Verizon iPhone Prelaunch Testing: "Acme" Code Name, Text Check-Ins to Ensure Security

[MacRumors]

TechnoBuffalo shares claimed details of Verizon's internal testing for the iPhone 4, highlighting security measures taken by Apple and the carriers to maintain control over the test units.

According to the report, a small number of Verizon employees were provided with iPhones two weeks before the public debut, using them out in the field to ensure that there were no last-minutes hitches in real-world performance. Staffers receiving iPhones were of course required to sign non-disclosure agreements regarding the new hardware, which the source unsurprisingly describes as being above and beyond what is typically required for unreleased hardware. Those privy to the testing process were also reportedly instructed to never refer to the iPhone by name, instead using the code name "Acme" to refer to the device.

But what is particularly interesting are the security methods reportedly employed to help ensure that the handsets remained in the possession of the testers, a system that required testers to manually report in on their devices every twelve hours.

Our source describes a unique protocol requiring staffers to text a secret PIN code to a dedicated phone number every 12 hours. This served as ongoing confirmation that the handset was still in the proper hands. So no PIN code, no functionality.

Early field testing in Apple Stores around the country reportedly began as much as six months ahead of the Verizon iPhone's launch, but it was only in the last several weeks before launch that testing opened up beyond engineering staff to a broader, albeit still select, group of Verizon employees. As is par for the course with Apple product releases, the vast majority of Verizon employees were kept in the dark about the iPhone testing and launch plans.

Article Link: Verizon iPhone Prelaunch Testing: "Acme" Code Name, Text Check-Ins to Ensure Security

 

[Poll Smoker]

Smells stinky.

 

[Small White Car]

No surprises here but I still find this kind of 'Apple-secrecy' story fascinating to read every time we hear about one.

 

[Born Again]

Friend goes to his buddy and asks what phone do u have there

Oh it's the ACME

Friend goes - no seriously what is that ?

It's the AcME!



Yah that's believable


They should Of called it a Samsung Captivate and no one would suspect a thing!

 

[FSMBP]

It seems surprising because no one would think twice looking about the Verizon iPhone 4 as they would assume it's just an AT&T one.

I mean, Apple could just have it say "AT&T 3G" for the signal bar on their test units & no one would be the wiser.

But, Apple is Apple.

 

[Beaverfish]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_3 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8J2 Safari/6533.18.5)

Hmmm I wonder what the passcode was for. Because apple already have the ability to brick the phone remotely. Apart from the Hot Spot feature the software was identical.

 

[LegendKillerUK]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_3 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8J2 Safari/6533.18.5)

Hmmm I wonder what the passcode was for. Because apple already have the ability to brick the phone remotely. Apart from the Hot Spot feature the software was identical.

How do we know there wasn't an additional bit of code used? After all, it was in testing for 6 months. Then remove the addition and out the door.

 

[MacMan86]

Staffers receiving iPhones were of course required to sign non-disclosure agreements regarding the new hardware, which the source unsurprisingly describes as being above and beyond what is typically required for unreleased hardware.

Really? Obviously I'm not in that area of work but I would have imagined NDA's were fairly standard for this kind of thing...

 

[Sweetfeld28]

I don't see really what the point of hiding a one year old phone, was, but it was a good idea for the check ins.

 

[d0minick]

It strikes me as a very primitive way to keep tabs on the phone. I thought Apple would have something "different".

But hey, if it works, it works!

 

[3goldens]

Must be a slow news day!
No new photographs or rumors about the new Iphone 5 from those
reputable case manufactures that Apple always keeps in the information?

 

[Blorzoga]

Sounds like the people in Lost who had to punch in that code every 58 minutes or whatever it was.

 

[acslater017]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_3 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8J2 Safari/6533.18.5)

Hmmm I wonder what the passcode was for. Because apple already have the ability to brick the phone remotely. Apart from the Hot Spot feature the software was identical.

The passcode/sign-in was probably to ensure that even if you didn't KNOW it was lost, it couldn't be used without proper authorization. Rather than having to confirm its loss, contact Apple, send out the signal and hope that it's still on, etc.

That, and I imagine each tester had his/her own personal passcode to ensure that only they could use it, and not any other tester.

 

[ThisIsNotMe]

Next thing you know they are going to be tagging the employees with RFID.

 

[outlawarth]

What this story about Apple’s secrecy proves is that nobody (including the analysts and their trusted sources) really knows anything about future Apple products or release dates. It’s all speculation and wishful thinking.

 

[Thunderhawks]

It strikes me as a very primitive way to keep tabs on the phone. I thought Apple would have something "different".

But hey, if it works, it works!

They really just wanted to track them and get the names of the pubs the testers would leave them in!

 

[gmcalpin]

Really? Obviously I'm not in that area of work but I would have imagined NDA's were fairly standard for this kind of thing...

It's saying that they had to sign NDA's above and beyond the normal NDAs they would sign for every unreleased device.

Probably something saying if they get caught leaking something, Steve Jobs can rip their still-beating hearts out of their chest or something like that.

 

[nishioka]

Really? Obviously I'm not in that area of work but I would have imagined NDA's were fairly standard for this kind of thing...

No, NDAs are pretty common, the article was referring to the fact that the contents of the NDA seemed to be a bit heavier than usual. Including not referring to the iPhone by name, even in internal dialogues.

 

[quinney]

Acme, huh? Based upon a recommendation from Wile E. Coyote, I have always found Acme to be a reliable supplier.

 

[bushido]

PUSH THE BUTTON

if u dont, SJ is going to hunt ur ass down

 

[landonjh]

Interestingly enough, as a former AT&T employee I can say this, the code name for the original iPhone with AT&T was Acme, and the 3G was Wintergreen. Never did find out what the 3GS or 4 were codenamed.

 

[Rot'nApple]

No PIN Code = Pit Stop to German Bier Garden.
/
/
/

 

[Themaeds]

Microsoft just sent me an Xbox 360 to test.....they said to be very quiet about it....

 

[ciTiger]

The best safe guard for their flagship product...

 

[Doctor Q]

If there were performance problems with less than two weeks before the public release, would Verizon really have enough time to do anything about it?

And if an employee missed the 12-hour deadline, what would they do? Send thugs after them?