Apple, the tech giant that has revolutionized the way we live, work, and communicate, has been a subject of numerous conspiracy theories over the years. These theories range from claims of planned obsolescence to more sinister allegations of secret surveillance and data collection.
One of the earliest and most enduring conspiracy theories surrounding Apple is its alleged role in extending the shelf life of electronic devices through deliberate design flaws. This theory suggests that Apple engineers deliberately introduce bugs or flaws into their products, which are then exploited by repair shops to replace worn-out parts with new ones. As a result, customers are forced to purchase new devices every few years, generating massive profits for Apple.
Some proponents of this theory point to the company's history of releasing updates and patches that fix previously introduced issues, only to introduce new problems shortly after. They argue that these actions demonstrate a clear intent to create a cycle of obsolescence, which benefits Apple at the expense of its customers.
Another conspiracy theory surrounding Apple revolves around the alleged use of biometric sensors, such as TouchID and FaceID, for purposes beyond their intended function. Some theorists claim that these sensors are being used to collect sensitive data on users, potentially compromising their privacy.
The secure enclave, a dedicated chip within Apple devices designed to store biometric data locally, has been touted by the company as a means of protecting user information from unauthorized access. However, some critics argue that this security measure may be insufficient, leaving users vulnerable to potential hacking attempts.
Some human rights groups have cautioned against using TouchID or FaceID to unlock iPhones due to concerns about government access to sensitive data without consent. While Apple has maintained that the secure enclave is designed to prevent exactly this kind of unauthorized access, these concerns have sparked debate among experts and users alike.
Beyond biometric data collection, there are also conspiracy theories surrounding Apple's use of its products for surveillance purposes. Some theorists believe that the company may be working with governments or other organizations to collect sensitive information on a massive scale, potentially using facial recognition technology to build comprehensive databases of human biometric data.
The implications of such a database would be far-reaching and profound, raising serious concerns about personal security and privacy. If true, this theory would make Apple an even larger target for hackers seeking to exploit the vast amounts of sensitive data it allegedly possesses.
While these conspiracy theories surrounding Apple are largely speculative and unproven, they do highlight the company's significant influence over our lives and its potential impact on our personal freedoms. As technology continues to advance at a breakneck pace, it is essential to remain vigilant and critical of the ways in which companies like Apple wield their power.
In recent years, there have been several high-profile incidents involving the unauthorized access of user data through third-party apps or other means. These events have sparked widespread concern about online security and the need for greater transparency from tech giants like Apple.
Despite these concerns, many users remain oblivious to the types of permissions they grant to different apps on their devices. For instance, some individuals may knowingly grant Facebook access to their microphone, but then forget to revoke this permission when using the app for a specific task.
This lack of awareness about app permissions highlights the complexity and nuance of modern technology, making it increasingly difficult for users to navigate the subtleties of digital security. As we move forward in an increasingly tech-driven world, it is crucial that we prioritize our understanding of these issues and take steps to protect ourselves from potential threats.
The conspiracy theories surrounding Apple serve as a reminder of the need for critical thinking and skepticism when it comes to technology and its impact on our lives. While some claims may seem far-fetched or unsubstantiated, others highlight legitimate concerns about data security and user privacy. By engaging with these issues and staying informed, we can work towards creating a more transparent and secure digital landscape.
