Android apps pulled for trademark infringement

Applications on the Android marketplace were pulled because they infringed banks' trademarks, Google has said.

A number of security websites reported earlier in the week that a mobile application developed for use on Android handsets and offered for sale in the Android Marketplace could have been a banking Trojan.

However, a Google spokesperson told ZDNet UK on Monday:

"The Android Market Content Policy clearly states that we don't allow applications on Android Market to identify themselves with third-party marks without permission. If an application violates the content policy, we will remove it from Android Market, and developer accounts will be terminated for repeated violations."

ZDNet UK understands that Google analysed the applications, but found they were not malicious.