
Sprint orders all OEMs to strip Carrier IQ from their hardware - 11031a
http://www.geek.com/articles/mobile/sprint-orders-all-oems-to-strip-carrier-iq-from-their-hardware-20111216/
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jcampbell1
I get the feeling Dan Hesse is one of the rare CEOs that has empathy for
customers. Sprint used to have the worst customers service, and now it is
actually pretty good. An action like this probably increases Sprint's legal
liability for CIQ, but it is the best thing for customers. He probably made
the executive decision against the advice of corporate council.

~~~
martey
From the article:

"Sprint waited until there were lawsuits to start removing Carrier IQ from
their network, where previously they had been defending their use of the
mobile intelligence service. This could possibly even be seen as an admission
of guilt, as them removing the software in an attempt to make amends for what
they have been caught doing."

While I am sure that Hesse is a good person, there is no evidence that
"empathy for customers" was behind this decision.

~~~
jcampbell1
You are reading the news, I am trying to read between the lines. My assumption
is that the in house council is saying the same thing the reporters are, and
that the CEO is saying, "fuckit, let's do what is best for customers".

I could be completely wrong, but given that Sprint unfucked their customer
service during Hesse's tenure, I speculate that he is actually a decent guy. I
am obviously massively over extrapolating my own personal experience.

Having written this comment, I now realize how ridiculous my initial comment
was. I based an opinion on the integrity of a company and its chief executive
only on a CSR experience. You are absolutely right, I have no real basis for
my opinion. --Though I did just buy some sprint stock... sometimes you have to
go with your gut :)

~~~
aMoniker
If you are really reading between the lines, realize that he is not doing what
is best for customers, but what is best for his business. In this case he is
serving both, but his motivations lie with the latter.

Carrier IQ is getting a bad rap, so removing it shines a positive light on
Sprint. However, if it was installed on their phones they have obviously known
about it (and its nature) for some time. Why did they wait until now to remove
it?

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devindotcom
It'll take months. And it was Sprint who insisted this shit get installed in
the first place, so let's not give them too much credit.

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shaggyfrog
They'll just replace it with some other software from some other company that
does pretty much the same thing.

The bigger issue is how the heck this software -- dare I say malware? -- has
infected just about every mobile device in the first place. There is some sort
of institutional or cultural entitlement the carriers have on spying on their
users. I think only legislation can really fix that, but given how much law
enforcement relies on this kind of surveillance, I doubt that will ever
happen.

~~~
piggity
This is probably how skynet started. Lets put surveillance software in every
device... what could possibly go wrong...

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shareme
Note...its not over yet as CarrierIQ is still running jobs ads for android
developers

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hastur
Obviously it's a PR move, but still, a good one!

Congrats to Sprint for having balls!

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daimyoyo
Does this mean they're going to push out an update to remove it from existing
phones or that only new ones won't have it?

~~~
jasonlotito
FTA: "each of the OEM’s has been asked to quickly release binaries that do not
contain Carrier IQ so that over-the-air updates can be pushed to those devices
as quickly as possible. The eventual plan is to remove Carrier IQ from all of
the devices on Sprint’s network."