"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enHey guys, it’s Greg with Apple Explainedand today we’re going to talk about someof the conspiracy theories that surround Appleand their products.This topic was the first place winner of lastweeks voting poll and if you didn’t getto vote, make sure you’re subscribed, thatway the voting polls will show up right inyour activity feed and you can let me knowwhich video you’d like to see next.So as with any major, visible organization,people tend to question the true motives ofevery major decision the company makes.Some of these theories can be pretty far-fetchedand mostly resonate with small, more nichegroups of people.But others, seem to have some pretty soundevidence.I’m going to go through some of the biggestof these conspiracies, including the evidencethat supports or disproves them.Now probably the biggest and longest-runningApple conspiracy is that of planned obsolescence.Basically, planned obsolescence is the ideathat any company, not only Apple, intentionallydesigns its products to be unusable aftera certain period of time.This ensures that customers buy new, upgraded,and, usually, more expensive replacementsas the years go by essentially guaranteeingthat the company will remain profitable, ratherthan people just buying a product and usingthe same one for ten or twenty years.Now, a lot of different companies have beenaccused of planned obsolescences, but it’sespecially prevalent among tech companiesand Apple in particular.Now there are several parts to this theorywhen it comes to Apple products – and thefirst is their software.Basically, the theory is that a few monthsafter a new device is released, Apple beginsto introduce software updates that drain batterylife faster, throttle performance, and reducethe overall functionality of the device.Now the incremental pace at which the updatesslow devices isn’t enough for most peopleto notice right away.But over time, many users find themselvesgetting so frustrated with apps crashing orslowing down that they begin to consider buyinga new version of that device.Now, this theory may not be 100% true, butthere is some evidence to back it up.For example, back in December 2017, Appleadmitted to slowing down older iPhones andthe reason they gave for doing it was becauseas the iPhone’s battery weakens and degrades,it increases the likelihood of system-widecrashes.Which obviously would frustrate a lot of users,so Apple limited software performance in orderto keep the operating system stable.And when users replaced the batteries in theirolder iPhones, they saw performance improvementsacross the board.Now could Apple have been throttling the olderiPhone more than they needed to be?Maybe, but we’ll never really know the wholestory.All we know so far is Apple’s reasoningchecks out, and there’s now an option toturn off performance management in the iPhonessettings.Now another conspiracy theory that’s sort’verelated to planned obsolescence is that Appleintentionally seals their devices shut sousers can’t replace or repair anything.That way, you have to send it in to Appleand pay them a lot of money to fix it, orjust buy a completely new device.Now there was an example of this in 2009,when Apple introduced a new type of proprietaryfive-point screw to its MacBook Pro.And this meant users had to find a specialscrewdriver in order to get inside their MacBookPro, instead of using standard Philips headscrews that they had been using prior.Now the proprietary screws may have been nomore than an aesthetic decision or maybe theywere more sturdy, but many people felt itwas just one more step towards limiting users’ability to fix their own devices.And if you think about it, we all used tohave flip phones with replaceable batterieswhere you just slide off the back, but today,it is almost impossible to find a smartphonewith that same level of access.And that means third party repair shops arebecoming much more limited in what they cando, and some even refuse to service certaindevices completely.Now according to the planned obsolescencetheory, this is a deliberate move by Appleto make more money by forcing customers torepair their iPhones or iPads through them,or by forcing customers to buy new devices.Now, in Apple’s defense, there are legitimatereasons to seal their devices shut.For example, when the user-replaceable batteryin the MacBook became non-removable, it allowedfor a much bigger battery that provided longerbattery life.And the same thing happened with smartphones.So it's entirely possible that these decisionswere made to benefit the user, rather thanjust make money for Apple.But there was one decision Apple made didn’tseem to benefit users at all.And that was the removal of the headphonejack, starting with the iPhone 7.A lot of users were frustrated by this, andmany became suspicious when Apple introducedtheir wireless bluetooth AirPods at the sametime as the iPhone 7.Now it isn’t very hard to make the connectionthat maybe Apple removed the headphone jackin order to boost sales of their $159 AirPods.But Apple denied this, saying they neededthe extra room inside the iPhone for its TapticEngine.Now, it’s important to remember that Appleis a for-profit business – not a humanitarianorganization.And while Tim Cook and other executives haveexpressed a commitment to human rights, accessibility,and global good, company decisions must stillmeet a bottom line.So, if Apple did decide to remove the iPhonesheadphone jack to encourage sales of the AirPods,it’s