&#62; <i>[...] computers aren't intrinsically linked to their credit cards. Phones are, and it would be completely trivial (and very tempting) to make a dialer.exe type program that surreptitiously makes $9.95/min calls to Nigeria. List it as some kind of a raunchy sex line and try pleading innocence to your telco about that one.</i><p>What makes Apple's approach that much more secure? They don't inspect the source code of an App. There could be hidden 'call home' features that are waiting for a switch to be flipped to execute the malicious code that's wrapped up in a pink and fuzzy package. Sure Apple can hit a 'kill switch' on an App, but they need to know that the App is a threat before they do so. What happens when an App does your 'dialer.exe' example and calls Nigeria? Does this immediately alert Apple to 'suspicious goings-on' and they make a dramatic leap to hit the big red button?