Microsoft Removes Over 1,500 'Misleading' Apps From Windows Store

Microsoft on Wednesday has announced that it is removing more than 1,500 apps with confusing or misleading titles that violates new Windows Store app certification requirements. Customers who bought any of these apps will be refunded the cost.

The move came after various online reports and customer feedback which led Microsoft to change the app certification requirements for both the Windows Store and Windows Phone Store.

The company says that it acknowledges that people were "finding it more difficult to find the apps they were searching for, often having to sort through lists of apps with confusing or misleading titles". The revised policies is a first step the company is taking towards fixing this problem. With the changes made in the app certification requirements, developers will now have to choose a name that 'clearly and accurately reflect the functionality' of the app. They will also have to ensure that their apps are categorised 'according to the app function and purpose', and that the app icons they user are easily differentiable from others to avoid confusion.

Microsoft explained it had conducted a review of the Windows Store to identify titles that do not comply with modified certification requirements, and most of the developers on contact agreed to make the necessary changes, but some didn't - which led to Microsoft removing more than 1,500 apps.

"As Windows Store expands to reach more customers in more markets with a growing list of great titles, we are continuously looking for ways to improve both customer experience and developer opportunity. We strive to give our worldwide customer base easy access to amazing app experiences while keeping developer friction to a minimum. From time-to-time this process slips out of sync and we need to recalibrate," said Microsoft in a blog post.

The Redmond giant said it also knows that app filtering is important for business and it is an ongoing process. For this, it is applying additional resources to speed up the review process as well. While users can report issues on the respective app stores, Microsoft is also encouraging them to use its online tools or email reportapp@microsoft.com to report the issue.