Apple Faces Potential Legal Threat From Indian Regulator Over Noncompliance With Anti-Spam iPhone App

[sidewinder3000]

It is sad that the Indian government is prioritizing, probably for political purposes, the ability to eliminate spam phone calls over user privacy. As with most things in a capitalist democracy, the end-user should have a choice. If a customer in India would rather buy an iPhone and maintain greater control over their personal information, even if it means a little bit more spam, that should be their choice.

These extreme, string arm measures that the Indian government seems to be implementing on a more frequent basis don’t reflect very well on them.
[doublepost=1533851891][/doublepost]

Exactly, fans rather conveniently forget or show blissfully unaware attitudes to what Apple and the Chinese government have agreed.

I find it utterly laughable Apple thought writing a letter telling a foreign government to change its mind would work! This will go to court and Apple phones will be blocked from use in India till it’s resolved, this is the government of the land, not Samsung in the US.
[doublepost=1533851639][/doublepost]

Please explain what you mean by ‘use them as smartphones are meant’..... for all I know you could be claiming that those in India are thick and stupid and don’t know how to use a smartphone? Which would be racist and derogatory.
So what exactly do you mean?

Do you honestly think that Apple thought that a letter would change everything? That belief itself is laughable. It is a PR tactic. One of dozens of strategies they are employing to try to achieve their means.

 

[Aniruddh]

It is sad that the Indian government is prioritizing, probably for political purposes, the ability to eliminate spam phone calls over user privacy. As with most things in a capitalist democracy, the end-user should have a choice. If a customer in India would rather buy an iPhone and maintain greater control over their personal information, even if it means a little bit more spam, that should be their choice.

These extreme, string arm measures that the Indian government seems to be implementing on a more frequent basis don’t reflect very well on them.
[doublepost=1533851891][/doublepost]
Do you honestly think that Apple thought that a letter would change everything? That belief itself is laughable. It is a PR tactic. One of dozens of strategies they are employing to try to achieve their means.

You probably haven't read the article I posted a few posts before. Let me quote what TRAI chief said:

Defending the DND app, Sharma today said that it did not ask for access to all call logs, but rather allows the users to share only details of unsolicited calls or messages.

“Unnecessarily, people are given an impression that our app is asking for wholesale permission to access contacts and call logs...,” Sharma said.

 

[apolloa]

It is sad that the Indian government is prioritizing, probably for political purposes, the ability to eliminate spam phone calls over user privacy. As with most things in a capitalist democracy, the end-user should have a choice. If a customer in India would rather buy an iPhone and maintain greater control over their personal information, even if it means a little bit more spam, that should be their choice.

These extreme, string arm measures that the Indian government seems to be implementing on a more frequent basis don’t reflect very well on them.
[doublepost=1533851891][/doublepost]
Do you honestly think that Apple thought that a letter would change everything? That belief itself is laughable. It is a PR tactic. One of dozens of strategies they are employing to try to achieve their means.

Don’t turn it around onto me. And Apples tactics will fail, it’s not the US where they can throw money at senators to get what they want.. or go to favourable courts.

 

[code-m]

Hmm. Government agency asking for broad access to its citizens calls and texts in the guise of anti-spam? What could possibly go wrong?

NSA 2.0 the polite version initially

 

[sidewinder3000]

You probably haven't read the article I posted a few posts before. Let me quote what TRAI chief said:

That is interesting. But if that were to be true, then why would Apple, who obviously understands the precise technical requirements of what is being asked, be resisting? They have all the incentive in the world to please the Indian government, because they are trying to gain traction in that country. Why would Apple not be cooperating, unless they’re really our privacy concerns?
[doublepost=1533862060][/doublepost]

Don’t turn it around onto me. And Apples tactics will fail, it’s not the US where they can throw money at senators to get what they want.. or go to favourable courts.

