Slashdot Mirror
Microsoft Can Remotely Kill Purchased Apps
Meshach writes "The terms of service for Microsoft's newly launched Windows Store allows the seller to remotely kill or remove access to a user's apps for security or legal reasons. The story also notes that MS states purchasers are responsible for backing up the data that you store in apps that you acquire via the Windows Store, including content you upload using those apps. If the Windows Store, an app, or any content is changed or discontinued, your data could be deleted or you may not be able to retrieve data you have stored."
That may be the case, but I've never had Apple yank an app from my iPhone. Even an app that I purchased that Apple subsequently removed from the store for "violations". Still have it and I used it many many times since it was no longer "legit".
I have had Amazon delete a book I was in the middle of right off my Kindle (not in mid-read, when the kindle went to sleep). They did refund me, but that's not quite the point is it Amazon?
"This calls for a very special blend of psychology and extreme violence" - Vyvyan "The Young Ones"
And? So can apple.
On one hand, that is so off-topic that you and all the people modding you should be ashamed.
A SELLER of apps on the Apple store CAN NOT cause their app to be removed. At all.
Apple can. The seller CAN NOT.
Of course Microsoft can. The point here that you completely missed is that individual sellers using the store now have this ability.
As an iApp developer, I simply do NOT have any ability to do as you imply and remove an app from anyone's device but my own.
Only Apple can do that.
So you are all of wrong, off topic, mistaken, and completely missing the point.
2009: Your article talks about people being able to run the app still. The app which therefore hasn't been remote wiped. It doesn't work because the head-end it talks to was taken down. That was owned and run by the app vendor, not Apple. This is clearly not remote-kill; this is the risk of any head-end reliant app from any vendor anywhere. See also: http://www.pcworld.com/article/167383/update_apple_pulls_hottest_girls_porn_app_from_itunes.html?tk=rel_news
2010: Note the "Update: No" in http://www.razorianfly.com/2010/07/08/did-apple-just-use-the-ios-kill-switch/
See? We can both cherry pick random unsubstantiated Google search results.
TTBOMK there has been not one single verified, independently documented, uncontested example of a remote-kill on iOS. Numerous apps have been pulled from the store, though.