News has come out today via iPhone Atlas that Apple developer/writer Jonathan Zdziarski has discovered code within the iPhone 2.0.x software which allows it to “phone home.”
When it does, its going to a URL which seems to check a list of blacklisted apps. Zdziarski surmises that Apple could use this to kill apps remotely, which might also entail their removal from the device without user interaction.
This is highly inappropriate, in my opinion. There is no need for this, especially considering Apple already pours through every application before it gets into the App Store. Why do they need to essentially add what amounts to spyware after the fact?
Larry Dignan at ZDNet looks at it from a risk-reward perspective and seems to take the side of Apple. While I can see Larry’s point, it doesn’t justify allowing Apple to essentially snoop on its users. If they’re phoning home for this, what else could they be watching?
Olga Karif over at Newsweek says it gives her flashbacks to “1984.” She questions why something like this is needed, and I do too. The security excuse is a bunch of malarkey if you ask me. It’s just Apple needing to control everything from top to bottom, and I gotta say I’m tiring of it.
If Microsoft did this, the you-know-what would hit the fan. But instead, a lot of folks seem to be saying, oh its okay. That makes no sense to me at all. What’s different if Cupertino’s doing it than Redmond? Either way, “phoning home” is something I’m always leery about.
