AT&T: We Block Non-Market Apps to Keep Developers in Check
Ok, perhaps they didn’t say it quite like that, but that’s how it sounded in my head. Upon taking a look at AT&T’s newly-created landing page for all things Android at their site, someone noticed AT&T’s stopped playing hush-mouth regarding their reasoning for blocking non-Market apps on devices that land on their network.
Essentially, they want to make sure developers are held accountable for all apps present on any of AT&T’s customers phones: basically, they don’t want to be held liable if you install something that turns your phone into a bomb (or something less ridiculous). By using the market, they can leverage the ever-so-vocal community that graces the Android market to ensure their users have the utmost protection in downloading apps on their devices.
The strategy makes sense: if your app is malicious, the Android community will call foul and flag the app, and Google can handle all of the dirty work (including taking the app off of the market and remotely wiping it from people’s phones). That’s cool and all, but I don’t think many people are going to take that answer without more of a fight.
[via AndroidGuys]