A number of GPS-based navigation apps with over 50 million installs between them, have reportedly been removed from the Play Store for allegedly violating Google’s terms and conditions.
According to Lukas Stefanko, a malware researcher at cyber-security firm, ESET, the 15 fake apps “just open(ed) Google Maps or use their API without any additional value for user, except for displaying ads”.
None of the apps apparently had any malware payload, but at least one was said to be asking for money for an ad-free version. Others were apparently asking for permissions that are completely unrelated to navigation.
Most of the offending apps are believed to have been removed from the Play store after being reported by Stefanko.
