India’s Telecoms Ministry has ordered smartphone makers like Apple, Xiaomi, and Samsung to preload a government cyber safety app on new devices. The app has already recovered 700,000 lost phones. While the move boosts digital security, it may spark resistance from global OEMs over privacy and pre-installation mandates.
India’s Telecoms Ministry has directed leading smartphone makers, including Apple, Xiaomi, and Samsung, to pre-install a government-backed cyber safety app on all new devices sold in the country. The move, revealed in a recent government order, is part of India’s broader push to strengthen digital security and protect its massive base of over 1.2 billion mobile subscribers.
Key highlights of the directive:
-
The app, launched earlier this year, has already helped recover over 700,000 lost or stolen phones, including 50,000 devices in October alone.
-
Smartphone manufacturers are expected to preload the app on upcoming models, ensuring wider adoption and accessibility for users.
-
The initiative is aimed at curbing cyber fraud, enhancing device safety, and improving consumer trust in India’s fast-growing digital ecosystem.
-
Apple, known for its strict control over pre-installed software, is expected to resist the directive, echoing past tensions with Indian regulators over similar government app mandates.
-
Industry experts anticipate a tussle between global OEMs and the Indian government, balancing user privacy concerns with national security priorities.
This development highlights India’s growing emphasis on cyber resilience and its determination to integrate state-backed digital safeguards into everyday consumer technology.
Sources: Yahoo Tech, India Today, Trak.in