Apple recently confirmed the existence of a kill switch embedded in iPhone software.The switch gives Apple the ability to remotely remove applications from any iPhone at any time without the owner’s approval.The motive behind the inclusion of a kill switch in iPhone software is the source of much speculation since Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple, confirmed its existence in an Aug. 11 interview with the Wall Street Journal.The hidden switch exists to protect users from malicious software Apple’s application approval process fails to discover that somehow makes its way to the App Store for customers to purchase, according to Jobs.”It’s understandable that a manufacturer might not reveal the existence of a kill switch, but it was bound to come out,” said Christine Corcos, University associate professor of law. “Once someone discovered it, theories were likely to pop up. They obviously range from the benign to the malevolent.” Corcos said malevolence is likely what Apple is trying to guard against. She said she understands why “a manufacturer might want to be able to disable what it considered to be dangerous applications or applications that have gone out of control.”Jonathan Zdziarski disagrees with this theory. Zdziarski is a hacker and author of two iPhone books. He discovered evidence of the kill switch’s existence. The inclusion of this switch in iPhones is just a sign that Apple’s application approval process has failed, according to Zdziarski’s Web site. But Jobs does not seem to think so. “Hopefully, we never have to pull that lever, but we would be irresponsible not to have a lever like that to pull,” Jobs told the WSJ.Though Jobs’ statement may lead customers to think Apple’s approval process is susceptible to failure, some local iPhone owners believe Apple is protecting its customers.”This switch is a good thing because I definitely don’t know which applications may be malicious or not,” said Christopher Sanderson, landscape architecture sophomore. “If I added an application that was harmful, I’d want it to be gotten rid of pretty fast.”Whether iPhone customers realize it or not, they signed up for this when they bought an iPhone.”When a customer buys a product like a cell phone, she enters into a contract with the manufacturer or the service provider,” Corcos said. “She is signing up for that service and agreeing to certain terms regarding that service and expecting that the provider or the manufacturer will do the same.”Corcos said the switch should only be considered a problem if it disables benign applications that are not in violation of any contracts signed.So far, Apple has not done that. But it is entirely up to the company whether or not they do it, and Apple does not have to notify users if it does. This prospect may worry some, but not Niki Hill, computer engineering senior.”I don’t have a problem with this switch,” Hill said. “Apple has a backup plan for if something bad does happen. To me, that’s a good thing.”With the Apple application store making more than $30 million in the first month of sales and expected to make $360 million this year, it would appear consumers and potential consumers are largely not bothered by the kill switch.Corcos was unsure.”It might indicate that,” Corcos said. “Or it might indicate that consumers don’t understand what a kill switch might do. We still need to examine those contracts we sign to see just what it is that we have agreed to receive.”—-Contact Abraham Felix at [email protected]