With the coronavirus plaguing the world right now, the last thing most would need is to be misled. And being in the age of technology, the first thing that some techies will do is to turn to apps to find out more information about the dreaded virus and ways to fight it.
The App Store is expected to be filled with apps linked to the coronavirus, plenty of which are likely to be irrelevant or useful. Some may even end up harmful with exploits possibly hiding from within. The task of making sure that these apps are useful and won't create further problems will be up to Apple. And the company is already on it as we speak.
Apple recently announced on their site that they will be allowing apps on the COVID-19 from developers only from recognizable entities. This will likely be limited to credible health institutions, government agencies or other medical-related groups that can shed more light on the coronavirus. All other developers who mean well or have something devious under their sleeve. Hence, all other would-be developers will end up wasting their time coming up with an app that is more likely to be useless.
For those legitimate groups who want to do their share in safeguarding app users, asking for annual developer program membership fees to be waived is a possibility. But of course, this will undergo a tedious process like checking if they are from an eligible country or if they plan to offer free apps.
Finally, it cannot be discounted that gaming apps tied up to the COVID-19 will not pop up. This early, it would be best to forget about such since Apple will reject any gaming or entertainment app based on the coronavirus, Slash Gear reported. The COVID-19 is something serious and using it as a bandwagon to earn or gain fame is something Apple is not too keen on supporting.
A lot of information on the coronavirus is needed but legitimacy is a must. News sites and credible health and science websites are sharing as much information as they can, meaning all other sites could be giving out false narratives. Hence, it would be best for most folks to practice due diligence to avoid being misled. The world is dealing with a big crisis and Apple is doing its own thing to curb down fake news in these dark times. The goal is to make the App store a safe and trusted place for users starting with apps that truly mean well.
