Harinina: Samsung: 25 million phones with Carrier IQ; other devices have 'dormant' code

Samsung Mobile, in its response to U.S. Sen. Al Franken over the Carrier IQ saga, says that it's sold some 25 million cell phones preloaded with Carrier IQ software, which it's been using since 2007. Many of these phones are non-Android feature phones, and Samsung repeats the response we've already heard from HTC in that it's not a customer of Carrier IQ, therefore it doesn't see the data collected.

Interestingly, Samsung also echoes HTC by saying some of its phones also may contain components of Carrier IQ and therefore may trigger the various CIQ detector apps available, but that the software is "dormant." Unlike HTC, however, Samsung did not say whether it was working to remove these dormant components. Says Samsung:

"Because the CIQ agent and other required CIQ software components are not installed, however, these vestigial elements do not and will not function on these devices, and therefore, the devices do not transmit (and never have transmitted) any user data using any CIQ software functionality."

Samsung did not say which phones contain the dormant CIQ code.

Following are the Android smartphones Samsung says contain Carrier IQ:

AT&T: Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket
Sprint: Moment, Epic 4G, Intercept, Transform, Galaxy Tab (original 7-inch), Galaxy Prevail, Replenish, Conquer 4G, Transform Ultra (Boost Mobile), Epic 4G Touch
T-Mobile: Samsung Galaxy S II, Exhibit II 4G

More: Samsung's response (pdf)