Ondrej Holzman Apple will introduce new products next Monday, and while it will be the event of the week for most of the tech crowd, the Californian company has another very important event coming up the day after. On Tuesday, March 22, Apple and the FBI will return to court to deal with iPhone encryption. And these two events could be connected.
Although it may seem surprising at first glance, especially to the uninformed observer, for Apple the outcome of the March 22 event is at least as important as how the new products will be received, among which they are supposed to be a four-inch iPhone SE or a smaller iPad Pro.
Apple has thought out its PR activities down to the last detail. He tries to time his presentations correctly, systematically releases advertisements for his products, releases information only if he deems it appropriate, and his representatives usually do not comment publicly at all.
[su_pullquote align=”right”]Apple would certainly be walking on thin ice with this.[/su_pullquote]However, the PR department in Cupertino has been busy in recent weeks. The request by the FBI, sponsored by the US government, to break the security in its iPhones deeply touched the core values that Apple espouses. For the Californian giant, privacy protection is not just an empty concept, on the contrary, it is essentially one of its products. That is why he launched a strong media campaign to explain his position.
First with an open letter expressed Apple CEO Tim Cook. He opened the whole case publicly in mid-February, when he revealed that the FBI was asking his company to create special software that would bypass iPhone security. "The United States government is asking us to take an unprecedented step that will jeopardize the security of our users," Cook said.
Since then, an endless and very broad discussion has started, in the framework of which it is decided whose side it is actually necessary to stand on. Whether to defend the interests of the US government, which is trying to break the privacy of users in order to fight the enemy, or whether to support Apple, which sees the whole case as setting a dangerous precedent that could change the way digital privacy is viewed.
Everyone really has their say. Next technology companies, legal and security experts, government officials, former agents, judges, comedians, in short every, who has something to say on the subject.
Quite unusually, however, several top Apple managers also appeared in the media shortly after each other. After Tim Cook, who appeared on American national television, where he was given significant space, they also commented on the danger of the whole case Eddy Cue a Craig Federighi.
The fact that some of Cook's most important subordinates spoke publicly shows how important this topic is to Apple. After all, from the beginning, Tim Cook claimed that he wanted to provoke a national debate, because this is a matter that, according to him, should not be decided by the courts, but at least by members of Congress, as representatives elected by the people.
And that brings us to the heart of the matter. Tim Cook now has a really big opportunity in front of him to inform the whole world about his company's important fight with the FBI and the possible consequences. During Monday's keynote, not only new iPhones and iPads may be discussed, but security may become an important point.
The live presentation regularly attracts huge crowds of journalists, fans and often those who are otherwise not so interested in the world of technology. Apple's keynotes are unparalleled in the world, and Tim Cook knows it very well. If Apple tried to speak to the American people through the media there, now it can literally reach the whole world.
The debate about encryption and security of mobile devices is far from limited to the United States. This is a global issue and the question of how we will perceive our own digital privacy in the future and whether it will still be "privacy". Therefore, it seems logical if Tim Cook for once breaks away from the traditional notes of praising the latest products and also adds a serious topic.
Apple would certainly be walking on thin ice with this. However, government officials have also accused him of not wanting to let investigators into iPhones just because it's good marketing for him. And talking about it on such a big stage could certainly smack of advertising practice. But if Apple is absolutely convinced of the need to defend its protection, and thus the privacy of users, the spotlights on Monday's keynote represent a space that will not be seen again.
Whether the Apple vs. Whatever the outcome for the FBI, a long legal and political battle can be expected, at the end of which it is still difficult to predict who will be the winner and who the loser. But one important part will take place in court next Tuesday, and Apple could score valuable points right before it.
I have a very clear position on the whole FBI thing - and that's Apple's. The FBI messed it all up on their own, they could get the data - just listen and do "as they should", don't jump to conclusions. Mistakes are paid for. That should be the end of the discussion - lessons for next time. :)
I am surprised that this fact is completely overlooked.
I agree, but the politicians see it differently - after the US, in Britain they want to enforce a law on the obligation of backdoors for everyone and a complete history of browsing for 1 year - I wonder what kind of "KOKOTY" this is, who is making this up - who will be next Russia or China?
It's quite clear - governments want to have an overview of everything and spy on every fart, and this was a great springboard.
I agree with Apple who will ensure that BIG BROTHER is not watching in the future
– no one!!
Fingers crossed for Apple!
As I wrote below, in Britain there is now a bill for a backdoor obligation for everything - mobile, PC…. And keeping a year's history of your movements on the Internet - that has nothing to do with terrorism anymore, it's just legalized snooping, which until now was only by court order for a few individuals - so now they want it for everyone without a problem.
This is where it starts, and in no time they will come up with mandatory wristbands and cameras in every room - to prevent violent crime.
He threw such politicians out the window.
Maybe I don't get it, but I still don't understand why the FBI wants software to unlock iPhones? Can't Apple ask for cooperation and, in serious cases like this, and based on a court order, provide data from a specific phone of a specific accused person?
Even Apple doesn't have access to the phones - the FBI just wants to develop software to secure it. Common to all.
Hopefully Apple wins and it doesn't turn out to be a disaster like a back door to an ever more widespread electronic device. Terrorism can definitely be fought in a different and more effective way than by monitoring the privacy of each of us. This is just a stupid excuse by the FBI and others who want to rule the world, not fight terrorists.
So, on the one hand, I appreciate that Apple is fighting for my privacy. On the other hand, I don't understand why it is not possible to take one piece to the Apple labs and, based on a court order, extract the necessary data from it for the FBI. Apple can certainly do it, and if the government only cares about the data and not about the general possibility to get into the iPhone at any time and to anyone, then I'm all for it.