Google Deletes 20 apps that spied on users from its Play Store

Nothing is impossible, where there is a will there has to be a way – This used to be motto of all these developers who wished to harm. Considering the need of providing protection and security to the users, Google has taken a big step of deleting 20 apps from the Google Play Store and they were found to be of malicious code which was used to spy on users.

This is not for the very first time that the Google mobile OS was being targeted by people with the motive of supplying malicious content. 

Even in the month of April, a spyware family named as Chrysaor targeted a few android devices. These types of apps are expected to be installed in 100 phones on an average and these app were monitored on the basis of user’s email, text, voice calls, locations and much more.

Not only this, another spyware family named Lipizzan was also found to be guilty in engrossing themselves in these unwanted and dirty deeds.

Entering through the Google Play it made its existence possible. Lipizzan has made its presence not only on one channel but on various channels including the Play Store. 

Naming themselves as Cleaner and Backup, the apps were successful in getting the access of sensitive data of various apps like Gmail, LinkedIn, Messenger etc.

The spyware family was able to perform the following functions:

• Call recording
• VOIP recording
• Recording from the device microphone
• Location monitoring
• Taking screenshots
• Taking photos with the device camera(s)
• Fetching device information and files
• Fetching user information (contacts, call logs, SMS, application-specific data)

On detecting the existence of such apps, Google Play blocked these apps. Despite of doing so Lipizzan did not stop doing its bad deeds and appeared again on the Play Store with almost similar appearance and slight changes. They now appeared as Notepad, Recorder or the Alarm Manager.

Google somehow managed to detect these spywares despite of their changes and Google then found 20 Lipizzan apps distributed to around 100 devices. Google blocked the developers as well as the apps from the Android Ecosystem. 

To take precautions to avoid such mishappenings taking place in future Google even enhanced the capabilities of the Google Play Protect by helping them to easily detect the spyware and block them.

Being precautious from our end can also help in protecting our devices and the sensitive information in it. The following measure can help you doing so:

• Opt for Google Play Protect which never sleeps and ensure the safety of the device.
• Update your phone on regular basis. Ensure to avail the latest Android Security once launched in the market.
• Avoid other sources of downloading the apps and opt only Play Store for doing so.
• Disable all the Unknown Sources especially when it is not in use.

List of top 10 worst app which drains battery

With the availability of millions of apps you will come across hundreds of apps which will consume lot of battery of your phones. The list of top 10 worst app which drains battery from your phones is:

1. Samsung AllShare

2. Samsung Security Policy Updates

3. Beaming Service for Samsung

4. ChatON Voice & Video Chat

5. Google Maps

6. WhatsApp Messenger

7. Facebook

8. WeChat

9. AppLock

10. DU Battery Saver

Apple is paralysing ad-blockers and VPN apps in the App Store

Apple has made certain changes in its policy related to apps especially for the ones that involved the ad blockers on the App Store. 

It was found that during the rejection process of the developer’s app updates the ad blockers were revealed. 

Later on, a developer claimed to the site saying the company has reversed the policy based on VPN ad blockers applications. 

Apple has put down strict restrictions on various popular VPN based ad blocking apps on their updates as they were found to be lacking in accomplishing the policy laid down by Apple Store. 

It was found and state that these apps were found to be violating the mobile app developer guidelines. 

The guideline they violated clearly states that Apps should use API’s and frameworks for their intended purposes and also have specified for the integration in their app description. 

Tomasz Koperski CTO of software company Future Mind, who is quite popular as Weblock and Ablock was found to be clarifying that Apple has denied the acceptance of updates for the applications as they were found against the App Store Developer Guidelines. 

The only condition put down by the Apple app Store is that the app should be found unique, useful and should provide some sort of entertainment value. 

On the appeal of Koperski to the App Review Board, he was told that Apple is no more under the process of allowing VPN/ root certificate-based ad blockers on the App Store added to which they even said that the updates approval of the existing ad blockers will not be approved if they are found to be using the same old techniques. 

After such a big shift, Apple allowed only Safari Content Blocker as the ad blocker whose function is to block the ads in Safari despite of functioning like VPN based clients who blocks ads within all application.

Koperski was also informed that iOS 9 will be launched with Apple supported ad blockers permitted in the App store but they will be limited only to Safari web browser. 

Apple ensure to support advertising as that is the only source for the developers to make money with the apps.

Its been a while since apple has launched its VPN based ad-blockers but the company is still not that strict with the enforcement of it. 

Current versions of ad blocking apps will be downloaded on your devices, however future updates shall be restricted.

Your non-Samsung phone could soon get Samsung Pay

Samsung launched their most powerful feature for Samsung smartphones which is Samsung Pay.

Samsung Pay has able to make the payments via smartphone which has been made possible with the help of NFC and older MST technology. 

