Google has the capability to remotely delete or install applications on Android phones. They are named REMOVE_ASSET and INSTALL_ASSET. They admit having used the REMOVE_ASSET capability to remove a benign application by Jon Oberheide.

Jon Oberheide: "Remote Kill and Install on Google Android"
http://jon.oberheide.org/blog/2010/06/25/remote-kill-and-install-on-google-android/

threat post: "Android Also Gives Google Remote App Installation Power"
http://threatpost.com/en_us/blogs/android-also-gives-google-remote-app-installation-power-062510

Android developers blog: "Exercising Our Remote Application Removal Feature"
http://android-developers.blogspot.com/2010/06/exercising-our-remote-application.html