It’s pretty clear that smartphones are so much more than basic phones. They’re more powerful than computers we had on our desks 10 years ago, as such, they need computer-like protection from viruses, malware, and other nasty things. While all apps go through an approval process when they get submitted to the App Store or Android Market, sometimes the bad apples fall through the cracks and weasel their way onto unsuspecting victims. No more, says Google.

That’s why Google has come forward to announce a new service called “Bouncer” just days after Symantec’s announcement of a major malware infection found in some Android apps.  Yeah, Android Market is the hippest night club in town and it’s not going to put up with belligerant drunks and would-be thieves. Get out, buddy. You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here.

In a nutshell, Bouncer will scan developer accounts automatically and look for “potentially malicious software without disrupting the user experience.” It also “looks for behaviors that indicate an application might be misbehaving, and compares it against previously analyzed apps to detect possible red flags.” If it finds some bad stuff, it gives that app (and presumably the developer) the boot out of the door, thereby protecting us Android users from the bad guys.

Let’s just hope that Google’s Bouncer isn’t like its Goliath-sized non-digital counterparts where you can just slip them some green to get in the club.

[ source ]