Microsoft bans mobile VoIP applications from its Marketplace

Now that Microsoft has opened it’s Windows Marketplace app store to receive developer submissions, it has released a list of prohibited applications. The list of “no-no’s” gives a clear run down of the kind of apps that will be rejected out of hand. High on the list is a ban of any app that allows a VoIP service to run over an operators network.

In brief:

The first three rules make sure that people stay within the Windows Marketplace when spending money and buying or upgrading apps – nothing is allowed that links you to a different app store.

It goes on to prohibit VoIP services and promoting other networks voice plans. You’re also not allowed to go around the default services that come with the phone – so no replacing, removing or modifying the Windows Mobile dialer, messaging interface, browser or media player.

No apps of over 10 megs in size are allowed.

The final two protect a users privacy – no apps are allowed to broadcast any information or data from a users phone, including their location.

The full list from Microsoft:

Windows® Marketplace for Mobile Prohibited Application Types:

1. Applications that are or distribute alternate marketplaces for content types (applications, games, themes etc.) that are sold or otherwise distributed through Windows® Marketplace for Mobile.
2. Applications that link to, incent users to download, or otherwise promote alternate marketplaces for content types that are sold or otherwise distributed through Windows Marketplace for Mobile.
3. Applications that promote or link users to a website, or contain functionality within the application itself, which encourages or requires the user to purchase or pay to upgrade the application outside of Windows® Marketplace for Mobile.
4. Applications that enable VoIP (Voice over IP) services over a mobile operator network.
5. Applications that sell, link to, or otherwise promote mobile voice plans.
6. Applications that display advertising that does not meet the Microsoft Advertising Creative Acceptance Policy Guide http://advertising.microsoft.com/creative-specs.
7. Applications that replace, remove or modify the default dialer, SMS, or MMS interface.
8. Applications that change the default browser, search client, or media player on the device.
9. Applications with an OTA (over the air) download >10 MB.
10. Applications that run code outside Microsoft runtimes (native, managed, and widgets)
11. Applications that publish a user’s location information to any other person without first having received the user’s express permission (opt-in) to do so, and that do not provide the user a means of opting out of having their location information published.
12. Applications that publish a user’s data from their mobile device to any other person without first having received the user’s express permission (opt-in) to do so, and that do not provide the user a means of opting out of having their data published.  A “user’s data” includes, without limit, contacts, photos, SMS or other text communication, browsing history, location information, and other data either stored on the mobile device or stored in the “cloud” but accessible from the mobile device

What we think?

This isn’t the most surprising list of demands ever. It’s not particularly restrictive – so long as you don’t try to funnel customers away from Microsoft, invade others privacy or mess around with people’s handsets, you should be all right. It’s the VoIP entry that’s the interesting one.

Given how much VoIP has been in the news recently, this was bound to attract some attention. I’m imagining that Microsoft only included this to make the operators who’ll be carrying the Marketplace happy – it’s the same limitation applied to Skype on iPhones. VoIP apps aren’t banned, they’re just limited to running over WiFi or other wireless broadband services. Ultimately this isn’t going to be helpful to Microsoft or its carriers. Other operators are kinda/sorta beginning to ease the restrictions on VoIP. Not only that, as mass WiMAX and LTE coverage becomes more commonplace worldwide, no one is going to want to use a VoIP service over carrier lines anyway.