We all want to see quality apps and games in the Windows Phone Marketplace. With that in mind Microsoft is working to beef up the enforcement of existing policies to keep the "quality bar" high with the Marketplace. While policy compliance will be expected across the board, Microsoft notes four areas where the concern is slightly higher.
Trademarks: While trademark complaint investigations find that the violation is unintentional, most can be avoided. Microsoft reminds developers to do their due diligence in researching any potential trademark issues. Resource suggestions from Microsoft include the Marketplace's content policy and the U.S. Trademark and Patent Office.
Bulk Publishing: We've seen plenty of bulk publishing where developers submit hundreds of similar apps with slightly different titles. While Microsoft has reduced the number of titles a developer can submit per day, they are still seeing violations.
Developers are submitting the same app to multiple Marketplace categories (a policy violation). Microsoft's position, if a developer submits the same app to multiple categories, the app will be pulled from the Marketplace.
The other issue on bulk publishing that Microsoft brings up is duplicating the Marketplace title image with closely related apps. The title images can not be duplicate or near duplicates of each other. They use this as an example of what isn't acceptable title images.
Keywords: Marketplace policy allows for a developer to submit five keywords for an app. The keywords are short phrase or word to help describe the app and helps with... well... keyword searches.
Some developers are violating this policy by submitting more than five keywords. Microsoft is beginning to enforce this policy not only with the number of words but also the relevancy of the words (for example using Skydrive for a recipe app). Any app with more than five keywords will have all the keywords deleted. Any keyword not relevant to the app will be deleted.
Content Policy: This may be the most challenging area for Microsoft to control. What some may see as acceptable, others may see it as inappropriate. Here's Microsoft's approach:
Our content policies are clearly spelled out: we don’t allow apps containing “sexually suggestive or provocative” images or content. What we do permit is the kind of content you occasionally see on prime-time TV or the pages of a magazine’s swimsuit issue.
Microsoft will begin reviewing Marketplace apps with respect to icons, titles and the content of the apps. They will be looking for more "subtle and modest" imagery and wording. Here are a few tile images that would pass certification:
Content not meeting the standards will need to be modified or pulled from the Marketplace. Microsoft will begin reaching out to developers with more specific details on how to get apps within compliance.
It's nice to see Microsoft continue to take steps to maintain the quality of apps and games we find on the Marketplace. Should you run across Marketplace listings that violate Marketplace policies, you can report them by emailing reportapp@microsoft.com. Include the URL with details of the issue and Microsoft will investigate.
Source: Windows Team Blog; Thanks, Sabita, for the tip!
