India's telecom ministry has issued a private order to major phone manufacturers requiring them to preload their new devices with a state-owned cybersecurity app. The app, called Sanchar Saathi, cannot be deleted and is expected to antagonize tech giants like Apple.
As part of efforts to tackle rising cybercrime and hacking, India is joining the likes of Russia in implementing rules that block the use of stolen phones for scams or promoting government-backed apps. Companies including Samsung, Vivo, Oppo, and Xiaomi are bound by this new order, with Apple being one of the most affected due to its previous disputes with the telecom regulator over a similar anti-spam app.
The 28 November order gives manufacturers 90 days to ensure Sanchar Saathi is pre-installed on all new mobile phones. Existing devices will be updated via software patches. The app's purpose is mainly to help users track and disconnect lost or stolen smartphones across all telecom networks, using a central registry.
Critics have expressed concern over the move, with one lawyer stating that it removes user consent as a meaningful choice. Privacy advocates have drawn parallels with Russia's similar requirement for a state-backed messenger app in August, which was also criticized. The government claims Sanchar Saathi helps prevent cyber threats and assists tracking and blocking of lost or stolen phones, while keeping counterfeits out of the black market.
The move has significant implications, particularly given Apple's dominance in India with an estimated 4.5% of the smartphone market. According to industry research firm Counterpoint, Apple's internal policies prohibit installing government or third-party apps before sale of a smartphone. A middle ground is likely the only option for tech giants like Apple, who may negotiate for an app-installation option rather than mandatory pre-installation.
As part of efforts to tackle rising cybercrime and hacking, India is joining the likes of Russia in implementing rules that block the use of stolen phones for scams or promoting government-backed apps. Companies including Samsung, Vivo, Oppo, and Xiaomi are bound by this new order, with Apple being one of the most affected due to its previous disputes with the telecom regulator over a similar anti-spam app.
The 28 November order gives manufacturers 90 days to ensure Sanchar Saathi is pre-installed on all new mobile phones. Existing devices will be updated via software patches. The app's purpose is mainly to help users track and disconnect lost or stolen smartphones across all telecom networks, using a central registry.
Critics have expressed concern over the move, with one lawyer stating that it removes user consent as a meaningful choice. Privacy advocates have drawn parallels with Russia's similar requirement for a state-backed messenger app in August, which was also criticized. The government claims Sanchar Saathi helps prevent cyber threats and assists tracking and blocking of lost or stolen phones, while keeping counterfeits out of the black market.
The move has significant implications, particularly given Apple's dominance in India with an estimated 4.5% of the smartphone market. According to industry research firm Counterpoint, Apple's internal policies prohibit installing government or third-party apps before sale of a smartphone. A middle ground is likely the only option for tech giants like Apple, who may negotiate for an app-installation option rather than mandatory pre-installation.
... I mean, what's next? Forcing us to watch those ads every time we try to update our OS? 
Anyway, it's cool that India is trying to beef up its cybersecurity game, but isn't this just an opportunity for tech giants like Apple to get a free ad space on their phones? 
And what's the deal with this 'user consent' thing? Can we still delete the app if we want to? 
Meanwhile, the rest of us are just over here thinking "Uh, what about my freedom to choose apps? 
Can I still install Google Maps on my new Samsung?" 
Guess that's up for debate...
. And Apple's whole thing about not installing anything before sale is actually kinda smart, you know? They're trying to protect their users and maintain that middle ground 
. Can't we just have a choice here instead of being forced into something that feels like government control 
?
. I'm not saying it's bad for user safety, but can't they find a better way to do it without messing with user consent and freedom? It just feels like an overreach to me 
. It's like back in dial up days when everyone had AOL and you cant even remove it 
. Now its about India trying to tackle cybercrime, but isnt this just gonna make users paranoid? My aunt was so annoyed with her old phone having that bloatware on it, now they want us to have another one 
.
. its like they want us to be locked into their ecosystem, you know? and whats with all these state-backed cybersecurity apps? dont get me wrong, i'm all for online safety and security... but when does it go too far? 90 days is a pretty short notice, like what if companies cant come up with an app thats good enough in that time frame 
. and what about the users? do we really want some government-approved app on our phone tracking our every move? its like they're trying to sell us out... Apple's gonna have to push back hard on this one, i hope 
Cybercrime and hacking are serious issues and India's taking steps to tackle it. But at the same time, we gotta think about user consent and privacy... 90 days might seem like a long time, but how many of us even read the fine print on our phone agreements anyway? 
Think about how this new cybersecurity app could change the way we use our phones...
It's like, I know the idea behind Sanchar Saathi sounds helpful, but who gets to decide if an app can be deleted or not? 
i get why they wanna keep us safe from cyber threats but can't we just have an option to choose whether or not we want the app installed? 
.
. I just hope that some kind of middle ground is found, maybe an app-installation option instead of mandatory pre-load? 