Apple has apparently included a blacklisting mechanism in iPhone OS 2.x via which the device can phone home, check for unauthorized applications, and disable them. The OS includes a URL that points to a page containing a list of unauthorized applications, specifically:

https://iphone-services.apple.com/clbl/unauthorizedApps

Via iPhone Atlas

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From what I read in the EULA the individuals license and do not own the software that is available for the iPhone. The "discovery" of the alleged functionality for removing applications is a bit of a realization of the contents of the EULA. Below are a couple of relevant parts of the EULA (parts removed for brevity and manually typed since I could not copy/paste from the document). The EULA makes Apple look a bit autocratic.

"The software...are licensed, not sold, to you by Apple Inc. for use under ther terms of this License, and Apple reserves all rights not expressly granted to you. You own the media on which the iPhone Software is recorded but Apple retains ownership of the iPhone Software itself. "

"APPLE DOES NOT WARRANT AGAINST INTERFERENCE WITH YOUR ENJOYMENT OF THE iPHONE SOFTWARE AND SERVICES....THAT THE OPERATION OF THE iPHONE SOFTWARE AND SERVICES WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED..."

http://images.apple.com/legal/sla/docs/iphone.pdf

Posted by alcedes, Friday, Aug. 8th, 2008

I agree that this is over the top, but par for the course as far as Apple is concerned.

I also agree that if you don't want to read a bug fix list that is your right, you don't have to read the list. My point is that people should have the choice to do that, just like they should have the choice to jailbreak if they want to void the warranty.

Posted by Physboy, Thursday, Aug. 7th, 2008

Phys, I do have to admit that this is over the top. The point I was speaking to last night was that I am not to concerned about getting a list of bug fixes. As long as the device works well I am happy. If they chose to list the top two or three bug fixes that is fine by me I don't need to see them all.

However I totally disagree with this story. If I buy the phone I should be able to load what I want. I also should have the option to jailbreak and unlock the device too. I know that by doing this I will have to live with the fact that it may void my warranty.

It will be interesting to see if the iPhone dev team or anyone else finds away around this.

Posted by agent680, Thursday, Aug. 7th, 2008

Steve, are you still under the impression that Apple is not trying to control the end user's actions?

Posted by Physboy, Thursday, Aug. 7th, 2008

This is getting a little rediculous, no?

Posted by JNGold, Thursday, Aug. 7th, 2008