Google Play culls VR apps carrying ‘Cardboard’ name
Google is paving the way for the release of its VR offering entitled ‘Cardboard’ by removing apps carrying the name on its digital store.
Apps including Cardboard Theater, Cardboard Catapult and Cardboard VNC are among those removed from the store as Google looks to strengthen its grip on the trademark.
Cardboard, originally released in 2014 as an open source answer to Facebook’s Oculus, Samsung’s Gear kit, the Microsoft Holo Lens and more, sees a smartphone and a cardboard box combined to recreate the VR experience. Google is looking to get in on the ground of the impending VR boom, investing in the medium, both from a hardware and software perspective.
Henrik Chai, the developer of the app formerly known as Cardboard Theater, confirmed the cull on his Google+ account. He said his app had been removed from the Play Store for violating Googles “spam provision of the Content Policy”.
Adding: “The email mentions not using other brands as the start of the application name, so I'm guessing they don't want me to start the app name with Cardboard, but at the same time "Cardboard Theater" which is a very well-known movie player app is in the Play Store.”
Chai included the app’s community in the renaming process but added that he was leaning towards the less-catchy "VNC Client for Cardboard".