Verizon's top 50 apps list now curates them with security, battery and data consumption ratings

posted by Daniel P. / Feb 14, 2013, 5:58 AM

Verizon's top 50 apps list for the last 30-day period now shows a few very important criteria that other curated lists, and even the Google Play Store itself, are omitting from the applications' descriptions.

Namely these are how secure the app is, its battery consumption, and its data usage, with the full explanation how these tests are made below:

Each application is scanned to identify if the application can perform harmful activities or read private information without permission. Then we evaluate the level of risk to the user, to the device’s performance and to information stored on the device...

We measure the battery drain from the app when it’s open but not being used. We look at how much data the app sends and receives when it’s open and running but you’re not actually using it.

Great idea, which we wish Google and Apple, as well as the Windows and BlackBerry app stores adopt at some point, at least for the top paid and free apps, so we have some idea what the app's security, battery and data consumption are before we install, and from sources other than anecdotal opinions in the comments section.

source: Verizon