1. Introduction

This document specifies certification guidelines related to application, widget or any passive content (hereinafter referred to as the "content or "contents") that runs on mobile devices for Samsung Apps. The certification guide is organized by the Samsung Apps policy for content registration, and by requirement criteria such as usability, functionality, and compatibility. This document describes the certification guide which will be used to test content when developers request content registration for Samsung Apps. Samsung will from time to time update and conduct audits to satisfy that this policy is being complied with for stakeholders; users, sellers, mobile operators or the public. Samsung will complete a detailed review of the content and send feedback to developers with notification e-mails. Samsung reserves the right to approve or withhold approval and reject any content at its sole discretion. If any registered content is found objectionable by users, or if it DOES NOT comply with certification guidelines, Samsung reserves the right to remove any content from Samsung Apps at any time without seller's consent.

2. Certification Process

Following is a certification process.

2.1 Pre-examination

In the pre-examination phase, the application is validated based on the pre-examination requirement. (API validation, manifest file integrity, malware, etc)

2.2 Content review

In the content review phase, the application is reviewed according to the content review criteria. (see 3.5 ~ 3.19)

2.3 Device test

In the device test phase, the application is reviewed according to the functional review criteria. (see 3.1 ~ 3.4)

2.4 Confirmation

In the confirmation phase, reviewers decide whether or not to approve application based on the content and device test result.

3. Certification policy

Samsung Apps Certification team review applications based on certification guide and decide whether or not to approve it. If any application contains any content violates general sentiments or give users an unpleasant feeling, it can be rejected. Also, if any defects are detected after approving, Samsung Apps Certification Team can suspend the application from Samsung Apps without seller's consent.

3.1 Functionality

3.1.1 Application should be installed on device without error.

3.1.2 An icon should be displayed on device main menu after installation.

3.1.3 Application should be removed from the device when uninstalling application.

3.1.4 Application should provide functions according to the description or help.

3.1.5 Each function of application should work without malfunction.

3.1.6 For log-in features, the seller should provide testable account. (ID and password)

3.1.7 For revision application, user should be able to upgrade without error.

3.1.8 When resubmitting application, previous defects should be fixed. If resubmitting application without modification with no comments (Comments to Certification Team), it will be rejected.

3.1.9 If the application is to be installed as an upgrade to an existing application, its version number MUST be higher than that of the existing application.

3.1.10 Application that is a test version or does not provide any valid functions or hidden functions will be rejected.

3.1.11 Application that includes malwares such as viruses or that distribute malicious code will be rejected.

3.2 Usability

3.2.1 Application should not have any UI without function.

3.2.2 Application should be launched smoothly within a reasonable time (5 seconds), or provide appropriate progress indication (loading progress bar) for any task that takes time.

3.2.3 If the user wants to delete any data in application, it should get user confirmation by the display of a popup dialog. (e.g. Do you want to delete the item? Yes, No)

3.3 Interrupt handling

3.3.1 Application should not crash or cause malfunctions due to system events while running application. (e.g. Alarm, SMS/MMS, email, receiving call)

3.3.2 Application should not crash or cause malfunctions due to H/W events such as END, SEND, VOLUME, CENTER, HOLD key.

3.3.3 User should be able to resume or end application with task manager.

3.3.4 Application should not crash or cause malfunctions due to attaching /detaching device accessories. (e.g. ear phone)

3.4 Device Compatibility

3.4.1 Application should turn off sound in silent mode.

3.4.2 Application should sustain default settings in device regardless of changing any options in application.

3.4.3 Application should not cause malfunctions to the embedded mobile features such as Bluetooth, G-sensor, Wi-Fi, camera, call function, etc.

3.4.4 Application should not crash when rotating device.

3.4.5 Application should run normally on all devices in the same compatibility group. (ex. resolution, reliability, etc)

3.5 Copyright and Trademarks

3.5.1 Application should not use the "Samsung" or "bada" brand, trademark, logo or other identifiers.

3.5.2 Application should not use any content without permission from the copyright owner.

3.5.3 Application should not provide any method to share copyrighted contents such as media or images via P2P or a specific server.

3.6 Metadata

3.6.1 Icon, screenshot, description and tag in Samsung Apps should be consistent with ones installed on device and should adhere to 4+ age rating. (see Age Rating Guide)

3.6.2 Default description and application title should be written in English if selecting 2 or more countries for sale. (You may add description and application title in 20 languages including Korean on seller office)

3.6.3 For non-English application registered in Global Store, its description must contain the statement saying that its operation can be limited in the device that does not support the particular language. Moreover, the statement must be displayed in a pop-up window as a notice to the user when the program is run or after installation.

