You know, with all the deserved hype about Android being much more open than the iPhone’s platform, one must wonder what security will be like. When iPhone developers starting coming out about Apple’s NDA on developing apps, everyone seemed to give old Steve-O the stink-eye. Add to this the fact that developers and consumers alike were complaining that Apple was remotely shutting off apps for no apparent reason. Well, it turns out there was a reason for that and Google is smart to follow suit. Being an open platform, Android could be susceptible to a world of hurt if malicious developers decided they want to mess up your phone – or worse, compromise your security. So as part of a better and safer platform, Computer world has this to say:
In the Android Market terms of service, Google expressly says that it might remotely remove an application from user phones. “Google may discover a product that violates the developer distribution agreement … in such an instance, Google retains the right to remotely remove those applications from your device at its sole discretion,” the terms, linked to from the phone, read.
We all want as little interference from the big guys as possible when enjoying our new gadgets and their apps or properties, but it’s nice to know they’re there to protect our stuff when necessary. Everyone can whine and say, “Hey man! I loved that app! Those bastards…” But our sentiment on this remote kill switch issue is – Better Safe Than Sorry.
