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India Orders Apple to Preinstall Government Security App on All iPhones
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India has 1.4 BILLION people. That market is huge for them.
India doesn’t have supermarkets, instead millions of sole traders. Every other Asian country has a Spar or 7-11 network. Why?
India will not let multi nationals in to reap their profits in return for no advantage. It will not allow an Walmart to happen where every shop in a ten mile radius closes in favour of a centralised bargain store.
Apple can only operate in India with the permission of the government and for that there has to be ying and yang. In this case Apple gets to sell iPhone, ying, it’s also set up a factory in India, that’s the yang.
Apple’s response will be interesting to watch. Modi’s government will be happy to exclude Apple from the market if there is non compliance. Of that I have no doubt.
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Even China didn't ask for such things, they just ask apple to move their user data to China and that's all. No key provided or back doors are implemented. It's genuinely scary when the big brother is watching you.
India is requiring smartphone makers like Apple and Samsung to preload devices sold in the country with a state-owned cyber security app that can't be deleted, reports Reuters.
The Department of Communications in India is giving smartphone companies 90 days to begin preinstalling the Sanchar Saathi government app on all new devices that are sold. It has also requested that manufacturers push software updates to devices that are already in the supply chain.
Users are supposed to be informed of the app at the first use or when the device is set up, and the app's feature set is not able to be turned off or restricted.
India is aiming to cut down on fraud and cyber crime, and the app is supposedly meant to provide additional security to smartphone users while also informing them about government initiatives. It is able to verify the authenticity of IMEIs to prevent stolen devices from being used with duplicate or spoofed identifiers.
A website for the app says that it lets users report suspected fraud, block and track lost or stolen devices from being used, verify the authenticity of a device, report international spam calls, and verify telephone numbers. The app includes detailed tracking functionality controlled by the government, so there are privacy and security implications for iPhone users.
The majority of smartphone users in India have Android devices, and it's a market that Apple is trying to expand in. Apple has not acquiesced to a government request for a fully preloaded iPhone app, so it will presumably find a way around India's mandate. Counterpoint Research told Reuters that Apple will likely negotiate for a middle ground, such as informing users of the app rather than preinstalling it.
Russia has a similar preinstall mandate for government-approved apps. During setup, iPhones in Russia have a prompt suggesting users install the apps, but opting out is possible.
Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
Article Link: India Orders Apple to Preinstall Government Security App on All iPhones
Singapore is one of the richest country (high GDP per capita) on earth, learn your geography American!
While there may be some good intent lying behind the proposal, I can't help but agree with this article:
"Why Sanchar Saathi is a state-owned surveillance app that Indian users don’t need"
www.thehindu.com
The current rightwing Government earlier tried to, and even built a database of citizens by linking Phone numbers and Aadhaar identity cards that can potentially be used for surveillance. They bought Iraeli software to hack into journalists and opposition's iPhones. Now this.. I hope Apple pushes back and protects the user's privacy.
"Why Sanchar Saathi is a state-owned surveillance app that Indian users don’t need"
Why Sanchar Saathi is a state-owned surveillance app that Indian users don’t need
The Indian government’s decision to mandate the Sanchar Saathi application on every smartphone sold or activated in the country marks a significant and worrisome shift
The current rightwing Government earlier tried to, and even built a database of citizens by linking Phone numbers and Aadhaar identity cards that can potentially be used for surveillance. They bought Iraeli software to hack into journalists and opposition's iPhones. Now this.. I hope Apple pushes back and protects the user's privacy.