3.6.4 Age rating should comply with the age rating guide. (age rating can be adjusted by the reviewer according to the age rating guide)

3.6.5 Any link for an advertising application such as YouTube that are not valid or that contain banned contents based on this guide will be rejected.

3.7 Adult content

3.7.1 Content must not contain material that depict or encourage pornography, nudity, sexually explicit behavior, violence (especially exploitative or sadistic violence towards vulnerable or defenseless people, minors, or animals). All such content is banned from registration with Samsung Apps.

3.7.2 Content must not contain explicit sex scenes. (images of activities that are sexual or sexually suggestive)

- Application for educational purpose is allowed with 18+ age rating. However, several countries will be excluded from the sale's available countries.

3.7.3 Content must not contain nudity. (any images of adults/non-adults that reveals genitals, buttocks, nipples)

3.7.4 Content must not contain any images or words of a sexually suggestive manner.

3.8 Violence

3.8.1 Content must not describe murder or suicide.

3.8.2 Content must not depict blood or gore in a cruel way.

3.8.3 Content must not depict violence towards vulnerable or defenseless people / minors / animals.

3.8.4 Content must not include child abuse.

3.8.5 Content must not depict intense violence including masochism or torture.

3.8.6 Content must not contain molestation or rape.

3.9 Alcohol and Drug

3.9.1 Content must not depict illegal alcohol/tobacco/drug use directly or indirectly.

3.9.2 Any content without warning of drug use or the use of medical information in description or application is not allowed.

e.g. application description should contain a warning message such as: "NOTE: The information in this application is intended to provide general medical information, it is not a substitute for the expertise and judgment of your healthcare professional. You should consult your health care professional before taking any drugs."

Note: Based on context, if the application describes the above things without any intention to foment illegal use, the application can be allowed.

3.10 Legal requirement

3.10.1 Content should not link to websites that contain illegal or inappropriate materials.

3.10.2 If content include FOSS(Free and Open Source Software), the seller/developer must comply with all applicable Open Source Software license terms. Moreover, the developer must not use any FOSS in the development in such a way that would cause the non-FOSS portions of the SDK to be subject to the FOSS licensing terms or obligations.

3.10.3 Content must observe legal requirements as well as the moral values of locations where it is published. If any content fails to comply with legal requirements or moral values, it will be rejected.

3.10.4 Content must not describe illegal activities or services, such as prostitution. (in countries where this is illegal)

3.10.5 Content must not distribute illegal goods, such as banned drugs or pornographic material.

3.11 Defamation or Slander

3.11.1 Content must not include speech perceived to disparage a person or group of people based on their ethnic group such as the following:

• - Race
• - Gender
• - Ethnicity
• - Nationality
• - Religion (including profanity)
• - Disability
• - Ideology
• - Defamation of character (Historical character, celebrity, Politician, royal family and so on)
• - Any other distinction that might be considered by some as a liability

3.11.2 Content must not contain any material portrays or promotes political propaganda.

3.11.3 Content must not contain swear words, or other type of swear words by transforming pronunciation or spelling.

3.12 Privacy

3.12.1 Content must not cause security warnings to mislead the user and must not exploit any malicious means for obtaining passwords or other sensitive data such as credit card numbers, etc.

3.12.2 Content must not record or monitor audio streams or personal information.

3.12.3 Content must not use any functions that charge a fee without user's knowledge and consent.

3.12.4 Data of application that has access to diary, file, phone book and PIM(Personnel Information Management) should not be deleted without user's consent

3.12.5 Content must not exploit the user's individual data and publish it to others without the user's explicit consent. (A user's individual data includes, without limitation, contacts, photos, text or voice communications-SMS/MMS/Call log, browsing history, location information, and other data either stored on the mobile device or stored in the cloud /web server accessible from the mobile device.)

3.12.6 If the application uses, collects, modifies, updates, transfers and/or transmits user's personal information (including but not limited to user's location information), it MUST notify the user in advance of the initial use of the application and obtain user's consent with the following statements.

3.12.7 If the application shows or provides push messages, advertisements, or other unrequested or unsolicited information, it MUST notify the user in advance of the initial use of the application and obtain user's consent with the following statements.

3.13 Location

3.13.1 If the application uses, collects, transfers and/or transmits user's location information, it MUST notify the user prior to each use of the application and obtain user's consent with the following statements.

3.13.2 If the application uses, collects, transfers and/or transmits user's location information and shows or provides advertisements using user's location information, it MUST notify the user prior to each use of the application and obtain user's consent with the following statements.

3.13.3 If the application shows or provides advertisements using user's location information, it MUST notify the user prior to each use of the application and obtain user's consent with the following statements.

