After charges that Microsoft was focused on growing its Windows app ecosystem by any means necessary, today the company wrote a blog post announcing that it would be cleaning up its app store and enlisting more extensive regulations that will prevent scam apps from reaching their digital shelves.
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Reports came out last week that the Windows Phone store was full of apps plagiarizing legitimate software. The scammers would charge users a fee for the app, and then provide a link to the real (and often free) app.
The blog post claims that all new app submissions and new updates for existing apps will be held to the new policies, for both the Windows and Windows Phone Store.
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Microsoft is also combing through current apps and reviewing each one to see if they match the new rules. The company was obviously perturbed that the press thought it was being obtuse.
"This process is continuing as we work to be as thorough and transparent as possible in our review," the blog post reads. "Most of the developers behind apps that are found to violate our policies have good intentions and agree to make the necessary changes when notified."
For the app developers that have been less receptive, Microsoft has removed over 1,500 apps as part of this internal review so far. The company will refund any app downloaded because of a scam title or description.