India should allow mobile phones to delete pre-installed apps

India A plan is in the works to allow cell phone manufacturers to remove pre-installed apps. Bloatware.

In a document seen ReutersAlso read: New proposed security rules seek to mandate a review of major operating system updates

More control

The rules that India wants to impose will extend the launch time of cell phones in its market and lead to business losses.

Brands like Samsung, Xiaomi, Vivo and Apple could be the most affected.

According to a source from the Ministry of Technology and Information, the government maintains concerns about spying and misuse of user data.

“Pre-installed apps can be a security weakness and we want to ensure that no foreign country, including China, exploits them. It is a matter of national security,” the official added.

Bloatware to the limit

Many cell phone companies pre-install applications on their devices that cannot be removed later.

Under the new rules, smartphone makers will have to offer an uninstall option and a lab approved by the Indian Standards Institute will check new models for compliance.

The government is considering requiring that every major operating system update be evaluated before it is released to consumers.

The closed-door meeting was attended by representatives from Xiaomi, Samsung, Apple and Vivo, records show. The government has decided to give smartphone makers a year to comply with the rule once it comes into effect, the date for which is yet to be fixed.

Of course, the main concern is that it will take too long for the government agency to harm the brands’ earnings in the world’s so-called second technology market.

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