What is an Android Market?

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Android Market is an online software store developed by Google for Android devices. An application program ("app") called "Market" is preinstalled on most Android devices and allows users to browse and download apps published by third-party developers, hosted on Android Market. Users can also search for and read detailed information about apps from the Android Market website.

Size         *200,000+ apps officially
                *350,000+ estimated apps
Type       *Software store
Website  *market.android.com

Application security:
Android devices can run applications written by third-party developers and distributed through the Android Market or one of several other application stores. Once they have signed up, developers can make their applications available immediately, without a lengthy approval process.

When an application is installed, the Android Market displays all required permissions. The user can then decide whether to install the application based on those permissions. The user may decide not to install an application whose permission requirements seem excessive or unnecessary. A game may need to enable vibration, for example, but should not need to read messages or access the phonebook.

Possible app permissions include functionality like:
-Accessing the Internet
-Making phone calls
-Sending SMS messages
-Reading and writing to the installed memory card
-Accessing a user's address book data

Security software companies have been developing applications to help ensure the security of Android devices. SMobile Systems, one such manufacturer, claims that 20% of apps in the Android Market request permissions that could be used for malicious purposes, and 5% of apps can make phone calls without the user's intervention. This is not a claim that the apps are actually malicious, but rather that the potential for malicious activity exists.