• by Mark Walsh  @markfwal, March 4, 2011

In response to reports this week of malware-infecting, innocuous-sounding Android applications like Chess and Bowling Time, Google has taken down 55 such apps from its Android Marketplace. The Financial Timesreported Thursday that tens of thousands of people using Android-based smartphones have downloaded apps capable of taking over their phones with malware intended to steal data or send costly messages.

Despite acting quickly to remove the apps, Google hadn't gone the next step of disabling any malicious software earlier this week. The company hasn't publicly commented on the matter so far. But  TechCrunch noted today that other companies, including Amazon and Apple, have come under criticism in the past for remotely deleting or disabling apps or e-books (in the case where Amazon zapped the Kindle edition of "1984" in relation to copyright issues.)

In this instance, it would be hard to blame Google for going ahead and hitting the kill switch on these apps, because of the potential damage the malicious software can do. The company  did so last year, in connection with a pair of infected Android apps. How effectively Google responds to the problem could help to mitigate the blow to the Android Market's reputation from the malware reports, which spread rapidly across the tech blogosphere to the general business press.

It was especially untimely given that Google has lately been taking overt steps to make the Android Market a more user-friendly app outlet for both developers and customers -- such as introducing direct carrier billing for downloads through AT&T, with plans to add billing through other carriers to smooth transactions.

In January Google's Android platform manager Eric Chu said the company would also launch an in-app payment system for Android and improve discovery of apps in its mobile storefront. But the malware debacle is a setback to the company's broader push to upgrade the Android Market. It also doesn't help Google position the Android Market as a clean, well-lighted alternative to Apple's category-leading App Store.

Such incidents can be seen as the trade-off for Google's less-rigorous vetting process for apps -- while Apple is notorious for requiring pre-approval of all titles available for download. While developers have loudly complained about Apple arbitrarily rejecting apps from its store, its tighter screening starts to look better in light of the malware outbreak suffered by its Android rival.

The Financial Times article noted that iPhones have also been targeted, but only where they have been tampered with by owners jailbreaking their phones. In any case, it wouldn't be surprising to see Google put in place new procedures or safeguards to try to avoid similar problems in the future. Considering how fast Android has spread across different handsets in the last year, it's critical for the company to keep a lid on any further mobile software attacks.