Google bans self-updating Android apps, possibly including Facebook’s

Facebook end run around Google Play store followed by change in Google policy.

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[Xavin]

I am more interested in how they will enforce it? Do they know someone is doing it. Can they prevent it?

They can probably scan for it automatically, but more importantly it gives them cause for pulling apps that break the rule.

 

[Xavin]

Wow. Has Google banned it's own Apps from auto-updating ?

The only Google android app that auto-updates is Play. Some of the others will notify you of a new version, but they send you through Play to actually update it. That's the key, there's really no benefit to bypassing Play for updates unless you plan on doing something nefarious.