It is difficult to believe, but it is Google Play, and not some other platform is the most popular source of malware spread. It does not necessarily have any viruses. Under the definition of malicious, there is a wide range of programs - from Trojan and miners to the extortionist programs and so-called FleecWare applications with a hidden or unreasonably high cost of a subscription. But if the first three categories of software are not so simple, then with the fourth Google it clearly could cope, but for some reason it is not in a hurry.
How to transfer the application from Google Play with Android on Android
A few words about FLEECWARE. As a rule, these are applications without malicious functions or hidden mechanisms. Moreover, it is often possible that there are simply pacifier programs without functions as such. However, their developers are often either hiding the subscription window so that users agreed to make it randomly, or require subscribe to get to the application interface. As a result, it often provides that users make a subscription to a calculator or calendar for 500-700 rubles per week, which is definitely absolute wildness.
Applications with subscriptions in Google Play
However, Google is not in a hurry to delete such applications from Google Play and anyone contribute to changing pricing policies, conducting conversations with their creators. Previously, I thought that the company simply does not want to interfere with the business developers, allowing them to establish such prices to their product as they themselves will be considered necessary. But everything turned out not quite so. And it turned out this completely by chance. And, if in a nutshell, then the whole thing is in the money (and what else?).
Researchers Anti-virus company Avast analyzed earnings of fleeceware applications developers, which were charged with users with a fraudulent way or was prescribed an exorbitantly fee, and found out that they could earn tens of millions of dollars annually. To date, 70 such applications with more than 500 million downloads and projected profit of $ 38.5 million were revealed to Google Play. And all these are applications of different types: horoscopes, photo edits, desktop pattern catalogs, PDF readers, QR codes scanners, etc.
How Google Play is different from Google Store and what you can buy
So what is Google, ask? And despite the fact that Google collects a commission from each transaction conducted through applications. Just imagine how much it will receive from 38 million, which have earned the creators of FLEECWARE. This is at least 10 million dollars. But such applications in Google Play are clearly more than those seven dozen, which counted Avast experts.
Moreover, even after a decline in commission from 30 to 15% from the first million, which Google declared this month, the specific amount is still evaluated. It is logical that absolutely not in the interests of Google to start deleting from Google Play software of this type. Indeed, in this case, it will lose a multimillion income.
How to cancel android subscription
As Google is unlikely to begin to delete FleecWare applications soon from Google Play, you need to be able to disable paid subscriptions yourself:
- Go to Google Play and open the context menu (lateral);
- Open the Subscription tab and look at the "Active" section;
- If there are active subscriptions, find those that you do not want to extend;
- Click "Cancel" opposite the selected service and confirm the cancellation.
Despite the fact that Google is covered by the considerations of freedom of entrepreneurial activity, pretending to do not want to interfere with the pricing of applications from Google Play, it is obliged to do it to protect its users. After all, if they can return the application to the store, then refuse to subscribe and return the wrong amount paid back - no longer.
What is Google Play Points, why need and how it works
It would be nice to take an example with Apple, which regularly analyzes applications for the cost of subscriptions and, if it discovers that the price of the subscription is higher than the average market, obliges the developers to explain the pricing. In the event that they cannot give a clear explanation of the high subscription price, they can be obliged to reduce it, and when the order is not fulfilled, remove from the App Store in principle.