In a recent blog post, Google revealed that it has made use of the Remote Application Removal Feature for the first time, to remotely remove two free apps – the RootStrap app and the Twilight app - from the Android OS-powered handsets.

Describing the deleted apps as safe but “practically useless,” Google said that, for the move, it brought into force the Remote Application Removal Feature which essentially allows the company to remove apps - installed via Android Market – due to security reasons.

According to the information forwarded by Jon Oberheide, the deleted apps’ developer and distributor, the apps were basically proof-of-concept programs designed for testing the feasibility of a program distribution; and could potentially be used for taking control of the Android handsets in the case of a hacking attack.

In a Friday interview with CNET, Oberheide elaborated that while the RootStrap app executed code that simply printed a ‘Hello World’ message on the handsets; the Twilight app also did the same thing but was masked as a preview of the‘Twilight Saga: Eclipse’ movie.

Further adding that he had removed both the apps voluntarily from the Android Market on Google’s request, Oberheide revealed that there had been nearly 50 downloads of the RootStrap app and about 300 downloads of the Twilight app - though some of the users had subsequently uninstalled these apps.