NEW DELHI: The ‘whodunit’ of the mysterious UIDAI helpline number being stored on Android gadgets via default after all were given some closure late Friday night, with Android’s parent, Google, stating it used to be at their end that the then helpline number — 1800-300-1947 — used to be coded into gadgets back in 2014 and has remained there since.
A Google spokesperson stated, “Our internal evaluation has revealed that during 2014, the then UIDAI helpline number and the 112 distress helpline number were inadvertently coded into the SetUp wizard of the Android release given to OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) for use in India and has remained there since. Since the numbers get indexed on a consumer’s contact checklist those get transferred accordingly to the contacts on any new instrument.
We are sorry for any fear that this might have brought about, and want to guarantee everybody that this isn't a state of affairs of an unauthorised access in their Android gadgets. Users can manually delete the number from their gadgets.
We will paintings towards solving this in an upcoming release of SetUp wizard which shall be made to be had to OEMs over the following few weeks.”
The internet massive’s observation comes an afternoon after a vigilante hacker — who goes via the pseudonym of Elliot Alderson on Twitter — created a stir on the micro-blogging website online on Thursday, after he pointed out that many of us have the helpline number stored against the title UIDAI via default within the contact checklist in their phones.
Earlier on Friday, Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), the frame that problems Aadhaar numbers, clarified that it had never asked phone producers or provider suppliers like Airtel, Vodafone and others so as to add their toll-free helpline within the default checklist of public provider helplines.
Following the UIDAI clarification, telecom foyer group, Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) too put out a observation announcing no provider provider had integrated the number within the phonebooks. "The inclusion of a certain unknown number in the phonebooks of various mobile handsets is not from any telecom service provider," the foyer group that comes with the likes of Bharti Airtel and Vodafone stated.
UIDAI went on to clarify that the number is an previous one which isn't in use and that 1947 is the new helpline. However, some Twitter users were quick to show that new phones reportedly now have 1947 stored as default.
TOI could not independently examine those claims.
Some iPhones even have the number stored on them, however that is due to the consumer at some point in time having migrated their contact checklist from an Android to iOs, Apple’s running device.
Minutes ahead of Google’s observation on Friday night, Alderson had put out a tweet speculating about Google’s involvement within the number being pre-loaded.
A Google spokesperson stated, “Our internal evaluation has revealed that during 2014, the then UIDAI helpline number and the 112 distress helpline number were inadvertently coded into the SetUp wizard of the Android release given to OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) for use in India and has remained there since. Since the numbers get indexed on a consumer’s contact checklist those get transferred accordingly to the contacts on any new instrument.
We are sorry for any fear that this might have brought about, and want to guarantee everybody that this isn't a state of affairs of an unauthorised access in their Android gadgets. Users can manually delete the number from their gadgets.
We will paintings towards solving this in an upcoming release of SetUp wizard which shall be made to be had to OEMs over the following few weeks.”
The internet massive’s observation comes an afternoon after a vigilante hacker — who goes via the pseudonym of Elliot Alderson on Twitter — created a stir on the micro-blogging website online on Thursday, after he pointed out that many of us have the helpline number stored against the title UIDAI via default within the contact checklist in their phones.
Earlier on Friday, Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), the frame that problems Aadhaar numbers, clarified that it had never asked phone producers or provider suppliers like Airtel, Vodafone and others so as to add their toll-free helpline within the default checklist of public provider helplines.
UIDAI has reiterated that it has not asked or urged someone together with any telecom provider suppliers or cell guy… https://t.co/MgADTsZU5t
— Aadhaar (@UIDAI) 1533288434000Following the UIDAI clarification, telecom foyer group, Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) too put out a observation announcing no provider provider had integrated the number within the phonebooks. "The inclusion of a certain unknown number in the phonebooks of various mobile handsets is not from any telecom service provider," the foyer group that comes with the likes of Bharti Airtel and Vodafone stated.
UIDAI went on to clarify that the number is an previous one which isn't in use and that 1947 is the new helpline. However, some Twitter users were quick to show that new phones reportedly now have 1947 stored as default.
Just Noticed. Many new mobiles offered in India coming with UIDAI 1947 tollfree number prestored in contacts.Noticed t… https://t.co/1AV0cKKUFV
— Anivar Aravind (@anivar) 1510463449000TOI could not independently examine those claims.
Some iPhones even have the number stored on them, however that is due to the consumer at some point in time having migrated their contact checklist from an Android to iOs, Apple’s running device.
Minutes ahead of Google’s observation on Friday night, Alderson had put out a tweet speculating about Google’s involvement within the number being pre-loaded.
@HoeZaay I noticed yep, it can be a Google factor which is worst
— Elliot Alderson (@fs0c131y) 1533314922000
Who put UIDAI number in your phone? It was Google
![Who put UIDAI number in your phone? It was Google]()
Reviewed by Kailash
on
August 04, 2018
Rating:
