New Delhi, Dec 2: Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Tuesday said users will be free to delete the Sanchar Saathi app even if it comes pre-installed on their smartphones, as political criticism over the government order intensified. The Department of Telecom has directed device makers to preload the fraud-reporting app on all new phones and install it through software updates on existing handsets within 90 days.
“All mobile users can decide whether they want to keep the app or remove it,” Scindia said, adding that many citizens are still unaware of tools that help them report fraud and theft. “If you want to delete it, then delete it. If you don’t want to register, then don’t register. If you register, it will remain active; if you don’t, it will remain inactive,” he directly said.
All manufacturers must report compliance to the DoT within 120 days.
The minister’s remarks came as multiple sources said Apple would resist the mandate and convey its objections to New Delhi. Two industry sources familiar with the company’s position said Apple does not follow such preloading orders anywhere in the world because they pose “privacy and security issues” for its iOS ecosystem. “It’s not only like taking a sledgehammer, this is like a double-barrel gun,” one of the sources said.
A second source said Apple will not take the matter to court but would tell the government it “can’t do this. Period,” due to security vulnerabilities the mandate introduces. The move comes as Apple is already in a legal dispute with the Competition Commission of India over an antitrust penalty, where it has warned it could face fines of up to $38 billion.
Other brands, including Samsung, are reviewing the order, an industry source said. According to sources, the directive was issued without prior consultation with mobile manufacturers.
