them to go up to $17.
Another major update from the Microsoft app store is related to those app installers seen outside the app store who will now be forced to sign up for code certificates belonging to Microsoft’s Root Program.
This is the best way forward to provide external app security in such situations. In case you didn’t know, plenty of people had reservations when the company first announced the decision for external apps to be made present for users in the Microsoft App Store. But the change should put those issues to rest now.
Some users may still continue to argue about how this puts transparency at a standstill since it limits the number of apps that can now be made available in the store. But Microsoft disagrees and refers to this move as a balancing act.
They say any security move that’s in the best interest of users will have some disadvantages regarding freedom.
Other changes to look out for include restricting those apps from spreading false information while others are incorporating small changes and perhaps clear terms for a better understanding of policies.
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