3.14 Advertisement

3.14.1 Any applications with advertisement containing the following contents will be rejected.

• - Any type of gratuitous displays of violence and abuse of humans and animals.
• - Any type of depictions of sex, pornography, pedophilia.
• - Any type of adult friend finders or dating sites with a sexual emphasis, adult toys, videos, or other adult products.
• - Any type of obscene, vulgar or inappropriate language.
• - Any type of defamatory, libelous, slanderous and/or unlawful content.
• - Any type of promotions and unnecessary references of alcohol, smoking and drug.
• - Any type of offensive references and discrimination towards humanity. (e.g. racial, political, ethnic, religious, gender-based, sexuality-based or personal)
• - Any type of overtly political communication.
• - Any form of illegal activity or their promotion.
• - Any type of illegal substance or activity sites with illegal, false or deceptive investment advice and money-making opportunities.
• - Any type of uncertified pharmaceutical products.
• - Any type of content reasonable public consensus seems to be improper or inappropriate.

3.15 Billing

3.15.1 The application MUST use the In-App-Purchase API to offer customers additional content or services within in application. (See bada In App Purchasing Guide, Android In App Purchasing Guide)

3.16 Game

3.16.1 Game must not include any lottery, betting or gaming elements which use or require real money, or which can transfer virtual money into real money or similar prizes where the player also risks losing money or valuables.

3.16.2 In Brazil, if the application has an age rating for all ages from ESRB or PEGI, the application can be published. For the next level of all ages, only such game applications that use the age rating from MJ/DEJUS are available.

3.16.3 In the case of an 18+ game application for the Korean market, only such game applications that use the age rating from GRB are available.

3.17 bada application requirement

3.17.1 When the bada application is created on the bada developer site, it gets a unique identifier that is saved into the application manifest file (manifest.xml). This unique identifier MUST be invariable.

3.17.2 You MUST provide a splash image when you register your application in Samsung Apps Seller Office. In case of an inappropriate splash image (such as a black screen or bada SDK default splash image), your application can be rejected.

3.17.3 The application MUST NOT use private or undocumented APIs.

3.17.4 Privilege groups that are used by the application MUST be properly specified in the manifest.xml file.

• - All the privilege groups that are used in the application MUST be declared in the manifest.xml file. Do not declare privilege groups that are not used.
• - If API's privilege group is changed in your application, you SHOULD re-specify the privilege groups and download a new manifest file.
• - You SHOULD NOT modify the manifest.xml file after downloading it from the developer site. All modifications should be performed on the bada developer site.

3.17.5 For handling location information, the following requirement MUST be followed.

• - To use the bada APIs in the Osp::Locations::Services namespace, you MUST add EULA of service provider which provides map data through bada API in application.
• - To use the bada APIs in the Osp::Locations::Services namespace for free application, you MUST obtain user's consent according to 3.13.2 and add advertisement of service provider which provides map data through bada API in application. You may refer to bada developer site for more information.
• - The application MUST NOT use the bada Location API for automatic or autonomous control of vehicles, aircrafts, vessels, or other mechanical devices.
• - If the application is designed for emergency, life-saving, medical, or security purposes and uses the bada Location API, the users MUST be informed that the location data might not be accurate.
• - If the application determines locations by collecting mobile device tracking information (such as a list of base stations or access points nearby) instead of using the bada location API, it MUST notify the users and obtain their consent.

3.18 Android application requirement

3.18.1 In the background, only specific functions can be executed. (audio playing, location, etc.)

3.18.2 If the application applies copy protection, it should use Zirconia, which is Samsung Apps' DRM solution.

3.19 Etc

3.19.1 Content with VoIP feature is only allowed in permitted countries:

Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Chile, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, South Korea, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia (Republic of), Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Vietnam

3.19.2 Content must not link to other application store.

3.19.3 Content must not provide automatic update. A revision request at Samsung Apps is required for content update.

4. Tips for certification

4.1 Comments to Certification Team

4.1.1 Leave testable ID and password for log-in features.

4.1.2 Leave updated contents or functions for revision or re-examination. By so doing, it helps save the time and effort of reviewers.

4.2 Information integrity

4.2.1 Retain the copyright holder's integrity.

4.2.2 If the application contains any copyrighted contents which are permitted from the copyright owner, please attach the certificate of contents to the seller office (attach materials for requesting certification) when submitting application.

4.3 Application reliability

4.3.1 Test your application on the target device through a remote test lab before submitting it to Samsung Apps. By so doing, the developer can see if the application can pass the Samsung Apps certification in advance.

4.3.2 If you need technical support, you can get helpful information from the Samsung Developer site.