not necessarily a conspiracy – it’sjust business.That being said, there are plenty of conspiracytheories that go well beyond the realm ofbusiness practices and into issues of privacy,state surveillance, and even mind control.For example, one of the biggest and most controversialtheories is that Apple devices are listeningto and watching users without their knowledge.And the scariest part is there have actuallybeen incidents of this kind of thing happening.In 2008, a remote administration tool wasaccidentally used by high school administratorsin Pennsylvania to take over 50,000 picturesof students in their homes from their webcams.In 2013, an application called iSeeYou allowedhackers to remotely access the webcam on MacBookswithout triggering the green indicator light.So strangers were able to watch and recordusers without them knowing, and this all becamepublic knowledge when Miss Teen USA CassidyWolf received an extortion attempt that includedover one hundred nude photos of herself takenremotely by her own notebook.Now, let me be clear, neither of these eventswere perpetrated by Apple themselves, andthey’ve actually worked hard to close differentloopholes and vulnerabilities in their softwareto prevent this from occurring again.But there is always a risk for security breaches,so their work is never done.Now I just mentioned Apple not being involvedin any of those incidents, but some peoplebelieve other companies like Facebook andGoogle are using Apple products in sinisterways.Which brings us to the next conspiracy theory,that various companies listen in on usersthrough their microphone and collect dataon their conversations to use for advertising.Now I don’t know if this is much of a theoryanymore since it has been demonstrated inmany videos, where someone will have a conversationabout a specific item, and after mentioningit out loud a few times, will find advertisementsfor that specific item on Facebook, Google,or another app.Maybe you’ve even experienced it for yourself.And if this theory is in fact true, how arewe to know what else they’re doing?Maybe they also have access to our camera,and we just don’t know it yet.But what scares me the most is what mighthappen if these companies are hacked.All the sudden a hacker would have accessto the microphones and perhaps cameras ofevery user on earth.And I don’t think any person or companyfor that matter should have the power to invadeour privacy so freely.Now the last conspiracy theory I want to discusshas to do with Apple’s various biometricsensors like TouchID and FaceID.When the features were first introduced byApple, they assured users that all of ourbiometric data would be stored locally onour device inside something called the secureenclave.And so far, that appears to be true.But that hasn’t stopped some theorists fromconsidering unintended consequences or hiddenagendas that Apple might have.For example, some human rights groups haveadvised users against using a TouchID or FaceIDas a way to unlock your phone because of thepossibility that it gives authorities a wayinside your phone without your consent.Imagine that you get pulled over and the policewant inside your phone for whatever reason,what’s stopping them from pointing youriPhone X at your face and going through allits contents.But others theorize that there are much moresinister and far-reaching uses for Apple’snew biometric measures.Beyond advertising, or evidence for simpledrug arrests and car searches, there are thosewho believe that Apple is using FaceID tobuild a database of human biometric data.This database could be used for large-scalesurveillance, which could have untold consequencesfor personal security and privacy.Beyond Apple’s own use of this database,they could have incentive to sell facial mappingdata to third-party companies – and theconsequences of these sales could be massive.But it would also make Apple an even biggertarget for hackers, who would do anythingfor that much data on all iPhone users.Now this is all speculation of course andwhile I don’t think Apple is saving ourbiometric data, that doesn’t mean othercompanies aren’t.Because even though there isn’t any evidenceof Apple listening in on our private conversations,there is evidence of third party companiesdoing it through their own apps.And its very difficult for users to managethe types of permissions given to differentapps, especially when they need those permissionsfor certain features.For example, I give facebook access to mymicrophone so I can record audio messages,but that doesn’t mean I want the microphoneto stay active even after I close the app.And I definitely don’t want Facebook torecord my private conversations for advertisingpurposes or whatever else they’re usingit for.So this becomes a very complicated issue thatfuels all sorts of conspiracy theories.So overall I think most of these conspiracytheories about Apple are false, but thereare a few that wouldn’t surprise me if theyturned out to be true.Especially the ones about planned obsolescence.Now there are many other theories that I didn’tgo into today, from radio wave frequenciesdisrupting health to caustic rubber-meltingsubstances applied to iPhones before theyhit the market, so I encourage you to do someresearch for yourself because reading aboutall of these different theories can be quiteentertaining and fun.So those were some Apple conspiracy theories,and if you want to vote for the next videotopic, don’t forget to subscribe.Thanks for watching, and I’ll see you nexttime.\n"
