The Indian government has decided to abandon its plan to require Apple and other smartphone manufacturers to pre-install a state-owned security app on their devices. Initially, the government had directed companies like Apple and Samsung to include the Sanchar Saathi app, which could not be deleted and raised privacy concerns due to its tracking capabilities. Apple had already expressed its refusal to comply with such mandates. Following consultations with industry stakeholders, the Indian IT ministry announced that it would not proceed with this requirement. This decision is part of a larger trend, as the government has repeatedly attempted to mandate the pre-installation of state apps on smartphones over the past two years, facing consistent opposition from the industry. The Sanchar Saathi app remains available for voluntary download from the App Store, but there will be no obligation for it to be pre-installed on new devices or pushed to existing iPhones through updates.
Why did India abandon its plan to preinstall a state app on iPhones?
