Apple's entire business model is based on appearances. To be fair so is Microsoft's and many others.
Security is usually the last priority for nearly every for profit entity because it doesn't drive revenue.
Security is usually the last priority for nearly every for profit entity because it doesn't drive revenue.
They aren’t perfect but I don’t think it’s fair to say they don’t try.
If you have written a hardened, safe browser engine then you are free to share it to the world, otherwise I wouldn't downplay their efforts.
Not OP, but I'll stop complaining when Apple lets me use other browser engines.
Yes, IMO their business model is more accurately described as “gilded cages/jails” than just general “gilded/good-appearing stuff”. They deeply care about the strength of their DRM — including at the expense of end-user security, eg. you can’t access the internet through the Tor browser installed the normal macOS way without macOS broadcasting that you used Tor Project products to Apple’s DRM servers.¹
> They are pretty serious about trying to prevent data exfiltration from locked iOS devices as well.
They definitely care about the appearance of trying to prevent that exfiltrating (they don’t publicly appear to help the FBI do it), but they don’t try hard enough to actually prevent it (including in situations were preventing exfiltration seems to have been proven possible, see nearby comment https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26667141).
¹Edit: ocsp.apple.com, enabling targeting of the people who need or want security the most.
To the people downvoting: I’m trying to make an evidence based refutation of the less supported speculation/assertions in the parent post. If you have counter-evidence or any reason to downvote other than fanboyism, please explain it so we or I can learn.
Your first point is intended to refute the effort put into stopping jailbreaking in iOS. The example you give is about privacy on Mac OS.
Last, accusing folks of being fanboys is a particularly weak argument. It says, if you don’t agree with me then your blind allegiance to a corporation renders you incapable of critical thought. Basically, if you don’t agree with me, you’re dumb. There is no practical engagement with that thesis.