The two largest mobile app providers, Apple and Google, will not take part in an application ratings initiative created by CTIA-The Wireless Association, and will instead continue to rely on their own in-house systems.
In an press release on Tuesday, CTIA-The Wireless Association and Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) announced that a new voluntary rating system for mobile applications would be adopted by six app stores, however Apple and Google were noticeably absent from the list, reports Bloomberg.
The CTIA Mobile Application Rating System, developed by the ESRB, will rate app submissions on a five-point scale, from "everyone" to "adults-only," based on factors like violence and sexual content.
The program was developed to help parents monitor their children as access to internet-connected devices like Apple's hot-selling iPad and iPhone broadens.
It made sense as an industry to provide a ratings mechanism that will provide consumers with information about the content available on the apps, said David Diggs, Vice President for Wireless Internet Development at CTIA. He goes on to say that mobile apps have become a "robust" source of entertainment.
Apple's App Store and the Android Marketplace now offer 500,000 and 300,000 apps respectively, and both companies have existing vetting systems in place.
Weve put a lot of effort into Android Markets rating system, which now works well globally, said Google spokesman Christopher Katsaros. While we support other systems, we think its best for Android users and developers to stick with Androids existing ratings.
Apple declined to comment on the matter, but the company has already outlined its somewhat stringent app review guidelines.
Diggs said that the main goal of the initiative is to get information to the consumer, and he is not concerned that Apple and Google have opted out of the proposed system.
In an press release on Tuesday, CTIA-The Wireless Association and Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) announced that a new voluntary rating system for mobile applications would be adopted by six app stores, however Apple and Google were noticeably absent from the list, reports Bloomberg.
The CTIA Mobile Application Rating System, developed by the ESRB, will rate app submissions on a five-point scale, from "everyone" to "adults-only," based on factors like violence and sexual content.
The program was developed to help parents monitor their children as access to internet-connected devices like Apple's hot-selling iPad and iPhone broadens.
It made sense as an industry to provide a ratings mechanism that will provide consumers with information about the content available on the apps, said David Diggs, Vice President for Wireless Internet Development at CTIA. He goes on to say that mobile apps have become a "robust" source of entertainment.
Apple's App Store and the Android Marketplace now offer 500,000 and 300,000 apps respectively, and both companies have existing vetting systems in place.
Weve put a lot of effort into Android Markets rating system, which now works well globally, said Google spokesman Christopher Katsaros. While we support other systems, we think its best for Android users and developers to stick with Androids existing ratings.
Apple declined to comment on the matter, but the company has already outlined its somewhat stringent app review guidelines.
Diggs said that the main goal of the initiative is to get information to the consumer, and he is not concerned that Apple and Google have opted out of the proposed system.