I’m not turning anything onto you. But it is a bit naïve for you to believe that Apple thinks a mere letter is all that’s needed to bend the will of the Indian government. They are a sophisticated company and they are obviously doing many things behind the scenes that you and I are unaware of. It’s always more productive to stick to facts and avoid wild speculation and broad judgments.

 

[apolloa]

That is interesting. But if that were to be true, then why would Apple, who obviously understands the precise technical requirements of what is being asked, be resisting? They have all the incentive in the world to please the Indian government, because they are trying to gain traction in that country. Why would Apple not be cooperating, unless they’re really our privacy concerns?
[doublepost=1533862060][/doublepost]
I’m not turning anything onto you. But it is a bit naïve for you to believe that Apple thinks a mere letter is all that’s needed to bend the will of the Indian government. They are a sophisticated company and they are obviously doing many things behind the scenes that you and I are unaware of. It’s always more productive to stick to facts and avoid wild speculation and broad judgments.

I think Apple are being the naive ones, and I am sticking to the facts, your the one speculating they are doing things behind the scenes and stating they haven’t just written a letter.

 

[neutralguy]

If Apple did not provide this kind of feature to anyone in the world then they should not give to TRAI either. I get junk calls in the US as well and I just keep blocking them. My blocked number list is in the 100s.

On my s8, it informs me whether the call is a spam caller or not. I don't pick up the phone, if it flashes spam caller.
[doublepost=1533874259][/doublepost]

India’s end game is to eavesdrop on every citizen. No other country in the world is requiring a special app installed on every single phone in the name of preventing “spam.”

The country has the lowest household income out of all G20 countries. Apple isn’t making money in the country. It shouldn’t lower its privacy standards when it’s neither making money nor a difference in privacy.

Apple can focus on India again in 20 years when the country’s poverty rates aren’t as high and the U.S. Department of State doesn’t have a warning webpage against visiting the country due to rape.

Have you send your resume to Tim Cook?

 

[Aniruddh]

Have you send your resume to Tim Cook?

He is a known India basher. He will jump on every India related thread and throw the curse words, that's what his job is.

 

[Solomani]

If Apple did not provide this kind of feature to anyone in the world then they should not give to TRAI either. I get junk calls in the US as well and I just keep blocking them. My blocked number list is in the 100s.

But can you imagine how much more phone-spam the average Indian consumer gets? It's like the frequent email with the Nigerian Prince. Really, they must get it so much, it's so maddening, that their own Government had to step in and do something.

 

[mingravity]

On my s8, it informs me whether the call is a spam caller or not. I don't pick up the phone, if it flashes spam caller.
[doublepost=1533874259][/doublepost]
Have you send your resume to Tim Cook?

prolly multiple times, spam filtered. lol

 

[BvizioN]

The irony of India complaining about spam calls is not lost on me.

Exactly! One of the top 10 world epicentre of scammers.

 

[Spendlove]

What???

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Europe

EDIT: oh wait, you are from the UK. That explains a lot... so the "51st state" wants to teach Europeans about European geography...

51st State?! Sorry. We do not want anything to do with our misfiring colony with Trumpenfuhrer in charge over there. They are on their own until he is out.

As for the phone situation in India, do not give in or build in an encrypted version into the iPhone itself that weeds out unsolicited calls or simply blocks all calls NOT in your phone book.

 

[sidewinder3000]

I think Apple are being the naive ones, and I am sticking to the facts, your the one speculating they are doing things behind the scenes and stating they haven’t just written a letter.

Face palm.

 

[Septembersrain]

India: We want the ability to block spam!

Apple: No!

China: We want the keys to the cloud and ability to censor everything.

Apple: Sure!



*Tim laughs while dancing in a money tornado machine*

 

[killhippie]

What???

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Europe

EDIT: oh wait, you are from the UK. That explains a lot... so the "51st state" wants to teach Europeans about European geography...

It’s called Eastern Europe there is no ‘the’ unlike in a sentence which says something like “The most annoying reply I’ve had on MacRumours” The use of “the” in that example is absolutely fine.