Craig Federighi says unlocking an iPhone is very dangerous
Apple's chief of software engineering, Craig Federighi, had a tough assignment in the Epic v. Apple: Explaining why Mac security wasn't good enough for the iPhone.
Mac computers have the official Apple App Store, but they also allow software downloads from the Internet or a third-party store. Apple never unlocked iOS in this way, but it has always touted the privacy and security of both platforms. Then Epic Games sued Apple to force it, saying that if the open model was good enough for macOS, Apple's claims about iOS were hollow. On the podium yesterday, Federighi tried to solve this problem by photographing the iPhones and Macs as completely different devices - and in the process, he threw macOS under the bus.
'IPhones are very attractive targets'
Federighi identified three main differences between iOS and macOS. The first is size. Far more people use iPhones than Macs, and the more users of the platform, the more attractive this audience becomes for malware developers. Federighi said iOS users are also more habitual about downloading software, which gives attackers better odds of luring them into downloading. "IOS users have gotten used to getting apps all the time," he said, citing Apple's old phrase: "There's an app for that."
The second difference is the sensitivity of the data. IPhones are very attractive targets. They are very personal devices with you all the time. They have some of your most personal information - of course your contacts, your photos, but also other things, "he said. Mobile devices put a camera, microphone, and GPS tracker in your pocket." All of these things make accessing or controlling these devices valuable. Great for the striker. "
This may reduce the amount of private interactions with Mac computers; Yonatan Even, an Epic consultant, noted that many telemedicine calls and other virtual interactions happen on the desktop. However, it's fair to say that phones have become multi-purpose digital safes for many people.
The third difference is the most conceptual. Basically Federighi says that iOS users need more protection because the Mac is a specialized tool for people who know how to navigate the intricacies of a powerful system, while the iPhone and iPad are - literally - for kids.
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