- An app that impersonated Google Chrome even appeared as a featured ad on Google Play.
- The software had previously been a game called Ball Bounce and changed its name and icon at the end of September.
- It accumulated more than 100.000 downloads and was removed after the controversy, without evidence of data theft or malware.
- The case calls into question the review filters and advertising within the Android store.
The story of a fake Chrome app that wasn't actually the official browser has brought Google Play's control mechanisms into sharp focus. The program appeared as a sponsored result when someone searched for Chrome, above the genuine app, and racked up over 100.000 downloads before being removed. The person behind it had paid for advertising to promote software that didn't even allow users to browse the internet.
The case is striking because it coincides with the announcement of new barriers to installing apps from outside the official store . Google argues that these measures strengthen Android's security against unverified developers. However, what happened within its own storefront raises doubts about the effectiveness of its reviews and how someone else's identity could have been used in an advertisement.
From a game called Ball Bounce to a copy of Chrome
According to Android Authority, the app first appeared on August 22nd under the name Ball Bounce. Its creator, Hizbartech, had listed it as a simple game. On September 30th, the listing changed completely: it adopted the name and icon of Google Chrome. This makeover passed Google Play's filters without, apparently, the impersonation being detected. By retaining its previous download history, the software was able to inherit existing downloads and avoid starting from scratch, a trick that spared it from going through the review process as a new app.
The file was 42 MB and rated for ages 3 and up. Users who tested it described a very different experience from a typical web browser: instead of loading web pages, it displayed a chat interface with AI avatars and pre-written responses. Furthermore, according to these accounts, it constantly displayed advertisements . There is no evidence that it stole passwords or installed malware, but it also remains unclear what it did with the information it could access.
A featured advertisement within the official store
The deception came to light when a Reddit user, u/nikhilchacko, searched for Chrome on Google Play and stumbled upon the copy. The fake app appeared as a sponsored suggestion, ahead of the genuine browser. To gauge the difference, one only needs to look at the official product's figures: over 10.000 billion downloads, a 4,2-star rating, and around 47 million reviews. Hizbartech's app, on the other hand, benefited from paid advertising to reach users' phones.
It's unknown how many people installed it thinking they were downloading the Google browser. The number of downloads also doesn't allow us to calculate how many actually opened it or used it regularly. What has been confirmed is that it was removed from Google Play. So far, there has been no official explanation as to how it was able to modify its listing and place an ad using a false identity. This lack of answers is precisely one of the most troubling aspects of the whole affair.
Fake apps: a problem that's not new
The impersonation of well-known services is not an isolated phenomenon. In the past , applications mimicking popular tools have been detected , some designed to steal banking credentials. Criminals also use websites that copy the appearance of the Play Store and methods to bypass Android's security measures. In this case, there is no indication that the fake Chrome used these techniques, but the incident serves as a reminder that simply passing the store's filters is no guarantee of safety .
Other research helps to understand the scale of the problem. A previous analysis located 239 malicious apps on Google Play that, collectively, had accumulated 42 million downloads. They didn't all behave the same way, although many managed to reach millions of devices despite the controls. With the measures announced in August, installing software from unverified developers from external sources will require additional checks. Google maintains that this will improve Android security , but the case of the fake Chrome leaves two questions unanswered: how a game transformed into a copy of the browser and how it managed to pay the store itself to advertise that copy.
The incident leaves a trail of deception, advertising, and insufficient review. An app that started as Ball Bounce rebranded in late September, adopting the Chrome look and feel, bypassed security checks, promoted itself as a top result, and racked up over 100.000 downloads before disappearing. While there's no evidence of data theft or malware, questions remain about Google Play's filters, in-store advertising, and how easily an unauthorized entity can infiltrate the Android ecosystem. More than just an isolated incident, this story highlights a pressing challenge for mobile security.