Cyber ​​Safety App: In a major step, the Indian government has directed all smartphone companies to sell their new phones only by pre-installing a state-run cyber security app. This app cannot be deleted and this can become a problem for tech companies, especially Apple.
Every new phone will have non-removable Sanchar Saathi app
According to the government order issued on November 28, all major companies like Samsung, Apple, Xiaomi, Vivo, Oppo will have to ensure within the next 90 days that every new phone comes in the market with the Sanchar Saathi app. This app will be compulsorily sent through software update on the phones which have already been sent to the supply chain. This order was not made public but was sent privately to selected companies.
Why did the government consider this step necessary?
According to the government, cyber attacks on the telecom sector and crimes related to duplication of IMEI numbers are increasing rapidly. By using duplicate or spoofed IMEI numbers, scammers commit fraud, misuse networks and make tracing difficult. Sanchar Saathi app helps prevent these problems.
Through the app, users can block stolen or lost mobile, check IMEI number, report suspicious calls, track the phone from the central registry. According to government data, since January the app has helped in locating more than 7 lakh lost phones and in October alone, 50,000 phones were recovered.
Why is Apple in the biggest trouble?
Apple generally does not allow any third-party or government apps to be pre-installed on its iPhones. According to their policy, pre-loading any external app before selling the phone is prohibited. Apple has rejected such requests before. According to Reuters report, Taron Pathak of Counterpoint Research says that Apple may try to find a middle ground by not directly following this order, such as only showing a prompt to users to install the app, instead of preloading it. This will be easy to implement for Android phone manufacturers like Samsung, Xiaomi, Vivo as it is possible to add system-level apps to Android.
How effective is Sanchar Saathi app?
The government figures are quite impressive:
- more than 50 lakh downloads
- More than 37 lakh stolen/lost phones blocked
- More than 3 crore fake mobile connections stopped
- Sales of fake phones reduced in black market
The government claims that this step will strengthen cyber security and make access easier for criminals.
How will it affect you?
The app will not cause any problem for normal users.
Advantages:
- Block your phone immediately if it is stolen
- IMEI and call verification feature
- Protection from cyber fraud
But privacy activists and brands like Apple may consider it an interference in user freedom.
Also read:
What is SIM Binding? WhatsApp-Telegram users are going to get a big shock, know the whole story
