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Steve Jobs confirms application
By siliconindia
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Thursday, 14 August 2008, 21:42 IST
Bangalore: Steve Jobs, Chief Executive, Apple has admitted that a mechanism exists within the iPhone that enables the company to unilaterally remove software from the iPhone.
Jobs said that the mechanism will bar any malicious program to be sold by the App store. Prior to this, Jonathan Zdziarski, a hacker discovered the mechanism on the iPhone that downloads a list of unauthorized applications from Apple. It created a lot of speculation as the technology is termed as an application "kill switch." This program can steal users' personal data.
According to Jobs, the mechanism is necessary if the company unknowingly sells any unauthorized program. "Hopefully, we never have to pull that lever, but we would be irresponsible not to have a lever like that to pull," he added.
Apple earlier refused to discuss about the application. But Zdziarski's discovery raised concern among the techies regarding the privacy. "The idea that Apple can choose what functionality my applications should have frightens me," Zdziarski said. Apple is yet to deactivate any iPhone applications remotely. However, the company has been criticized for removing applications from the App Store such as Nullriver's NetShare, which makes it possible for iPhone customers to use their high-speed Internet connections to provide Web access to a PC.
