India sparked major controversy last week after ordering all smartphone makers to preinstall the government’s Sanchar Saathi app within 90 days. Following widespread backlash from companies and users — and reports that Apple refused — the government has now reversed the mandate, saying the app will remain voluntary.
The original order was criticized for implying that manufacturers couldn’t disable any app functionalities, despite officials later claiming users could delete it. Although phone makers haven’t yet received formal notice of the reversal, it’s expected soon.
Launched in January, Sanchar Saathi has 14 million downloads and 3 million monthly active users, offering tools to report fraud, track and block stolen phones, and prevent misuse.
Source: GSMArena
