News On App Stores, February 2021

App Store 

App Store Review Guideline updates now available

The App Store Review Guideline changes and clarifications support new features in upcoming OS releases, better protect customers and help your apps go through the review process as smoothly as possible. 

Read here the App Store Review Guidelines.

Upcoming tax and price changes for apps and in-app purchases

When taxes or foreign exchange rates change, we sometimes need to update prices on the App Store in certain regions and/or adjust your proceeds. 

Here the updated price tier charts.

Submitting health pass apps

With the recent release of COVID-19 vaccines, we’ve seen an increase in apps that generate health passes used to enter buildings and access in-person services based on testing and vaccination records. To ensure these apps responsibly handle sensitive data and provide reliable functionality, they must be submitted by developers working with entities recognized by public health authorities, such as test kit manufacturers, laboratories, or healthcare providers. 

Full content and details (external sources): Apple Developer

Google Play Store 

• For over a year now, Google has been hard at work on Nearby Sharing, a handy way to share things like files, contacts, and more with nearby Android devices — and Chrome. Today, the Google Play Store now offers the best example of Nearby Sharing, allowing you to share apps and updates between devices. In order to take advantage of the new functionality, it seems you need to be on version 24.0 or newer of the Google Play Store.

Full content and details (external sources): 9to5Google

• Barcode Scanner, an app available on Google Play store for many years, has been removed from the app store after adware was detected. Users started to report of unruly ads opening via their default browser out of nowhere and one forum users traced this unethical behaviour to Barcode Scanner, which enjoyed 10 million installs before being removed.

Full content and details (external sources): Gadgets

Huawei App Gallery 

Huawei AppGallery PC version updated to 1.0.1.300

The AppGallery PC version brings high-quality apps, a selected list, and a quick app section that is ready to use without the need of installing apps.

AppGallery for the PC version has five sections – Exploration, Office, Classification, Management, and Settings. Within these sections, there are also subsections of apps and games.

Full content and details (external sources): Huaweicentral, Huaweiupdate