Apple confirms remote iPhone 'kill switch'

www.telegraph.co.uk

Steve Jobs, Apple's chief executive, has confirmed there is a 'kill switch' built into the iPhone that allows Apple to remotely delete malicious or inappropriate applications stored on the device.

His admission comes days after a software developer found a line of secret code buried in the iPhone's operating system. The code seemed to suggest Apple was keeping a 'blacklist' of applications it did not want iPhone users to have access to.

iPhone and iPod touch owners are able to install additional software on their devices purchased from the Apple Application Store. It means they can customise their device to suit their needs, installing games or useful programs, many of them free, such as language translators, currency converters and travel guides.

However, Mr Jobs insisted that the so-called 'kill switch' was there as a precaution, rather than a function that was routinely used.

(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 11-8-2008 by gb540]

So beyond an obvious trojan app etc, what's to define "malicious or inappropriate"?

Gotta wonder if certain agencies have their eyes on this as well....

A precaution against what exactly Mr Jobs? Your technology becoming self-aware and rising up to be our mechanical oppressors?


I understand a companies want to perhaps keep a lid on software that would replicate things they sell for free, but c'mon now.

It's a precaution for when Martial Law takes place and the government kills consumer communication devices.

I think Fruitphone is a cool phone, but boy do it lack some things.

The killswitch is something I never really thought they would have, however, I am not surprised.

Fruit seems to wanna have total control over their fruit users.
For instance, you can't switch batteries without sending it to a repair shop licensed by Fruit. You can only get your apps from FruitTunes. FruitPods....needs FruitTunes. FruitPhone....needs FruitTunes.
Even if you just gonna send over some mp3's to your gadget you need to use...what?...that's right... FruitTunes.

To me this suggest: Control.
I am not sure if Steve Fruit want this kill switch to be able to search for illigal apps or not, or if they believe that the FruitPhone is so advanced so you can take over the world with it ( which I strongly doubt ), who knows.

But in the end of the day, I am glad I chose HTC Touch Diamond as my phone. Atleast that one doesn't have to have a kill switch. It crashes by itself from time to time. Very convenient

[edit on 11-8-2008 by Akezzon]