Apple Could Lose All Of Its India Business If It Doesn't Allow TRAI's DND App Into Its Store
Apple believes India is the next big market for its iPhones, particularly as local product is pushing it out of its sphere of influence in China. But thanks to its unwillingness to kowtow to the Indian government, it might actually lose out here.
Apple believes India is the next big market for its iPhones, particularly as local product is pushing it out of its sphere of influence in China. But thanks to its unwillingness to kowtow to the Indian government, it might actually lose out on business here completely.
A while ago, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) launched a spam reporting app. ¡®Do Not Disturb¡¯ as it was called, would allow customers to report spam calls and text messages, and also mandated carriers to allow for it. However, Apple has been reluctant to allow the app in the App Store. The reasoning is that it violates the company¡¯s privacy policy, which only allows third party apps access to contacts and not call logs and text messages. Apple has instead stated it prefers to work on a compromise with government engineers.
That may not be an option anymore however. In a new set of ¡°Telecom Commercial Communication Customer Preference¡± regulation, the government details how it intends to cut down on robocalls. One part of it states, ¡°Every access provider shall ensure, within six months' time, that all smart phone devices registered on its network support the permissions required for the functioning of such apps.¡±
¡°Provided that where such devices do not permit functioning of such apps, Access Providers shall, on the order or direction of the Authority, de-recognize such devices from their telecom networks.¡±
It¡¯s not a direct shot at Apple but the message is clear. The iPhone maker will have to allow the app into its store, or it could find its devices shut out of Indian telecom circles. It¡¯s in fact pretty much the only way TRAI can penalize Apple for not complying.
The loss of an entire subcontinental market is not something even Apple can shrug off, especially considering how it¡¯s been working to build an Indian presence with locally manufactured devices. Whether Apple will agree to the demand or find another way to fight it, only time will tell.
