The Egyptian government has requested that the Apple company turn off the Global Positioning System in its iPhone 3G, its second generation mobile phone, reported Noah Cohen in the New York Times.

The government says that in Egypt, GPS is the military's "prerogative." Apple "apparently complied," the Times reported, raising questions about what the company is willing to change in its technology in order to gain access into the markets of countries with poor human rights records.

At the U.S. launch of Apple's iPhone 3G back in July, Apple's CEO Steve Jobs stood against the backdrop of a world map displaying the 70 countries that will have the iPhone 3G by the end of 2008. As of now, Apple's web site shows the iPhone 3G is available in seven African countries: South Africa, Cameroon, Egypt, Senegal, Niger, Central African Republic, and Cote d'Ivoire.

The other African countries expecting the iPhone 3G are Kenya, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea, Guinea Bissua, Mali and Botswana.

While the Apple web page for Egypt promises the IPhone's full features, it adds a disclaimer that some features and services are not available in all areas. Cohen asks if Apple has a policy of modifying its products to appease the demands of governments worldwide. More.