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Comment by MagicMoonlight | Hacker News Reader

Sounds like a new vulnerability route if you can flash the device without access to a port. I’d imagine it’s also in preparation for the removal of the port.

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They already have been doing this (in a way).

Apple Watch since Series 7 has had a 60GHz wireless USB transmitter in it that replaced the hidden pogo-pins used for OS recovery and diagnostics in the back of house at Apple Stores. They designed a specific sled that has an Apple Watch charger and the 60GHz macguffins, and then carriers that each model watch rides in on top to align to the charger and the 60Ghz connection.

Ironically, it's also USB-C. https://sci.tea-nifty.com/blog/2022/03/post-eb2dde.html

I don’t remember hearing about that. Neat.

It was found through various FCC filings and documentation -- Apple never publicly announced it. ;)

Oh no they’d never announce it. But I see enough Apple stuff through the sites I follow I’m just surprised I didn’t see it.

Just curious why 60 GHz was chosen, any ideas? Avoid interference from other sources? Harder to replicate? FCC approvals?

Seems like a very high frequency, although looks like there is now a WiFi band up there?

Wireless USB at ~60GHz has (sort of) been a thing for a while for short range comms as a possibility.

One of the largest devices that ever used it was the Essential PH-1 and its snap-on camera module (and some other modules as well); the data was transferred over 60GHz USB while power and alignment was delivered by two pogo pins.

There was also Dell and friends' various efforts with WiGig 60GHz docking stations. https://www.wi-fi.org/discover-wi-fi/wi-fi-certified-wigig

I have been saying for years the next move for Apple is to ditch the charge port entirely. It makes the phone significantly more secure as well since Cellebrite, elcomsoft, etc rely on the lighting port /usb-c for mobile forensics work.

> Sounds like a new vulnerability route if you can flash the device without access to a port.

Apple already updates iOS over-the-air, no port required.

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