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Apple Unveils The iPhone 5S

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Re: Apple Unveils The iPhone 5S

#131

Post by gfodor »

AsymetricCom wrote: post #115
gfodor wrote: post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Serious question -- what is the big deal if someone gets your fingerprints? I can't think of the last time my fingerprint was used as some infallible method of identification, if ever. If the spooks want it, they already have it. I'd rather someone get their hands on my fingerprint than my passport, driver's license, and credit cards, and it seems much more difficult to steal than those things. I think the fingerprin…

This is just another iteration of the "I have nothing to hide" argument, but now you're making it with f-ing fingerprints? Get a clue, nobody needs to have this argument again.

It is most certainly not a "I have nothing to hide" argument. It is a "what exactly is the value of a fingerprint in terms of identity theft?" It's a question of how dangerous, really, would access to the world's fingerprints be for a nefarious hacker. I'm not asking to be facetious, I honestly don't know the real answer relative to more standard security measures like passwords.

Re: Apple Unveils The iPhone 5S

#132

Post by untog »

Pxtl wrote: post #83

I'm still weirded out by the idea that Apple has finally split the iPhone line into "premium" and "value" streams. It just seems so... un-Apple. The whole "last-year's-model" discount was a bit of a kludge, but still Apple stood out from the rest of the industry with such a simple product line - device, biannual release, size, that's it.

What about the iPod and iPod Mini? The Macbook and the Macbook Pro? This is nothing new.

Re: Apple Unveils The iPhone 5S

#133

Post by meerita »

pilif wrote: post #102
cwilson wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apple specifically stated that your fingerprint is stored and encrypted only on the A7 chip, and not iCloud or anywhere else. It's mentioned in the video as well: http://www.apple.com/iphone-5s/videos/#video-touch

Yes. And how exactly do we check this? Why is it that we can still trust Apple? For all we know, the data gets sent directly to the NSA or, if it doesn't, there might be some secret backdoor that will make the device send the data at a later point. The last round of leaks was specifically talking about backdoors with all bigger US companies in order to circumvent encryption. That's what I means by "we have to conside…

Well, you can sniff packets in/out I guess and know if the process will or not send info to the internet.

Re: Apple Unveils The iPhone 5S

#134

Post by hjnilsson »

therobot24 wrote: post #113
pilif wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem is that I can't change my fingerprint. If it gets out by some third-party abusing the secret backdoor (or just abusing whatever other place you have your fingerprint stored), then they can potentially forge your fingerprint when committing a crime or when otherwise attempting to access resources you have access to. When a third-party loses your password, you change it and life goes on (you are not reusing…

you can rub off your fingerprints, it does occur, however is not very practical (though better than cutting off your hand)

They'll grow back eventually. So cutting off is the only option.

Re: Apple Unveils The iPhone 5S

#135

Post by yapcguy »

gfodor wrote: post #95
pilif wrote: post #73

Now that we have to consider the iPhones to be backdoored by the NSA, I wonder whether I really want to give them my fingerprint together with the rest of my data. I'm also not so sure whether a fingerprint can't still be easily faked (like it was possible on that Mythbusters episode for example). Personally, I think I'd rather stay with my passcode. Did you btw know that you can turn off "simple passcode" and then u…

Serious question -- what is the big deal if someone gets your fingerprints? I can't think of the last time my fingerprint was used as some infallible method of identification, if ever. If the spooks want it, they already have it. I'd rather someone get their hands on my fingerprint than my passport, driver's license, and credit cards, and it seems much more difficult to steal than those things. I think the fingerprin…

What if you have the legal right to not give up your password to your phone?

Now, instead of waiting around for lawyers, your finger will be physically forced onto the home button.

Re: Apple Unveils The iPhone 5S

#136

Post by danabramov »

jontas wrote: post #94
cwilson wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apple specifically stated that your fingerprint is stored and encrypted only on the A7 chip, and not iCloud or anywhere else. It's mentioned in the video as well: http://www.apple.com/iphone-5s/videos/#video-touch

I'm just playing Devil's Advocate here, but if in fact the NSA required copies of all fingerprints, I doubt Apple would be allowed to publicize it.

But would they still go about implementing it? I mean, it sounds crazy from a business perspective.

Re: Apple Unveils The iPhone 5S

#137

Post by Pxtl »

rayiner wrote: post #108
Pxtl wrote: post #83

I'm still weirded out by the idea that Apple has finally split the iPhone line into "premium" and "value" streams. It just seems so... un-Apple. The whole "last-year's-model" discount was a bit of a kludge, but still Apple stood out from the rest of the industry with such a simple product line - device, biannual release, size, that's it.

Apple has had premium and value lines before. Indeed, during the heyday of the Macbook, it was split into a premium aluminum and a cheaper polycarbonate model.

Yes, obviously the PC/Laptop side of the business has always had this kind of differentiation (also the pure-Mp3 player business), but the iOS stuff has avoided this since the inception of the iPhone. The iPad, iPod, and iPhone were just "size only".

Now that Jobs is gone and competition has heated up, we're seeing Apple back away from that with the iPad mini and the 5s. It feels like a big shift for Apple.

Re: Apple Unveils The iPhone 5S

#138

Post by wmf »

wisty wrote: post #126
bedhead wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Smartphone hardware is in the 9th inning. These devices have mostly hit the natural limits of what's achievable for now. Bad for Apple since this effectively levels the playing field.

Can you plug your iPhone into a couple of 30" monitors, and use it as a workstation?

It's not clear that this is thermally possible.

Re: Apple Unveils The iPhone 5S

#140

Post by kyleowen212 »

pilif wrote: post #73

Now that we have to consider the iPhones to be backdoored by the NSA, I wonder whether I really want to give them my fingerprint together with the rest of my data. I'm also not so sure whether a fingerprint can't still be easily faked (like it was possible on that Mythbusters episode for example). Personally, I think I'd rather stay with my passcode. Did you btw know that you can turn off "simple passcode" and then u…

I had to give my fingerprints when I got my drivers' license. I trust Apple's encryption way more than I trust the DMV's hack protection.
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