Windows Phone Store shows the door to 41 third-party Facebook apps

Microsoft has started to issue developers of third-party Facebook apps takedown notices, it has been reported. This move comes even as Facebook’s newly released beta version of the app for Windows Phone 8 is gaining popularity on the platform.

According to Windows Phone Central, about 41 third-party Facebook app developers are receiving takedown notices from Microsoft. Facebook had apparently initiated this process by sending a letter to Microsoft, complaining about copyright infringement. The issue in question is that Facebook believes these third-party apps are infringing on its intellectual copyright and trademark.

These app developers have apparently been given a time frame of one day to take these apps off the Windows Phone Store. This is not to say that all of these apps had malicious intent while creating these apps. Some genuinely in good faith have tried to improve user experience on the Windows Phone platform while there was still an absence of a sturdy, official Facebook app.

The letter that Facebook sent to Microsoft (Image Credit: Windows Phone Central)

The Windows Phone platform has seen a dearth of good official apps, something that third-party app developers have seen an opportunity in. But now since the beta version of the new Facebook app has hit the Windows Phone Store, the social networking giant is looking to quash all third-party competition to put focus on its own app.

Microsoft said in a statement to The Verge, “Windows Phone has a well-established process for reporting content infringement complaints, here. We promptly review all reports and take the appropriate action, including removal of apps when appropriate.”

After long last, Facebook finally released a Beta version of its app on Windows Phone 8 late last month. This app was a long time in the making since Windows Phone users had been complaining about the lack of decent features in the Microsoft-developed official Facebook app. The Beta version of the app bears striking resemblance to the Facebook app on platforms like Android and iOS. Windows Phone users are now in great company.

But is the taking down of third-party apps a tad too harsh? We believe so. What do you think?