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Microsoft has removed six apps that were published earlier this week in the Windows Phone Store that were made to look like they were developed and published by Google. The apps, which included "Hangouts", "Google Maps", "Gmail" and more, also had prices of $1.99 each. The real versions are all free on iOS and Android devices. WinBeta first spotted the fake apps this week, which were all labeled as being published by "Google, Inc". So far, the only official Windows Phone app from Google is Search, which is shown in the store as coming from "Google Inc" (yes, there is no comma in the name). The Next Web contacted Microsoft on the matter and since then the apps were all removed. In a statement, Microsoft said, "We removed a series of apps for violating our policies concerning the use of misleading information. The apps attempted to misrepresent the identity of the publisher." However, there's been no comment from Microsoft on how the apps were approved for release in the Windows Phone Store in the first place. Microsoft has been criticized in the past for the low overall quality of apps in both Windows and Windows Phone Stores, and fake apps in the story have been a problem for a few years now. It would appear that Microsoft may need to spend some extra time evaluating which apps should be pushed in their app stores. Source: WinBeta and The Next Web | Image via The Next Web

If you own a PC, the only current way to play "Halo: Spartan Assault" on your rig was to install Windows 8 or 8.1 and download it from the Windows Store. Next week that will change, as Microsoft's top-down sci-fi shooter finally comes to the much bigger Windows 7 PC audience, along with Windows Vista. A listing on Valve's Steam service shows that "Halo: Spartan Assault" will be released on April 4 for the price of $4.99. The description states that this version of the game will support Steam achievements, rather than the Windows 8-based Xbox Live achievements. It also won't support the two player multiplayer missions that were included in the recent Xbox One and Xbox 360 versions. Speaking of which, both of the game's console versions have now received a permanent price cut from $14.99 to $9.99 each. Also, the Halo Waypoint site has posted word that the Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 versions, which are currently priced at $6.99 each, will see a deep price reduction to just $1.99 each from April 3-9. On April 10, the price will go up again, but just to $4.99 each on a permanent basis. Source

Microsoft has pulled the Windows RT 8.1 update from the Windows store investigating a situation affecting 'a limited number of users' updating their Windows RT devices, which is a big move for Microsoft. The exact issue has not been revealed but for Microsoft to pull the update means that the issue must be quite serious. Microsoft states the following when asked by a user as to why the update was not in the store. "Windows RT 8.1. Microsoft is investigating a situation affecting a limited number of users updating their Windows RT devices to Windows RT 8.1. As a result, we have temporarily removed the Windows RT 8.1 update from the Windows Store. We are working to resolve the situation as quickly as possible and apologize for any inconvenience. We will provide updates as they become available." source