After Months of Heated Argument, Apple Permits Indian Telecom Regulator To Release Anti-Spam App, TRAI DND, On App Store (venturebeat.com) 28
After months of back and forth, Apple has permitted Indian telecom regulator TRAI to release its anti-spam app on the App Store. The app, called TRAI DND - Do Not Disturb, went live on the iPhone app store on Friday. The free app, a version of which has existed on Android platform since 2016, allows customers to block unsolicited texts and calls from marketers, a rampant issue that continues to plague customers in India.
The app has been the subject of months-long, heated argument between Apple and TRAI. Apple had argued that the app, which by design accesses message and call logs of a user, violates its privacy policy. The company, however, had agreed to provide some help to the regulator to tap into new iOS features to build the "Do Not Disturb" app. In response, R.S. Sharma, who heads the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, had threatened to take legal action against Apple. "This is unjust, it shows the approach and attitude of this company," he told Reuters in March.
Further reading: Apple approves Indian government's Do Not Disturb app, avoiding iPhone ban.
The app has been the subject of months-long, heated argument between Apple and TRAI. Apple had argued that the app, which by design accesses message and call logs of a user, violates its privacy policy. The company, however, had agreed to provide some help to the regulator to tap into new iOS features to build the "Do Not Disturb" app. In response, R.S. Sharma, who heads the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, had threatened to take legal action against Apple. "This is unjust, it shows the approach and attitude of this company," he told Reuters in March.
Further reading: Apple approves Indian government's Do Not Disturb app, avoiding iPhone ban.
If stupid Apple.... (Score:3, Interesting)
If stupid Apple simply added another option to the "Do Not Disturb" function that allowed no calls nor texts from any number not on contact lists this stuff wouldn't be a problem.
Instead, they force a user to choose between ignoring all calls, manually setting up settings for all contacts one at a time, or just dealing with spam disturbances on the phone all the time.
Re:If stupid Apple.... (Score:5, Insightful)
Actually I just set my iphone to always be in Do Not Disturb mode and allow only calls from my contact list. So all of the rampant junk calls go straight to voicemail. I later check the transcripts of the calls and instantly dismiss the ones with no message or messages that start with obvious spam content.
Works great for me.
I actually sympathize with apple over this one. Allowing any third party direct access to call/sms/etc data on the phone is a security risk. We have enough privacy risk in our lives, we don't need government mandated apps that dig even deeper into our data and activities.
Re: If stupid Apple.... (Score:3)
It's Apple's product, one they see fit to help users with their battle against privacy. The thing about the walled garden, is it protects you out in the Jungle. Maybe your C-programming skills are finely tuned and you know what you are doing, but that is not the vast majority of users out there, who Apple, I'm sorry to say, does the very best job in the valley defending.
The SPAM calling this is getting old. I would rather we all move to a platform where the caller identification is required to be accurate s
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Allowing any third party direct access to call/sms/etc data on the phone is a security risk. We have enough privacy risk in our lives, we don't need government mandated apps that dig even deeper into our data and activities.
This point I agree with. While I can see where this app actually has a reason to access contacts and calls, I still would not trust it.
Re:If stupid Apple.... (Score:5, Informative)
What are you talking about??? They totally do.
Settings -> Do Not Disturb ->Turn DND On. Scroll down in Do Not Disturb Settings. Click "Allow Calls From" select "All Contacts". Done.
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What are you talking about??? They totally do.
Settings -> Do Not Disturb ->Turn DND On. Scroll down in Do Not Disturb Settings. Click "Allow Calls From" select "All Contacts". Done.
Does not apply to texts.
Re:If stupid Apple.... (Score:5, Informative)
That's because Messages had this ability even before DnD was added. Settings > Messages > Filter Unknown Senders. It turns off notifications for anyone not in your contacts and dumps their texts into a different screen in Messages. It's been available for several years.
All of which is to say, "stupid Apple" was a few years ahead of you in coming up with and deploying your suggestions. The problem still exists.
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umm but how does this send all sms texts and pics to the indian government?
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If stupid Apple simply added another option to the "Do Not Disturb" function that allowed no calls nor texts from any number not on contact lists this stuff wouldn't be a problem.
Settings > Do Not Disturb > Allow Calls From > Contacts Only
Settings > Messages > Filter Unknown Senders
"Stupid apple" already added the options you want. The latter setting has been available for a few years already. The first one is a relatively recent addition, however, so I'll excuse you for being unaware of it.
It's a rampant problem here in the US (Score:2)
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No, those get bailouts.
Apple is hostile (Score:1)
I keep hearing people argue how Apple is great for development. They're not. They've always been hostile towards other developers under the guise of privacy or that the App violates policies,especially if they compete against their own products (such as Pebble did).
Furthermore they claim they fight for user privacy and such, but they actually fight to protect your info from other companies, not themselves. They use your information for instance often to sell you Applecare (or at least used to)
Re: (Score:2, Funny)
Yes, but how do they know you are buying a new Apple product?