In US, the company has even integrated PayPal and Visa. Samsung introduced Samsung Pay Mini which is accessible by only the ones who owns high-end Galaxy phones, But Samsung does not wish to stop here, and they wish to opt for a wider approach. 

Samsung is planning to cover Non-Samsung Android Phones market and serve them with the Samsung Pay on their phone.

As per the report by Gadgest 360, it was stated that as per the company’s internal discussion, Company has decided to provide the service of Samsung pay even in the other rival’s phones. 

Samsung Upcoming new versions of the phone like Galaxy J series will have the MST capable chips which are a necessity to make payments with the mobile app.

With the use of special components, Samsung in its own handsets allows the mimic of MST transmissions possible which enables you to make the payment at the terminals which fails to accept the NFC. 

With such possibilities, Samsung is now planning to create this possibility on other OEM hardware. The only condition is that other OEMs will have to include similar technology if they wish to make their devices workable with the Samsung Pay. 

Exploring the possibilities it was concluded that in order to make Samsung pay work on othernon-samsung phones can be possible with the manufacturing and supplying of an accessory similar to LoopPay card that can be attached to other phone and which will make this possible. 

Though there are fewer chances of people accepting and using Samsung pay rather than Android Pay, introduction of Samsung Pay in other non-samsung phones will be a challenge for the company.

By enabling the use of NFC and MST technology to make the payment through phones has added a lot of functionality at which even Google was found to be lacking. 

Samsung is expected to place the things in the market latest by 2018 with the motive of pushing the platform with the whole new audience. With 34 million Samsung users across the globe, Samsung is now targeting the market of non-samsung users.

The Google app’s new personalized feed might just drag you off Facebook

Googlelaunch of personalized feed section in the Google app which is under the process of redesigning.

Google was limited to only mobile search apps which were featured with weather reports, location based news and sports but now Google is at a stage where it has finally managed to bring a major change in the feed taking it towards impersonation.

This new personalized feed is more focused on UI with the Google. It will also make you aware of what’s going around you in the world.

Advancement in the machine learning algorithms has now taken place to create a line of difference between what is important and what is interesting for the users.

Cards pertaining to UI are well presented now in the search bar.

Google is now trying to attract more of the users and keeping them engaged with the relevant content.

Google has made it possible by curetting the content that a respective user is able to view and Google ensures to consider what is trending as per your searches.

You even have an option of following the topics you are interested in by simply clicking on the follow button.

Google has now improvised itself to that extent that it will understand what you are looking for post which Google will put just the right content on your screens making it easier for you.

This feature of Google is now even updated on Android and iphones accompanied with introduction of overhauled feed that will display personalized news feed and information to the surfers.

Google will not limit the search with just current news feed but will also display the content you are looking for. It can be Facebook feed, stories etc.

The search feed will become more and more personalized if your usage of Google is constant and in higher proportion. Not only will the new content, Google also display the old current as per your requirements.

You can avail benefit of this upgraded feature of Google by downloading the Google App. Open the app and enjoy the easy availability of the content offered by Google.

Twitter opens up the limits – Now you can post upto 280 characters

Twitter has taken a step ahead to undergo a big change in defining itself. Twitter tweet character limit increasing up to 280 which are double of what used to be previously. 

This change has proven to be effective step to attract its users as now they are able to express themselves well. 

Previously when people were suppose to put their thoughts into just 140 characters it used to be quite frustrating for the users which avoided them to spend their time using Twitter.

Twitter has now changed its defining terms by increasing the number of characters to 280 characters. 

Prior to the development of mobile apps, the limit of 140 characters was originally created which was almost same as the length of SMS. SMS limit 160 characters which is the same for Twitter but allowing the thoughts to be expresses in 140 characters Twitter keeps the rest 20 to be used as Username.

The reason behind increasing the number of characters as stated by twitter is that it wanted to provide an ease to users in expressing their thoughts in the easiest way they can with more number of characters allowance. 

In some of the languages the number of characters for the Tweet is more when compared to that in English.

Twitter was expected to increase the number of characters to 10,000 by  2015 which was based on the new ranked timeline, where the tweets will be displayed based on the chronological order showing the best ones on the top. 

But due to some internal issues between facebook and twitter, both of them had to compromise on their characters limit. In 2016, Twitter then introduced the optional ranked timeline which displayed the best tweets on the top and allowed to be expanded twitter tweet length without taking the media attachments in the counting.

Twitter has always encouraged positive relationships and communication between people across the world. 

Twitter offered a platform where it was easy for the people to connect with each other and convey their message to large number of people in the best possible way. 

Now being able to post upto 280 characters has improvised twitter’s service quality and is expected to lead an improvement in the interaction behaviour of the users on social networking sites. 

Twitter always has been considered to give the best engagement to the people across the globe, the increase in the number of characters has now proven to be an acceptable and effective step of Twitter.