Apple Obscures Future Device Hints in iOS 5.1 Beta 2 with Fake References

[MacRumors]

One popular hobby of those interested in discovering hints of Apple's future iOS devices has been the examination of various configuration files in each beta and public version of iOS for new entries referring to future iOS devices.

While the references provide essentially no information on the new devices themselves, as they simply appear in the form of "iPhone4,1" for what ultimately became the iPhone 4S as one example, they are carefully watched as hints of what devices Apple is likely to be testing with the software and perhaps how many variations of an upcoming device there might be.




With today's release of iOS 5.1 beta 2, Apple has now taken steps to obscure that information, planting numerous fake references within configuration files typically examined for such evidence.

One file in particular, USBDeviceConfiguration.plist, had formerly listed about two dozen different device variants. As discovered by 9to5Mac's Mark Gurman, that list has now ballooned to well over 100 such entries as Apple has seeded it with dozens of new fake references to such future products as "iPad10,1", "iPhone11,3", "iPod11,1", and "AppleTV8,3".

The change is likely to make it more difficult to detect new additions, as the new entries will serve as placeholders until Apple quietly begins using the software on its latest devices under development.

Update: As noted by @chronic, the change does not shut out examination of the evidence entirely, as unaltered listings are still visible in other locations. Apple also apparently began adding the fake references in the first iOS 5.1 beta, but only with beta 2 did they make it into the closely-watched USBDeviceConfiguration.plist file.

Article Link: Apple Obscures Future Device Hints in iOS 5.1 Beta 2 with Fake References

[gmcalpin]

I've wondered why they didn't do this before, every time one of these references was discovered.

[BC2009]

Holy crap..... Apple is going to have a very big next year. How am I going to afford all those new gadgets?

[srxtr]

Hohoho

2012 is gonna be an interesting year.

[djrod]

I want that iPhone 8,2 now!

[Small White Car]

Everyone knows there will be a new iPhone and new iPad every year. No big deal. Nobody cares.

I take this change as evidence that some new un-known product (TV?) is coming. Something like that would be very obvious under the old system.

[TM WAZZA]

Looks like Apple is going Android manufacturers' style by crapping out devices a week after another.

[DESNOS]

What's an iFPGA?

[crisss1205]

Originally Posted by Small White Car

Everyone knows there will be a new iPhone and new iPad every year. No big deal. Nobody cares.

I take this change as evidence that some new un-known product (TV?) is coming. Something like that would be very obvious under the old system.

But sometimes they can get information that was not previously known. We all know there will be a new iPhone next year but when you see iPhone4,1 iPhone 4,2 iPhone 4,3 and iPhone4,4 that would mean there are 4 different iPhone variants. Thats how we knew there would be a CDMA iPhone and a special CDMA iPad 2 before it was announced.

[MultiMediaWill]

iPad 11 coming out this year or next year? Any thoughts?

[xionxiox]

Originally Posted by TM WAZZA

Looks like Apple is going Android manufacturers' style by crapping out devices a week after another.

You really think apple didn't ever work on next generation devices before current generations were released? Contrary to popular belief, development doesn't begin a month before the announcement.

[ChrisA]

Who would have thought of hiding trees in a forest?

[Small White Car]

Originally Posted by crisss1205

But sometimes they can get information that was not previously known. We all know there will be a new iPhone next year but when you see iPhone4,1 iPhone 4,2 iPhone 4,3 and iPhone4,4 that would mean there are 4 different iPhone variants. Thats how we knew there would be a CDMA iPhone and a special CDMA iPad 2 before it was announced.

Ok, SOMEBODY cares, I guess.

My point is that a CDMA iPhone is nowhere near as interesting as an entirely new product.


I suspect that that's why they changed this. Otherwise, why change it now after years of people reporting on these? The timing isn't random, I don't think.

[Jacquesass]

Great. Now there won't be an app store until Apple TV 10,3?

At least it will be able to handle 4K video.

[dexthageek]

Thank you Apple. Continue to fill your configuration files useless data, eating up precious space on my devices.

[maril1111]

Originally Posted by dexthageek

Thank you Apple. Continue to fill your configuration files useless data, eating up precious space on my devices.

well it adds to the anticipation.

[xionxiox]

Originally Posted by dexthageek

Thank you Apple. Continue to fill your configuration files useless data, eating up precious space on my devices.

I'm pretty sure all this information amounts to about 20 kb.

[Fazzy]

way to troll, Apple!

/they'redoingitright

[xsmasher]

Originally Posted by DESNOS

What's an iFPGA?

It's an in-joke, I assume. An FPGA is a type of programmable computer chip. Instead of having a custom-built computer chips, hobbyists and small manufacturers can get an FPGA and program it to behave like a custom chip.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Field-p...ble_gate_array

[iBug2]

Originally Posted by xionxiox

Contrary to popular belief, development doesn't begin a month before the announcement.

That's really the popular belief?

[theSeb]

Not too long a visionary on this forum suggested that they will probably do this to mess with us in the future. I wish I could remember who posted that.

[Rocketman]

So this is a brain dead Easter egg?

The telling evidence will continue to be web usage logs. Yes they may use spoofed names there too, but they will use SOMETHING.

Hey Apple, stop doing things deceptive and start doing things cute or humorous. Please? Thanks.

FTR the current methods were great for stock prices and sales. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Rocketman

[kas23]

Man, that's awful tricky of them! How in Hell are we going to find out if there's an iPhone coming out next year now?!?

[ciociosan]

they stole it from usss! sneaky little appleses! wicked, tricksy, false!

[dexthageek]

Originally Posted by xionxiox

I'm pretty sure all this information amounts to about 20 kb.

I know that. I just felt like complaining