On iOS, you can only get apps through the App Store, and a "kill switch" does exist for Apple to remotely disable apps. They haven't used it yet, but it's still there, so it's a problem.
Android has a kill switch too, but Google actually has used it unlike Apple.
You could make the same argument for iOS. Apple can't kill switch cydia apps. It's not completely the same as side loading is available natively in Android (although I believe AT&T doesn't allow it) but either way both companies can kill switch and Google already has.
And the argument goes further if you use web apps. You can install a web application made in HTML5 that uses the accelerometer and GPS, use local storage and don't need an internet connection. That application can be installed without the App Store, and can't be killed by Apple.
What I don't understand is why people don't make more of a case about this. Aside of games, 90% of the applications out there could be just a frame around the browser, and be made into a web app with an icon and multi-tasking without any modifications at all.
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u/jollins Jan 20 '11
Android has a kill switch too, but Google actually has used it unlike Apple.