In a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal, Steve Jobs confirmed that Apple did indeed build a remote iPhone application disabling feature into the iPhone’s Mac OS. The remote application disabling feature has been referred to as the “Blacklist” feature because it allows the iPhone to connect to Apple’s servers to check for any unauthorized apps installed on the iPhone.
Upon finding a “blacklisted” application installed on the iPhone, the feature would allow Apple to remotely disable to application. The “Blacklist” feature has drawn criticism for stepping over the bounds of privacy, but Steve Jobs says that Apple will only use the feature when warranted.
Says Jobs, “Hopefully we never have to pull that lever, but we would be irresponsible not to have a lever like that to pull.”
If Apple holds off on flexing their remote iPhone application muscle and applies it only for malicious applications, we shouldn’t have any problems.
[Via: WSJ]