Google’s new smartphone called “The Dream” is expected to hit the market this month, after an ado-filled September, when one by one, details about the gadget’s features leaked on the Internet before the company even got around to officially unveiling the device to United States users.

Nevertheless, just when everybody was holding their breath for the smartphone that has promised to outrun the competition, namely Apple Incorporated’s iPhone, to come along and steal the aforementioned gadget’s thunder, Google has made quite a disconcerting and also disappointing statement. Consequently, it appears that the Dream has not fallen far from the Apple tree, since the search giant has announced Android was fitted with a remote kill switch for disabling applications, just like the iPhone is.

And if Apple CEO Steve Jobs’ admittance of the existence of such a switch (in mid-August) gave rise to much controversy, there’s not knowing what Google’s announcement would incur. Because with regards to the G1 smartphone, the issue is much more sensitive, given that Google has previously tried to entice people into buying the gadget by saying that the Android operating system would put users in full control of the apps they choose to run on the phone.

The remote kill switch is aimed at providing customers with protection against malicious applications or privacy violations, Google having already revealed their plan to reimburse users for their already purchased apps in case the company pulls the lever on them.

High Tech Computer’s (HTC) the Dream is scheduled to begin shipping this October, the first carrier for the United States being T-Mobile, the world's sixth largest mobile phone service provider.