A new Indian government directive will force Apple and other smartphone makers to pre-install a state-owned “cyber safety” app before the devices are sold to Indian customers. The app, which would allow the government to track users, must also be made uninstallable by users.
Current smartphone owners won’t be left out of the privacy purge, as the Indian Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is also requiring the app be pushed to existing smartphones via a software update.
Reuters reports that the November 28 order gives smartphone companies a 90 day deadline to begin pre-installing the Sanchar Saathi app on new mobile phones before they are sold to customers. The app must also be protected against deletion by users. Devices that are already in the supply chain or that have already been sold must also have the app installed via an involuntary software update.
While the Indian government is framing the new app as a way to help users recover their lost or stolen smartphones, it would also allow the government to track all smartphone, which means there are severe privacy implications for device users.
The Indian government says the app, which launched in January, has helped recover 700,000+ lost phones since it’s launch.
India Express reports the DoT has also dictated that end-to-end encrypted messaging apps like WhatsApp link link the user to the unique IMSI (International Mobile Subscriber Identity) of their device’s SIM cards. The IMSI can be used to identify a cellular subscriber.
The Indian government does not allow SIMs to be purchased without first showing identification, which means the government would be able to determine the identity of encrypted messaging users.
Apple is expected to push back against these directives, likely attempting to convince the Indian government to instead offer the tracking app as an option to users during device setup.
If Apple is unable to convince the government to make installation of the app as optional but encourage, it will be forced to bow to the government’s wishes. Apple has eventually bowed to privacy-violating government regulations in the past.
In April 2024, China banned the WhatsApp, Signal, Threads, and Telegram apps from the iPhone App Store.
Apple has also in the past removed VPN apps from the Chinese and Russian App Stores when forced to do so.
