The Centre intends to force smartphone makers to allow the removal of pre-installed apps and to mandate the screening of major operating system updates under proposed new security rules.
The new rules, the details of which have not previously been reported, could cause delays in the world’s second-largest smartphone market and result in business losses from pre-installed apps for players such as Samsung, Xiaomi, Vivo, and Apple.
The IT ministry is considering these new rules due to concerns about spying and abuse of user data, according to one of the two people who declined to be identified because the information is not yet public.
Most smartphones now come with pre-installed apps that cannot be removed, such as Xiaomi’s app store GetApps, Samsung’s payment app Samsung Pay mini, and iPhone maker Apple’s browser Safari.
According to two people with knowledge of the plan, smartphone manufacturers will be required to provide an uninstall option, and new models will be tested for compliance by a lab authorised by the Bureau of Indian Standards agency.
According to one of the sources, the government is also considering mandating the screening of every major operating system update before it is rolled out to consumers.
