It turns out that the government was putting pressure on Apple in India, where spyware distribution to journalists and politicians is rampant
Shortly after Apple issued a warning that hackers working under the government may have attempted to break into the iPhones of politicians opposed to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, senior government officials led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi issued a warning to Apple. I realized that I was under a lot of pressure.
Apple warnings of possible government hacking drew ire of Indian officials - The Washington Post
In October 2023, Apple issued a warning that spyware may be installed on the smartphones of opposition politicians and journalists. In response, a coalition of opposition parties accused the Indian government of spying, but India's ruling party denied the charges.
Apple warns Indian opposition politicians that ``government hackers are hacking iPhones'' - GIGAZINE
According to the Washington Post, the accused ruling party took action against Apple the day after the above warning and publicly questioned whether there was a flaw in the internal threat algorithm.
Three people familiar with the matter said senior Modi government officials called Apple's representative in India privately and asked the company to soften the political impact of the warning. In addition, Apple's security experts were called from abroad for a conference to be held in New Delhi, and government representatives pressed Apple officials to provide a different explanation about the warnings to users.
Apple made it known within the company that it was under strong pressure from the government, and Apple's executives apparently emphasized the need to take a firm stance, but Apple's Indian branch immediately said, ``We may have made a mistake.'' ``Yes,'' and those around him were perplexed by the statement, which appeared to be retracting his previous statement. However, shortly after this, analysis results were announced indicating that the smartphones of politicians may have actually been hacked, further confusing the scene.
The Indian government has been reportedly using Pegasus, a surveillance software developed by Israel's NSO Group, to monitor the smartphones of rival politicians and journalists, and Apple has warned that it may have been hacked. Experts point out that even though Apple warned with solid evidence, it was pressured by the government.
What is the spyware 'Pegasus' that monitors celebrities and politicians around the world via iPhone and Android? -GIGAZINE
The reason why Apple is unable to make a strong presence in India is that it is concerned about putting India, an important market for Apple, at risk. Apple faces a choice between losing a huge market and protecting its mission to protect privacy, analysts said, adding that it risks clashing with governments and putting its business at risk. .
The Washington Post says, ``The Indian government's intensity in trying to discredit Apple and take tough measures is worrying executives at headquarters. 'This tells us that we are likely to face pressure from leaders in many countries and in what could be one of the most important technology markets over the next decade.'
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