Can physical microphones be removed from Apple devices by a repair shop, while still allowing use of wired/wireless headsets?
We need Purism-style hardware kill switches for microphones, cameras and radios.
Yes, this is what I do. The mike is actually still in the laptop but it's disconnected from the motherboard. On a 2021 M1 Macbook pro all you need to do is pop off the back cover and disconnect one cable on the right side of the motherboard. All in all takes about 10 minutes of work.
I actually just learned this exists on new iPad models too, with any MFi-compliant case!
I know this isn’t strictly relevant, since the vulnerability discussed here is during active use, just thought you might find it interesting.
https://support.apple.com/en-ca/guide/security/secbbd20b00b/...
> In each product with a hardware microphone cutoff, one or more lid sensors detect the physical closure of the lid or case using some physical property (for example, a Hall effect sensor or a hinge angle sensor) of the interaction. For sensors where calibration is necessary, parameters are set during production of the device and the calibration process includes a nonreversible hardware lock out of any subsequent changes to sensitive parameters on the sensor. These sensors emit a direct hardware signal that goes through a simple set of nonreprogrammable hardware logic. This logic provides debounce, hysteresis, and/or a delay of up to 500 ms before disabling the microphone. Depending on the product, this signal can be implemented either by disabling the lines transporting data between the microphone and the System on Chip (SoC) or by disabling one of the input lines to the microphone module that’s allowing it to be active—for example, the clock line or a similar effective control.
Hardware !== clunky obvious tactile contraptions
Anyway, I actually have an answer for you, at least for apple portable computers — most new macs come with a sophisticated lid angle sensor used to detect the display angle with high precision. (Previous models used more conventional Hall effect sensors which didn’t live to apples standards for a hardware cut off
Why is it importable to know the precise angle of the display in relation to the top case of the computer? Because you can detect when it’s closed with a high degree of confidence!
> How is the T2 connected to the laptop lid, where does the contact breaks?
So, your comment clearly indicates that you have very little experience with apple products and industrial design and engineer. You also made no effort to look into the matter see if you could find an answer yourself (it took me 4 mins of googling to connect the new LAS to the mic cutoff when computer is closed.
So you made a spurious allegation that apple was lying, when pushed on it, you followed up with an even more nonsensical comment that made your lack of hardware experience more obvious.
And after all of that, rather than having the self-awareness to drop the matter, or at very least, do some of your own research, you instead decide to sign off by accusing apple of misleading their users.
Super weird.
"Sorry, I don't have a headset right now, we'll have to talk later". It's not that "frustrating", really.
“Oh, you know, I’m a bit paranoid about my microphone being hacked so I disconnected the microphone internally. If you give me 10 minutes, I can put it back together real quick”
Not the vibe I personally wanna be giving friends and colleagues.
And accelerometers and ...
I worry about requiring switches in the same way one can require a universal standard for power delivery. (The EU did that recently... good move IMO, though I can understand the delay since discussions about amperages and whatnot do take time.[0])
Maybe requiring anyone who wants to contract with the US government to offer such a model, and that said model be available for consumer purchase as well, would be a simple solution.
They sometimes won't let say, Russia, buy the same stuff as say... Canada... but that's usually stuff like night vision goggles. The exact same phone or laptop, just slightly larger with more switches shouldn't have any... I think the word is "export controls"?
Please keep in mind, I am not a lawyer, and I'm very stupid -- I only have a master's degree -- so sometimes the things I say are wrong... please only credit me for the times I'm right. Thx!
I'm off to do more drugs now... have a nice Thursday!!
- Greg from Pennsylvania
[0] https://www.npr.org/2022/10/07/1127543116/eu-mandate-for-a-s...
I suppose that won't happen, as it would wreck the Find My network if it depends solely on Bluetooth.
> wreck the Find Me network if it depends solely on Bluetooth
Find Me presumably uses all identifiable radios, including BT, UWB, Wi-Fi.
Not that elegant of course, but sort of makes it possible.
For security this is probably something that could be brought in to lockdown mode for people who want absolute security over convenience.
There have been reports that the 2020 iPhone SE cannot be used without a microphone: