Google deleted 60,000 'low-quality' apps from Play Store in February: Report

Google deleted 60,000 "low-quality" apps from the Google Play application marketplace in February 2013, according to a report by TechCrunch. The online publication says that it learned of this round of app deletions from a company in the mobile app industry which tracks these developments without specifying the company's name. However, it does give a disclaimer that some app publishers might have pulled the apps themselves.

The report indicates that a large number of apps in the MP3/ ringtone category were deleted as they might have been violating copyright, which is against Google's policies. Google doesn't disclose app removals publicly.

While Google doesn't pre-approve apps like Apple, but it does scan its app store for violation of terms and pulls them out if they're found to be guilty, as noted by the report.

Google had also removed AdBlock Plus, an app that lets users block advertisements while browsing the web, in addition to other similar apps such as AdAway, from the Play Store, in March.

Google sheds some lights on app takedowns in its Developer Distribution Agreement:
 

"Google Takedowns. While Google does not undertake an obligation to monitor the Products or their content, if Google is notified by you or otherwise becomes aware and determines in its sole discretion that a Product or any portion thereof or your Brand Features; (a) violates the intellectual property rights or any other rights of any third party; (b) violates any applicable law or is subject to an injunction; (c) is pornographic, obscene or otherwise violates Google's hosting policies or other terms of service as may be updated by Google from time to time in its sole discretion; (d) is being distributed by you improperly; (e) may create liability for Google or Authorized Carriers; (f) is deemed by Google to have a virus or is deemed to be malware, spyware or have an adverse impact on Google's or an Authorized Carrier's network; (g) violates the terms of this Agreement or the Developer Program Policies for Developers; or (h) the display of the Product is impacting the integrity of Google servers (i.e., users are unable to access such content or otherwise experience difficulty), Google may remove the Product from the Market or reclassify the Product at its sole discretion. Google reserves the right to suspend and/or bar any Developer from the Market at its sole discretion."