NECIR Study: Many Medical Mobile Apps Still Offer False Promises

by Holly Shoemaker

The New England Center for Investigative Reporting (NECIR) has found that the Google Play Store and the iTunes Store continues to offer medical apps that do not follow proposed guidelines.

Background Information

The ongoing debate of how to regulate medical mobile apps and the role the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) should play came to the forefront last year when the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) became involved in helping to pull an app that claimed to cure acne.

Research2Guidance, a global market research firm, reports that apps range anywhere from free, $.69 to $999. The company expects about 247 million smartphone users to download health apps this year.

Ongoing Issues

NECIR examined 1,500 health apps available for purchase since June 2011. It found that more than one out of five apps claimed to treat and/or cure a medical issue.

The agency looked at 331 therapeutic apps and found that 43 percent of them relied on the sound a cellphone makes for treatment. Twelve more apps used the device’s light as a treatment and two others said the phone vibrations provided the treatment.

Light treatment is used to treat a variety of conditions, but typically under the guidance of a dermatologist or other medical professional. It is impossible to achieve professional results by using a phone as it lacks the needed light frequency.

Concluding Thoughts

While the debate continues regarding regulation, the credibility of certain apps will remain in question. Agencies continue to monitor and call out those who make false claims. Users may protect themselves by keeping in mind that apps cannot diagnose or treat a medical condition. For consumers, apps that monitor conditions or help keep track of things like weight, rate the highest. Apps that support doctors and hospitals also rank high. 

Developers who need assistance to ensure they follow the proper guidelines, should visit the ones posted by Happtique, as that store only houses medical apps.

Google Play Celebrates App Milestone by Offering Discounts

by Holly Shoemaker

Yesterday Google announced a milestone – Google Play celebrated the 25 billion app download mark. Through Sunday, Google is selling some of its apps and games for $.25, with new apps being added daily.

For those looking for additional deals, the Google Play Store also offers the following deals through Sunday:

• Must-own movies starting at $4.99
• Twenty five albums that “changed the word” starting at $3.99
• Twenty five banned books for $.99 a piece
• Magazines for $1.99 per issue 

Google Play versus App Store

Apple hit the 25 billion download mark in March. While Apple's iOS App Store still houses a slightly larger amount of apps, at 700,000, Google is quickly catching up. The Google Play Store has 675,000 available apps.

Shifting Trend? 

Google’s announcement and sale to celebrate its milestone may have come as a surprise to some. An earlier study showed that interest in developing apps for Android devices decreased. While it looks like the trend is changing, app developers are still finding it more challenging to break even. With Google’s less stringent standards when it comes to publishing apps, that may provide a better route for developers.

Trojan App Outsmarts Apple

by Holly Shoemaker

Malicious apps may be a more frequent occurrence for Google because of its use of open-source technology. For Apple, a recently discovered trojan app marks a first  – the first time someone found malware in the Apple App Store since it launched five years ago. Last week a Russian app known as “Find and Call” found itself in the Google Play and Apple App Store.

Researchers at the Kaspersky Lab discovered the app actually worked as a trojan. When users downloaded the app, they needed to sign in with an email address and cell phone number. The app then asked users if they wanted to "find friends in a phone book." If agreed, the app uploaded the device's address book without telling users. It then took users’ contact lists and uploaded the information to a server. In turn, the app sent spam to SMS contacts. While developers are supposed to obtain permission when they use address book information, Find and Call made no mention of this in its end-license agreement.

Apple and Google removed the app last Thursday. However, it appears the application remained available for at least a week.

Concluding Thoughts

Find and Call should serve as a warning for those who download apps geared toward social networking to always read the fine print to see if apps pull source code from a user’s address book. If the information does not appear in an agreement, you do not trust what the agreement says or there are no validation checks, do not launch.

Samsung’s Yo-Yo Week

by Holly Shoemaker

This week the U.S. Court of Appeals refused Samsung’s request to allow the company to continue to sell the Galaxy Tab 10.1 in the United States. Last week, Apple filed a temporary injunction to halt sales of the tablet, claiming Samsung copied one of Apple’s patent designs. However, the Court temporarily lifted the ban on selling the Galaxy Nexus pending Apple’s response. The smartphone is available again in the Google Play Store.

Profits Increase, but Sales Come up Short

The news came as Samsung reported some highs and lows this week. Samsung set a second-quarter profit record of $5.9 billion. The company’s second-quarter operating profit increased 79 percent to 6.7 trillion. That beat estimates of 6.58 trillion.

Sales of the Galaxy S III totaled about seven million units through the end of June 2012. The number was lower than expectations. Samsung acknowledged it encountered a shortage of some equipment components, especially when the Samsung Galaxy III went on sale in Europe in May 2012.

Samsung did not provide net income or divisional earnings information. That information is expected later this month.

Concluding Thoughts

Samsung still remains Apple’s largest threat. At this time, analysts do not expect any final court ruling(s) to significantly impact Samsung. The company has ways to go before it reaches Apple’s numbers. Apple sold 16.3 million iPads from January through March 2012, giving the company 63 percent of the global tablet market share. In comparison, Samsung sold 1.6 million tablets, giving it 7.5 percent of the tablet market share.

Google Announces Nexus 7: Which Tablet Market Does Google Want to Play In?

by Holly Shoemaker

It is becoming more challenging to keep up with Google’s image. The company has demonstrated it wants to move beyond a search and software company with its acquisition of Motorola Mobility and its changes to things like Google+ to provide social components to rival Facebook. Today, at its annual developer’s conference, the company showed off the expected Nexus 7 tablet.

While some have concluded the tablet was designed to compete with the iPad, the price point of $199 puts it more in line to compete with the Kindle Fire and Nook tablet. The Nexus 7 weighs in at 12 ounces, compared to the Kindle’s 14 ounces. A 16 GB model is also available for $249. The tablet is available now through the Google Play store and will start shipping in mid-July.

Concluding Thoughts

At this time, it is unclear which tablet market Google wants to play in. At last year’s developer’s conference, the company launched the Samsung Galaxy, a high-end tablet to compete with Apple’s iPad. However, Apple just won an injunction against selling the Samsung Galaxy 10.1 in the United States. Perhaps Google's strategy to play in many areas anticipated the upcoming lawsuit.

Google Releases I/O 2012 Companion App: Preview of Jelly Bean?

by Holly Shoemaker

Apple focused on the importance of apps at its annual developer’s conference last week. While Google will not hold its conference until next week, the company got a head start by releasing a Google I/O 2012 companion app. The free app, available from the Google Play Store, allows users to plan their schedules with the conference agenda.

Overview of Features

The app was designed to work well on Android smartphones and tablets. It allows users to:

• Sync events with their calendars so they may find the sessions they are most interested in attending
• Share information on Google+
• Participate and view in conversations using the #io2012 hash-tag as it is built into the application
• Access reminders before sessions start
• Play back video session streams 
• Obtain company information in the Developer Sandbox
• Review information regarding speakers, photos and biographies 

Preview of Jelly Bean?

Some have noted that the search box looks different on the app. This had led many to wonder if Google has released a sneak peek of Jelly Bean, the next version of Android that should be on display at the developer’s conference. On June 27, 2012, when the conference starts, we should all find out.