Ergasiophobia's Journal: Steve Jobs confirms iPhone "kill switch" security feature

Will from Into Mobile recently reported that the iPhone essentially has a built in "kill switch" that allows Apple to uninstall any application installed on the the iPhone. The Wall Street Journal reported today that Steve Jobs himself has confirmed the "kill switch" built into the iPhone.

Apple raised hackles in computer-privacy and security circles when an independent engineer discovered code inside the iPhone that suggested iPhones routinely check an Apple Web site that could, in theory trigger the removal of the undesirable software from the devices. Mr. Jobs confirmed such a capability exists, but argued that Apple needs it in case it inadvertently allows a malicious program -- one that stole users' personal data, for example -- to be distributed to iPhones through the App Store. "Hopefully we never have to pull that lever, but we would be irresponsible not to have a lever like that to pull," he says.

Is this a necessary security feature, or just Jobs' way of keeping even more control over the iPhone?