Google and Apple have the technical ability to turn off all their smartphones in Russia, and in such a scenario the devices will become “bricks,” said Sergei Kuzmenko, director of the Roskachestvo Digital Experience Center.
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Earlier, State Duma deputy Anton Gorelkin said that he admits, in some scenario, that the American Apple could disable all iPhones in the Russian Federation, and Google could disable Android phones without flashing.
“Technically, it is possible to disable all Apple and Android smartphones that use Google services. This will be done through the same mechanism by which stolen devices are blocked,” explained Kuzmenko, quoted by RIA Novosti.
According to the expert, in the case of Apple, the device will be completely blocked and users will lose all the data it contains. Android owners will be able to save the information, but it will be almost impossible to bring the device itself back to life.
At the same time, Roskachestvo expressed doubts that American corporations would take such a step. Kuzmenko explained that the smartphones do not indicate which country they were manufactured for and that the licensing agreement does not contain blocking conditions.
Furthermore, such a measure could cause “huge reputational damage and multimillion-dollar lawsuits” for companies, the Roskachestvo representative added.
Author:
Anastasia Marina
Source: RB
I am a professional journalist and content creator with extensive experience writing for news websites. I currently work as an author at Gadget Onus, where I specialize in covering hot news topics. My written pieces have been published on some of the biggest media outlets around the world, including The Guardian and BBC News.
