The CyanogenMod installer application was removed in Google Play Store on Wednesday.
A blog post from CyanogenMod states that the Google Play Support team called their office and informed them that their installer app has violated the developer terms and needed to be removed from the store. If they do not remove it voluntarily, Google told Cyanogenmod, “they would be forced to remove it administratively."
After the removal of the app in the Play Store, they called Google back and inquired more about the violation. Google said that though the application itself was not detrimental, it would not be permitted to in the store again because it “encourages users to void their warranty” by introducing users to third-party software.
According to The Next Web they guess that the app was forced to be removed from the store because the Play Store’s system interference clause says that “an app downloaded from Google Play (or its components or derivative elements) must not make changes to the user’s device outside of the app without the user’s knowledge and consent, and this includes behavior such as replacing or reordering the default presentation of apps, widgets, or the settings on the device. If an app makes such changes with the user’s knowledge and consent, it must be clear to the user which app has made the change and the user must be able to reverse the change easily, or by uninstalling the app altogether.” Sad to say, the app doesn’t have that capability and until they make a way for that to happen, the app is out of Google Play Store.
For those not familiar with CyanogenMod, it is an improved open source firmware distribution for tablet PCs and smartphones running on Android mobile operating system. It also provides options and features not typically included or pre-installed in the official firmware distributed by manufacturers of tablet PCs and smartphones.
Google refused to give comments about the issue.
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