BySiladitya Ray,
Forbes Staff.
Apple is reportedly refusing to comply with an Indian government order directing all smartphone manufacturers and importers to preload a government-run cyber safety app that cannot be disabled on devices sold in the country, Reuters reported on Tuesday, after news of the directive triggered concerns about privacy and government surveillance.
In a directive issued on Monday, India’s Ministry of Communications mandated that the government’s “Sanchar Saathi” must be preinstalled on all new smartphones sold in India within 90 days.
The order also requires phonemakers to push a software update to install the app on “devices that have already been manufactured and are in sales channels in India.”
