In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Apple CEO Steve Jobs admitted the iPhone has a “kill switch,” a revelation that caused rumblings and much teeth-gnashing in the Apple world. For those of you Windows users like me who think “kill switch” is a good description of an upgrade to Vista, maybe this quiz can help you understand the fuss.
A iPhone “kill switch” means Apple can:
- reach into your iPhone and wipe out an unauthorized piece of software, or “app”
- have your phone notify the police if it detects you discussing plans to bump off your boss
- disconnect your calls every time you say “I never should have bought the first iPhone.”
Steve Jobs says the kill switch was installed to:
- “disable malicious applications.”
- “prove that I am king of the world.”
- “fulfill his childhood fantasy to create a ‘Mission Impossible’ self-destruct device.”
An Apple spokesperson says the company’s use of a similar kill switch in the App Store to kill the $999.99 “I Am Rich” useless software app was:
- a judgment call
- a way to prevent someone from accidentally making an expensive mistake
- the most fun since the HR department banned Bill Gates dartboards
Apple’s App Store team is not testing new applications adequately because:
- it was not prepared for the huge number being developed
- everyone wants to test games, no one wants to test gas mileage calculators
- they’re too busy downloading iPorn
When asked when he would use the kill switch, Jobs said:
- “Hopefully we never have to pull that lever.”
- “Are you feeling lucky, punk?”
- “If someone messes with more than one iPhone, it has a ‘serial kill switch’ too.”
(correct answers: 1-a, 2-a, 3-a, 4-a, 5-a)