Updating iPhones in Boxes
Mark Gurman claims that Apple has a system that can update the operating system of iPhones before they get sold. Crucially, it can do so without opening the box.
Consisting of a “pad-like device,” store employees place unopened iPhone boxes onto it to trigger an update. The pad wirelessly turns on the iPhone, runs the software update, then turns it off again.
This sounds convenient, though hopefully they’ve designed it so that it can’t be used after an iPhone has been set up.
Update (2023-11-22): See also: Accidental Tech Podcast.
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@DJ Presumably the phone won’t install updates that aren’t signed by Apple. But I think users should also be protected from installing Apple updates that they don’t want.
How? What mechanism is employed?
That Israeli security firm is presumably all over this already.
> This sounds convenient, though hopefully they’ve designed it so that it can’t be used after an iPhone has been set up.
...or by anyone else. Think: Reseller/carrier that wants to tweak settings or install adware. Or anyone, really, that wants to buy a bunch of iPhones and put malware on them. What safeguards are in place to keep this from being abused?