2020 iPad Pro Includes Microphone Hardware Disconnect Security Feature

[ZMacintosh]

can they just put in a toggle switch to enable/disable camera and microphone when you want, and/or when device is in sleep mode turn off both. I only use Siri when I wake up the devices anyways.

 

[bbplayer5]

Ok great, now let me order it . Been using the magic trackpad 2 with 13.4.5, and it is magical...

 

[kreasonos]

Man this forum really died. I remember back in 2010 it was really popular.

 

[jjudson]

This is a good step, but I'd like to see a hard switch for both the camera and the microphone. Software switches can be hacked.

 

[FightTheFuture]

That was very much NOT the case some years ago – someone disassembled the camera to show that the light was a software-driven feature. Where did you see that they are linked now? Any idea from which year/model?

Again: in 2013 this was NOT the case. How do you know that it is like that now? Do you have any reference?

The 2013 article:

Ok, I did some digging on this cause I’ve been covering my MBP’s camera since I bought it, but supposedly I never needed to.


1. Cassidy Wolf was not using a mac
2. The WP article references tests done on older (2007/08 MacBooks)

Apple, Please Give Us a Fix — a Guarantee — that Our iSight Webcams Are Safe | TIME.com

Hackable webcams are the ultimate privacy compromise.

techland.time.com

 

[Kabeyun]

Shines? Did you already forget that apple allowed developers to build databases and sell stuff from the beginning until the new guideline was added to to the appstore/developer part. And it only says ”if you get caught by selling..., your account may be cancelled” or so. Apple hasnt restricted anything, only advises to do it on right way - as every developers will do, of course. Developers can still do alot if you ever allowed the app to access your photos, contacts or what so ever.

Remember botnet running with macs for years?

im sure apple does some better, but no - it doesnt shine on privacy, maybe giving a false feeling about being safe.

It’s all relative. Have fun with Windows/Android.

 

[jmgregory1]

I don’t care about Apple turning off mics...I’m just here for the picture of the new Magic Keyboard folio.

 

[LeadingHeat]

So how would this work? If the keyboard case tells the iPad that it’s covered then the signal has to go through the Smart Connector which means it’s software based.

The only other solution I can think of to do this with hardware is by using magnets to physically cut out the connection to the mic.

Which it might very well do! It’s a magnet that turns off the display after all

 

[nylonsteel]

i have a few devices i put tape over the camera
crude but works

 

[tennisproha]

Hardware disconnect? How does that work? There’s a physical switch?

 

[Greenmeenie]

They say it’s a “hardware” upgrade...but I do not see why Apple cannot add this feature as a software update to 2018 ipad pro owners as well.

 

[chrfr]

They say it’s a “hardware” upgrade...but I do not see why Apple cannot add this feature as a software update to 2018 ipad pro owners as well.

You can't add a hardware feature as a software update.

Hardware microphone disconnect

Supported Mac computers and iPad devices have a hardware disconnect that helps ensure that the microphone is disabled whenever the lid is closed.

support.apple.com

 

[konqerror]

This is a good step, but I'd like to see a hard switch for both the camera and the microphone. Software switches can be hacked.

Hardware switches are useless for normal users because they simply won't bother to turn it off. Even high-security users forget to turn it off; if you look at phones and such for secure environments, they have a big glowing red light, something which is impossible on a mobile device.

The right way is to do what Apple did and tie the microphone into a natural gesture.

 

[JaxGator3]

What does Apple know that they haven't told us?

I seen too many laptops and iPads with tape and bandaids covering the camera. Even on the local news I've seen electrical tape over their cameras on the Mac laptops while reporting the news.

I see many comments about the device owner or users privacy. But, isn’t this also to prevent the device owner or user from secretly recording others?

 

[mazz0]

I see many comments about the device owner or users privacy. But, isn’t this also to prevent the device owner or user from secretly recording others?

Well no, you could just not put such a case over it if you wanted to.

As others have said though, this does have the downside of not allowing Siri functionality with the case closed, which will surely affect a minority of users.

 

[aevan]

Doesn't matter if the cover is closed or not, it's still unworkable and incredibly stupid after 8 years.

I use Siri daily.

 

[konqerror]

Siri works really well for me and I would like it to work even if I have a keyboard case with the cover closed. I hope they have a setting for that.

What if I want Siri to work?

Hey Siri on the iPhone was always disabled if the proximity sensor is triggered, e.g. in your pocket or a folio case or face-down on a desk.

 

[DeepIn2U]

Siri works really well for me and I would like it to work even if I have a keyboard case with the cover closed. I hope they have a setting for that.

And this isn’t just about Siri. What if I’m recording a voice memo or something similar. I used to do that a lot with the Smart cover on my iPad 2 to record lectures at the university.

yet some features of Siri will not work when an iPhone or iPad is locked regardless of having a case on or not.

I hear you though I’d love for full automation by Siri via end user commands vs shortcuts. Like “ hey Siri read me the email from xxx on March 15TH (auto recognizes this year as only instance, prompts if other emails on different years exist)” for example.

you can always use headphones, even wired ones like when iPhone 4S 1st launches and showcased Siri with big hair dude running on the docks.

 

[GubbyMan]

Hey Siri on the iPhone was always disabled if the proximity sensor is triggered, e.g. in your pocket or a folio case or face-down on a desk.

Yes I hated that and I was happy when they added the setting to not disable Siri with the proximity sensor.

 

[sharpimage]

"Apple updated the 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models last month with a faster A12Z Bionic chip"

I thought you later said it was the same speed the 2018 models? Is there any clarity on this point?

 

[subjonas]

So how would this work? If the keyboard case tells the iPad that it’s covered then the signal has to go through the Smart Connector which means it’s software based.

The only other solution I can think of to do this with hardware is by using magnets to physically cut out the connection to the mic.

It’s likely a mechanism that uses the magnets in a compatible smart case to break the circuit for the microphone

It says this works with any MFI-compliant case, and almost no 3rd party cases connect via the Smart Connector. So unless they start requiring that MFI-compliant cases use the Smart Connector, it must be magnets. Either that or some other secret tech we don’t know about.

 

[Jimmy James]

Now for a disable feature on iPhone. These are the kinds of features that should make or break the offering in today’s climate. Unfortunately, I suspect the majority are too ignorant to care.

 

[Schmed]

Some have commented that the “green light” is serially hardwired to the camera power obviating the need for a hardware disconnect, but for me there are still issues. Firstly, I have on two occasions discovered my Mac recording room conversations through an unauthorized chrome plug-in that kept reinstalling (I used a cut mini mic plug into the line-in port to stop it). Secondly, Kapersky shows unauthorized webcam use on my Lenovo laptop even though it also has a “green light” that’s not showing during the hacked usage. It makes me wonder whether diligent hackers have discovered workarounds..

 

[iMacDragon]

So, any references?

I think it is interesting that the security document featured in the OP does NOT mention anything about the LED...

And FWIW, the iSight Wikipedia page mentions the vulnerability (iSeeYou), but not that it was fixed.

I grant, looked around, and not found hard evidence either way to what memory says.

 

[BuffaloTF]

So how would this work? If the keyboard case tells the iPad that it’s covered then the signal has to go through the Smart Connector which means it’s software based.

The only other solution I can think of to do this with hardware is by using magnets to physically cut out the connection to the mic.

Has to be from the magnets, the same way it turns off the screen. There's no smart connector on the regular 2 sided folio case.