Apple Stands Firm: India’s Government Retreats on App Preinstallation Demand

India Reverses Decision to Preload State-Backed App on Smartphones

In a surprising turn of events, the Indian government has decided to backtrack on its initial directive to smartphone manufacturers to preload a state-backed app on all devices in the region. This decision came just days after reports surfaced that Apple was planning to defy the order.

The app in question, Sanchar Saathi, is managed by India’s Department of Telecommunications and offers features for locating and blocking lost or stolen phones using their IMEI numbers. While the app is already available for download on major app stores, the government’s mandate would have required manufacturers to preinstall it on all devices and prevent users from uninstalling it.

The Ministry of Communications in India made the announcement of the policy reversal on Wednesday, emphasizing that Sanchar Saathi is a secure tool designed to protect citizens from cyber threats.

Despite not directly addressing the criticism and privacy concerns surrounding the initial order, the statement cited the growing popularity of voluntary app downloads as the reason for the change in approach. The government stated, “Given Sanchar Saathi’s increasing acceptance, [the] Government has decided not to make the pre-installation mandatory for mobile manufacturers.”

Apple has yet to respond to requests for comments on the matter.