Google finally agrees that Apple's 'walled garden' is a good idea
Apple's App Store is "big brother" and the Google Play Store is the wild west where anything goes, right? Not anymore, as Google is implementing a very Apple-like screening process for all new Android TV apps before they land on the digital marketplace. As Android Police reports, Google's new content guidelines note that apps will have to make it through quality control before being tossed up for sale on the Play Store, marking a dramatic shift in thinking and a silent agreement that Apple's "walled garden" approach to content might be the way to go after all.
"Before distributing apps to the Play Store on Android TV devices, our team reviews apps for usability with a DPAD (apps) and Gamepad (games only) and other quality guidelines," Google's Android TV app policy notes. This will of course mean only legitimate and functional apps will find their way to the Android TV section of Google Play -- quality of published apps is something the Android platform has struggled with in the past -- but also that developers hoping to push their apps to Android TV will get to experience the joys of a testing and approval queue.
