The Indian government issued a mandate that intends to force smartphone companies like Apple and Samsung to preinstall a state-run security app called ‘Sanchar Saathi’ on phones sold in the region. The companies have 90 days to comply.
But Reuters reports Apple intends to refuse the order and will not install the app on iPhones. The company will tell the Indian government that it does not comply with such orders in any market in which it participates, due to the associated security and privacy risks.
Of course, Apple may not be able to resist the government directive indefinitely, but it is significant that it is fighting rather than quietly conforming. We’ll have to wait and see how this plays out.
Not only would the Sanchar Saathi app be pre-installed, an interpretation of the order suggests that the government also intends the app to be un-deletable by users.
The app in question, Sanchar Saathi, is already available to users if they choose to download it from the App Store. It enables users to report lost or stolen handsets, and can trigger carrier requests to block the IMEI number. It also contains a facility to report scam or fraudulent phone calls.
The government ostensibly wants to increase the distribution of the app to help fight crime, as criminals often clone or spoof valid IMEI numbers onto stolen phones. The main opposition political party says the mandate is unconstitutional.
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