Centre Mulling Norms To Screen Major OS Updates By Smartphone Makers Xiaomi, Samsung, Apple

In a development that could have far-reaching effects on big tech major Google and other original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), the Centre is reportedly mulling new norms that will give users the choice to remove pre-installed apps on their smartphones. 

Under the proposed rules, the government also plans to mandate screening of major updates to operating systems of smartphones, news agency Reuters reported. Smartphone makers will also have to provide an ‘uninstall option’ to users, and the new devices will be checked for compliance by a lab authorised by the Bureau of Indian Standards.

The report quoted sources as saying that the move is largely the result of concerns over ‘spying and abuse of user data’.

“Pre-installed apps can be a weak security point and we want to ensure no foreign nations, including China, are exploiting it. It’s a matter of national security,” a senior official told Reuters.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology held a meeting with the representatives of all major OEMs such as Xiaomi, Samsung, Apple and Vivo on the issue on February 8.

During the meeting, the ministry told the smartphone makers that most smartphones come with pre-installed apps which pose a ‘serious privacy/information security issue(s)’. 

The Centre also reportedly said that these OEMs will have a year to comply with the proposed norms, although the cutoff date is yet to be finalised.

The proposed rules directly affect Chinese OEMs such as Xiaomi, which is the biggest smartphone seller in India, Vivo and Oppo. The new norms will also have a bearing on Google, which is already embroiled in a legal battle with the Competition Commission of India over pre-installed apps on its Android smartphones.

The new developments could delay the rollout of new software updates and also impact revenues of the OEMs. While smartphone makers have monetisation agreements with multiple apps, companies such as Google also share revenue with OEMs that deploy the former’s Android OS. 

Another Faceoff With China 

Most smartphones have pre-installed apps that cannot be deleted. Xiaomi embeds its app marketplace GetApps on its smartphones, while Samsung pre-installs apps such as Samsung Pay. Apple also has a slew of apps such as browser Safari and App Store pre-installed on iPhones that cannot be deleted. 

While every player has employed such tactics, the situation is expected to become especially difficult for Google and Chinese OEMs. Google has revenue sharing agreements with OEMs and has fiercely fought in the courts to retain pre-installed apps on Android smartphones. The proposed rules could open a Pandora’s box for the company and give users the choice to install core G-suite apps such as YouTube and search that drive enormous traffic for the company.

On the other hand, Chinese players which are already under the scanner in the country could see further scrutiny as the government cracks the whip on any cross-border transfer of user data or any bid to circumvent laws. 

This is not the first time that the Centre has targeted Chinese apps. Earlier this year, India again banned 138 offshore betting platforms, largely Chinese, in the country. Prior to that, the government banned hundreds of Chinese apps in multiple rounds, including TikTok, PUBG Mobile and UC Browser.