India Mandates Preinstalled Government App on Phones
▼ Summary
– India’s government has ordered phone manufacturers to pre-install the state-owned Sanchar Saathi app on new devices and push it to existing ones via updates within 90 days.
– The order, sent to major companies like Apple, Samsung, Vivo, Oppo, and Xiaomi, would make the app mandatory and prevent users from disabling or deleting it.
– The Sanchar Saathi app, already available on app stores, features tools for blocking and tracking lost or stolen phones and reporting suspected fraud messages.
– This move follows a similar action by Russia, which required phone makers to preload a state-backed messenger app called Max.
– Apple and Google have growing business interests in India, with Apple hitting record sales and both increasing local manufacturing, but neither immediately commented on the order.
India’s telecommunications authority has issued a new directive requiring smartphone makers to preload a government-developed application on all devices sold in the country. Manufacturers, including major global brands, have been given a 90-day window to implement this mandate, which also involves pushing the app to existing phones via over-the-air software updates. This move represents a significant shift in how the government aims to ensure widespread adoption of its digital safety tools.
The order was reportedly communicated privately to companies like Apple, Samsung, Vivo, Oppo, and Xiaomi on November 28th. The app in question, called Sanchar Saathi, is designed to help users block and track lost or stolen devices using their unique IMEI numbers and to report suspected fraudulent text messages. While the application is already available for voluntary download on official app stores, the new rule makes its installation compulsory and prevents users from disabling or uninstalling it.
This policy follows a similar mandate enacted by Russia earlier this year, which required preloading a state-backed messaging application. The Indian directive underscores a growing trend among governments to leverage mandatory software on consumer electronics for public policy objectives, particularly in areas like cybersecurity and fraud prevention.
The smartphone market in India is vast and growing, making this a consequential order for the industry. Apple recently reported record quarterly sales in the region, underscoring the market’s importance. Other tech giants, including Google, have also expanded their direct sales and local manufacturing operations within the country. The financial and operational impact of complying with this new software requirement on these companies remains to be seen, as neither Apple nor Google provided immediate comment on the directive.
For consumers, the change means that every new phone purchased will come with the Sanchar Saathi app already installed. The government’s goal is to enhance device security and combat telecom-related fraud by ensuring the tool is universally accessible and permanently active on handsets.
(Source: The Verge)
