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Apple Can Remotely Disable iPhone Apps
mikesd81 writes "Engadget reports Apple has readied a blacklisting system which allows the company to remotely disable applications on your device. It seems the new 2.x firmware contains a URL which points to a page containing a list of 'unauthorized' apps — a move which suggests that the device makes occasional contact with Apple's servers to see if anything is amiss on your phone. Jonathan Zdziarski, the man who discovered this, explains, 'This suggests that the iPhone calls home once in a while to find out what applications it should turn off. At the moment, no apps have been blacklisted, but by all appearances, this has been added to disable applications that the user has already downloaded and paid for, if Apple so chooses to shut them down. I discovered this doing a forensic examination of an iPhone 3G. It appears to be tucked away in a configuration file deep inside CoreLocation.'" Update: 08/11 13:07 GMT by T : Reader gadgetopia writes with a small story at IT Wire, citing an interview in the Wall Street Journal, in which this remote kill-switch is "confirmed by Steve Jobs himself."
Can suck my dick.
Well, simply take the battery out, then it won't phone home.
Hey, fuck you. You can suck my dick as well.
Default deny means you've actually thought about security... My guess, i think they threw the blacklist in afterwards
Slashdot with the total Flame bait article that is not based in fact but FUD. Come on /. dont be a tool... your supposed to be more technical than this but instead you post up a bad/already debunked article...but instead of tagging this properly you give it more legs.
Nice. Even though nothing from the article is factual you still post it up.
Get over it. Apple isnt screwing over the phone users...as much as you want to think they are.
Watch as Apple becomes the powerhouse of phone makers. /. is such a fucking tool
. I love the sound of burning women and screaming rubber....
Do macs support unicode? I thought they had their own character set just to put TMs and (R) in the wrong places in magazines compared to either unicode or windows code page 1252.
That's nothing, I fuck plastic yoda dolls, shove them WAY up my hiney!
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What is becoming of /. lately? Instead of discussions of breaking news, all I am seeing is retreads of old stories.
OK.... Let's change this...
As for what they'll revoke, that's the bigger question. [Microsoft] has not shown to be particularly hostile towards the jailbreak community in the past; even if they could revoke it, I don't believe they will. The real test on this policy would be the NetShare application, it's an application [Microsoft] has ceased to allow post-release and if the revocation system were to be abused it would be the prime target. So far [Microsoft] has not revoked it, even though they've had ample time to do so.
So what do you think now? Hmmm, probably "bloody Microsoft yet again evil taking control.."
Oh, but's Apple, and this is good! Want to know why the PC prospered? Apple around the time of when it could have gone its way introduced an SDK development process where every developer who wanted to deliver something had to have a developer token. Without the blessing of Apple no go on Apple hardware! It annoyed many developers and the rest is history...
Don't believe? Do some historical checks...
What gets me is that Apple could be this stupid yet again. BTW did you know T-Mobile is going to be offering their own store as well? And they already said, anybody can write software for any phone and they will provide a distribution mechanism.
I am so glad I sold my Apple shares at 184.69...
"You can't make a race horse of a pig"
"No," said Samuel, "but you can make very fast pig"
Actually, you are wrong. I have a white iPhone 3G and downloaded, and ran an app called Palringo - a multi network instant messenger which worked great for a few days. Now, the app has been disabled remotely, as my provider, Rogers, does not approve. So, yes, they can remotely disable anything they want to.
They do not want IM to cut into their huge profits from text messaging...
Rogers Sucks.
I DON'T CARE! I want to play sooper monkey balls and I'll give you any personal information you want. I need to play with super mokey balls!!!1! Track me all day long - just give me Super Monkey Balls!