Cybersecurity experts explain what Sanchar Saathi can and cannot solve as India expands the app to all smartphones, raising questions about fraud prevention and privacy.

The government said the rules were needed to prevent theft and other crime. Its opponents and privacy activists regard the app as a tool of mass surveillance.

The move, however, is unlikely to change Apple’s refusal to comply with the recent pre-install order. Here are the details.

As the government mandates the pre-installation of the Sanchar Saathi app on all new devices, Apple and Samsung are reportedly looking to find a middle ground with the authorities.

Reuters reports that the Sanchar Saathi app will be required on new phones and can’t be disabled

Apple will reportedly not comply with India's directive to pre-install the government-owned Sanchar Saathi cybersecurity app on its iPhones. Apple plans to convey to the government that

Minister of State for Communications Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani addressed privacy concerns, clarifying that the app's primary purpose is to facilitate the reporting of online fraud.

Sanchar Saathi promises fraud protection and lost-phone recovery, but mandatory installation has sparked a privacy backlash. We tested it to see what it really accesses.

While the government cites “telecom cyber security” and the need to curb counterfeit devices as the rationale, the forced installation of a state-owned app onto personal devices is being viewed by legal experts as a potential violation of the fundamental right to privacy.