Google Play Store, a premier global app distribution platform, boasts an extensive collection of nearly 3 million apps and games. However, along with its immense popularity, it confronts its own set of challenges. In a recent development, Google has eradicated 43 harmful apps that had been covertly depleting phone batteries.

The platform continuously grapples with the incursion of malicious applications or those breaching its regulations. The Play Store’s broad accessibility and high influx of submissions occasionally pave the way for harmful elements to infiltrate, leading to detriment for Android devices.

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The renowned search engine behemoth has taken action to remove 43 harmful apps from its Play Store, as they were discovered to be displaying advertisements even when users’ devices were inactive. These apps, collectively downloaded around 2.5 million times, were also found to consume mobile data even during periods when users’ phones were turned off.

The Mobile Research Team at McAfee initially pinpointed these applications, flagging them to Google for breaching the Play Store’s guidelines. While a majority of these applications have already gone away from the Play Store, developers have updated a few of them. McAfee strongly advises users who have these apps installed to promptly uninstall them.

McAfee’s Mobile Research Team recently unearthed a troubling trend among certain apps available on Google Play. These apps display advertisements even when the device’s screen is inactive. It is a feature that might appear advantageous to users at first glance.

However, this practice directly contradicts Google Play’s regulations concerning ad display. The implications extend beyond advertisers who pay for unseen ads. It adversely affects users as it drains their device’s battery, consumes data, and poses potential risks. That includes data leaks and disruption of user profiling due to Clicker behavior. McAfee conveyed this information through its blog post.

Among the assortment of removed applications, the list encompasses a variety of categories. They are TV/DMB players, music downloaders, and news and calendar apps. If you have installed any of the 43 apps on your device, it is safe to expunge them without delay.

It’s crucial to exercise caution when selecting apps to download from the Play Store. Opt for apps solely from reputable developers and thoroughly review the permissions before installation. Consistently maintain your Android device’s security by staying up-to-date with the latest security patches. And , don’t forget to utilize a security app for malware scanning.