Google has kill switch for Android apps

T-Mobile USA's G1, the first phone running on Google's Android software, has been billed as one of the few serious competitors to Apple's iPhone 3G in the smartphone space. It now stands side-by-side with it in at least one respect: there is a kill switch for applications bought in Google's Android Market.

The G1, which is supposed to officially launch on Oct. 22, has been greeted with much fanfare. But the fine print reveals that Google may be just like Apple in wanting to protect its applications and maintain a sense of control. Computerworld first reported the news and in scouring the fine print found this: "Google may discover a product that violates the developer distribution agreement...in such an instance, Google retains the right to remotely remove those applications from your device at its sole discretion."

When Apple revealed in August that it had in place a kill switch to remove what it deemed malicious applications from its App Store, developers responded angrily.

For more:
- see this article
- see our unboxing photos of the G1

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