Apple Can Kill iPhone Apps
August 12, 2008 | by Christopher Nickson
Steve Jobs has confirmed rumors that Apple can remove applications from users' iPhones — although there's a good reason, he claims.
In an interview published yesterday in The Wall Street Journal, Apple boss Steve Jobs confirmed that Apple has the ability to remove applications from users’ iPhones. However, he insists, it’s all for the good and would only be used in extreme circumstances – if, for example, the company inadvertently sold a malicious program through it’s App Store.
"Hopefully, we never have to pull that lever, but we would be irresponsible not to have a lever like that to pull," he told the newspaper.
Rumors about such a program had been circulating since hacker Jonathan Zdziarski discovered something in the iPhone that checks in with an Apple web page to see if any applications should be removed, according to Information Week. Until the WSJ interview Apple had refused to discuss the matter, which had raised concerns among privacy advocates.
Apple hasn’t used its power yet, but it has pulled some apps from its store, notably Nullriver’s NetShare, which allowed the iPhone to Web access to a PC, and I Am Rich, which cost $999.99 and simply displayed a glowing red gem. But, Jobs said, the App Store has been a great success, selling over $30 million in software, and with over 60 million apps downloaded.
Post Your Comment...Comments
Jake in LA on Aug 12th, 2008 at 12:50 PM:
I wonder if Apple isn't the only phone provider that has this ability.
Mr L on Aug 12th, 2008 at 6:05 PM:
Apple has no business holding this card. A pop-up offering the removal of malware if it's detected is as far as I would be willing to see this go. Either I own my phone or I don't.
Mike Croucher on Aug 13th, 2008 at 5:47 AM:
If a kill switch exists then I guess it could be hacked. So, in principle, there is a method by which anyone could remove an arbitrary application from everyone's iphone and this was built in by design!
Scary!
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Stantheman on Aug 12th, 2008 at 7:10 AM:
I do not like that Apple can have access to my phone at any time whatsoever. It may be for the better good, but that's for me to decide not him.