Comments on: Researcher discovers targeted iPhone app “kill switch” http://www.roughlydrafted.com/2008/08/06/researcher-discovers-targeted-iphone-app-%e2%80%9ckill-switch%e2%80%9d/ Daniel Eran Dilger in San Francisco Sun, 21 Mar 2010 05:23:17 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: John E http://www.roughlydrafted.com/2008/08/06/researcher-discovers-targeted-iphone-app-%e2%80%9ckill-switch%e2%80%9d/comment-page-1/#comment-10979 John E Thu, 07 Aug 2008 18:58:52 +0000 http://www.roughlydrafted.com/?p=2050#comment-10979 Aldan Malley? Who dat? Aldan Malley? Who dat?

]]> By: John Muir http://www.roughlydrafted.com/2008/08/06/researcher-discovers-targeted-iphone-app-%e2%80%9ckill-switch%e2%80%9d/comment-page-1/#comment-10976 John Muir Thu, 07 Aug 2008 15:42:45 +0000 http://www.roughlydrafted.com/?p=2050#comment-10976 From what I've heard (take it as you will) … people who have bought apps like NetShare but couldn't subsequently sync them (and so wound up in the position described above: paid for something which has now been taken back) have *not* been charged for the original purchase. Either their credit card didn't wind up with the transaction, or a rebate was made to it. The Adobe guy on Mac Jury comes to mind. As for the future potential for Apple to kill widespread purchased apps – especially days, weeks, months or years after their purchase instead of the hours / days we're talking about so far – clearly some sort of refund or store credit system needs to come into play. Even if it winds up that Apple have to take the financial hit (presumably fairly limited compared to their overall 30% take of everything on the store) instead of the customer. From what I’ve heard (take it as you will) … people who have bought apps like NetShare but couldn’t subsequently sync them (and so wound up in the position described above: paid for something which has now been taken back) have *not* been charged for the original purchase. Either their credit card didn’t wind up with the transaction, or a rebate was made to it.

The Adobe guy on Mac Jury comes to mind.

As for the future potential for Apple to kill widespread purchased apps – especially days, weeks, months or years after their purchase instead of the hours / days we’re talking about so far – clearly some sort of refund or store credit system needs to come into play. Even if it winds up that Apple have to take the financial hit (presumably fairly limited compared to their overall 30% take of everything on the store) instead of the customer.

]]> By: gus2000 http://www.roughlydrafted.com/2008/08/06/researcher-discovers-targeted-iphone-app-%e2%80%9ckill-switch%e2%80%9d/comment-page-1/#comment-10975 gus2000 Thu, 07 Aug 2008 15:34:20 +0000 http://www.roughlydrafted.com/?p=2050#comment-10975 This is not at all suprising. If an application was suddenly causing massive disruption to the cellular network (voice or broadband) then the kill signal could rectify the situation almost immediately. Apple may even be contractually obliged to maintain the integrity of AT&T's network. I doubt they would use this for anything other than an actual emergency. The arbitrary and capricious use of this function would violate the the spirit of the contract with the people who purchased the now-defunct software. Such behavior invites lawsuits. Hopefully, this discovery will not lead to the crack of the kill switch, lest hackers start sending kills to competing applications! This is not at all suprising. If an application was suddenly causing massive disruption to the cellular network (voice or broadband) then the kill signal could rectify the situation almost immediately. Apple may even be contractually obliged to maintain the integrity of AT&T’s network.

I doubt they would use this for anything other than an actual emergency. The arbitrary and capricious use of this function would violate the the spirit of the contract with the people who purchased the now-defunct software. Such behavior invites lawsuits.

Hopefully, this discovery will not lead to the crack of the kill switch, lest hackers start sending kills to competing applications!

]]> By: John Muir http://www.roughlydrafted.com/2008/08/06/researcher-discovers-targeted-iphone-app-%e2%80%9ckill-switch%e2%80%9d/comment-page-1/#comment-10974 John Muir Thu, 07 Aug 2008 14:59:20 +0000 http://www.roughlydrafted.com/?p=2050#comment-10974 Oh you're not Aidan Malley now as well are you, Prince? Oh you’re not Aidan Malley now as well are you, Prince?

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