Instead of inventing a whole new system to replace the software on a turned off iPhone, maybe they should focus on eliminating the need for a series of important fixes on a less than one month old phone.
you got lucky.Was not that the case already? My new iPhone 15 came with iOS 17.0.2 out of the box.
This tech sounds sketch af
Turn on my device whenever you want and upload software to it?? The operating system of all things???….i guess if it’s in the walled in garden, though it makes sense in that (private) context.
I remember reading about them doing this in the factory wayyyy back, like in the iPhone 4/5 time I think.I kind of thought they already did this somehow
I can see state actors using this tech to "update" a target phone by intercepting it mid-shipment to the victim.
The NSA famously intercepted packages, installed implants, and then repackaged the device. I'm sure they can also afford equipment that can reseal an iPhone box. No fancy wireless update needed.I can see state actors using this tech to "update" a target phone by intercepting it mid-shipment to the victim.
Actually, I had not considered that side of the issue. I, along with most of the posters here, likely update regularly including to Dev/Beta versions so the notion of updating is second nature to us. OTOH, my mom just handed me her 2018 iPad and she hadn't updated the OS once... I was helping my DIL debug a problem with her MBP and the first thing I said is you never updated this since you bought it to start freshman year of college 5 years ago? Not even once?!Seems like the first thing that I have to do whenever I get any sort of smart device that has accessible software is to update it. I’m sort of technically savvy so for me this isn’t a big deal. But for other people, my parents, my children, my wife, my neighbors, this seems like an impossible obstacle to overcome.
You are making an unfounded assumption about the nature of the software update mechanism at work here.Who said that capability to install a rootkit wirelessly will be absent from the phone with your data?
Apple sells a lot of phones in China, they would provide Xi with whatever key he wants.
How has it ever known? What do you imagine has changed here?How will the device know who is a good guy or not?
Yeah- exactly. I don’t like this “feature”.Exactly what I was thinking– having a way to wirelessly change the software on your phone when it's off seems like a huge security risk.
If the NSA can sneak an altered version of iOS with a payload the Israelis can do it and game over for apple.Once the genie is out of the box, you won't get it inside anymore.
Hackers will love this. How will the device know who is a good guy or not?
The fbi is saying: “so close and yet so far.”well the FBI must have just creamed in their pants.... wonderful.
Brilliant idea
Apple is planning to implement an innovative new system that allows retail store staff to wirelessly update iPhones inside their sealed boxes, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
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In the most recent "Power On" newsletter, Gurman outlined how Apple plans to tackle brand new iPhones being sold in retail stores with outdated software. For example, the iPhone 15 lineup shipped with iOS 17, but iOS 17.0.1 was already available upon its launch and the devices required a update to iOS 17.0.2 to fix an issue that prevented the transfer of data directly from another iPhone during the setup process.
Apple wants customers to receive iPhones with the latest version of iOS to avoid users having to update themselves, especially if important updates have been pushed to address high-profile bugs. Before the end of the next year, Apple will apparently provide a new system to retail stores to address this. It features a "proprietary pad-like device" that retail store staff can place a sealed iPhone box on top of. The system then wirelessly turns on the iPhone, updates its software to the latest version, and powers it off, with no need to open the device's packaging.
Article Link: Apple Planning System for Retail Stores to Update iPhone Software With No Need to Open Box
I can see state actors using this tech to "update" a target phone by intercepting it mid-shipment to the victim.
1) If needed the same pad could power/charge the phoneThis sounds a bit ridiculous.
1) Wouldn’t that drain the phone’s battery if done repeatedly?
2) is this only possible with an uninitialized iPhone? If not, huge security risk to phones people already have. If so, then still a security risk for installing malware on iPhones being shipped to stores.
3) seems labor intensive (costly) to go around the store and update the iPhone inventory.
4) once you do this for iPhone do you need to do the same for Apple Watch, iPad, HomePod, AppleTV and Macs?
5) I don’t really see the point given how fast Apple moves iPhone inventory.