Apple Can Kill iPhone Apps

August 12, 2008 By Digital Trends Staff

Steve Jobs has confirmed rumors that Apple can remove applications from users' iPhones — although there's a good reason, he claims.

In an interview published yesterday in The Wall Street Journal, Apple boss Steve Jobs confirmed that Apple has the ability to remove applications from users’ iPhones. However, he insists, it’s all for the good and would only be used in extreme circumstances – if, for example, the company inadvertently sold a malicious program through it’s App Store.

"Hopefully, we never have to pull that lever, but we would be irresponsible not to have a lever like that to pull," he told the newspaper.

Rumors about such a program had been circulating since hacker Jonathan Zdziarski discovered something in the iPhone that checks in with an Apple web page to see if any applications should be removed, according to Information Week. Until the WSJ interview Apple had refused to discuss the matter, which had raised concerns among privacy advocates.

Apple hasn’t used its power yet, but it has pulled some apps from its store, notably Nullriver’s NetShare, which allowed the iPhone to Web access to a PC, and I Am Rich, which cost $999.99 and simply displayed a glowing red gem. But, Jobs said, the App Store has been a great success, selling over $30 million in software, and with over 60 million apps downloaded.

Showing 5 comments

Michael at 2:28am 21st July 2010 Did Apple ever remove Netshare from iPhones?
Mike Croucher at 5:47am 13th August 2008 If a kill switch exists then I guess it could be hacked. So, in principle, there is a method by which anyone could remove an arbitrary application from everyone's iphone and this was built in by design!

Scary!
Mr L at 6:05pm 12th August 2008 Apple has no business holding this card. A pop-up offering the removal of malware if it's detected is as far as I would be willing to see this go. Either I own my phone or I don't.
Jake in LA at 12:50pm 12th August 2008 I wonder if Apple isn't the only phone provider that has this ability.
Stantheman at 7:10am 12th August 2008 I do not like that Apple can have access to my phone at any time whatsoever. It may be for the better good, but that's for me to decide not him.