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Apple Unveils The iPhone 5S

techcrunch.com

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Re: Apple Unveils The iPhone 5S

#551

Post by mcphilip »

dev_jim wrote: post #166
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…

Urgh. When do we get to the point where I can read HN without a snarky NSA comment being voted to the top?

Urgh. When do we get to the point where I can read HN without comments complaining about very relevant NSA discussions being voted to the top?

It's foolish not to speculate on reasons why giving your thumbprint to a vendor may not be in your best interest. I'd much rather see the OP comment on the top of this discussion rather than some inane debate about whether the new phone is an incremental upgrade or an exciting evolution.

Re: Apple Unveils The iPhone 5S

#552

Post by hrktb »

bratsche wrote: post #229
swamp40 wrote: post #60

I was really hoping for NFC support - sigh. I do love the fingerprint sensor and the intelligent auto-focusing features, though. Blurry smartphone pictures are so ubiquitous these days.

Why does everyone keep going on about NFC? It's been on Android for years and it's never been used in any meaningful way. I don't see Apple introducing some new hardware component just for the sake of adding it. They'll introduce something when they have a really solid use for it, which is something that Google seems to have never really had with NFC.

At one point of the keynote NTT Docomo was specially mentionned. They pioneered mobile NFC in Japan, where it's actually useful, as in you can forget your wallet at home and you might not notice as long as you have your phone.

They introduced emoji almost only for the japanese market at first, they could have done the same for NFC as well, that would have been great.

Re: Apple Unveils The iPhone 5S

#553

Post by rimantas »

PeterisP wrote: post #503
xionon wrote: post #492

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can imagine lots of reasons to use my partner's phone. "Your dad sent a text, want me to read it to you while you're washing dishes? I know your mom's in the hospital." "Mind if I use your phone to call our friends and tell them we're running late? I left mine at home and you're driving." "Is it OK if I use your phone to put on some music? It's already paired with the reciever." And so on. Checking a partner's phon…

Ok, there can be valid uses. But they haven't happened in my 9 years together with my SO. Probably depends on the habits - I don't call/SMS that much anyway; I know her ATM card code, as we needed that some times, but I've got no idea about her phone/other passwords.

For me it is most about healthy habits: never ever give your password to anyone.

Re: Apple Unveils The iPhone 5S

#554

Post by ajross »

webXL wrote: post #198
pyrocat wrote: post #173

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah just fingerprint means someone could use your finger to unlock the phone while you're asleep in a cell / drugged / restrained / knocked out.

/ in the morgue

OK everyone, walk back from that ledge. Someone with the resources and motiviation to drug/kidnap/kill/amputate to get access to a biometric scan is going to be well-equipped just to steal the device and read the flash out via JTAG.

Screen locks do not provide meaningful security vs. a determined attacker, and never will no matter what the unlock mechanism is. Unless you encrypt all storage with a strong password (not a 6-digit PIN) and a good PBKDF, all you get from this stuff is protection against casual snooping.

Re: Apple Unveils The iPhone 5S

#555

Post by Geee »

gpmcadam wrote: post #486
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…

Apple claims that the fingerprint data is never transmitted to any servers and is kept only on the phone for the purposes of authentication.

Not only that, but it can't be accessed by software either. Only the Touch ID sensor has hardware access to the actual fingerprint data, which is stored on separate memory on the A7 chip. That was in the keynote presentation.

Re: Apple Unveils The iPhone 5S

#556

Post by bobbles »

meerita wrote: post #129

I visualize this: husband is sleeping deeply, wife picks up the phone and taps the home button while he's sleeping and unlocks the phone. Release the kraken.

I'm actually looking forward to the fact that we can now unlock each others phones but still have them secure to just us.

My gf has a habit of using the same PIN for everything. Now I can choose the PIN and set up her finger as one of the unlock mechanisms.

Re: Apple Unveils The iPhone 5S

#557

Post by twoodfin »

alxbrun wrote: post #3

When I see Apple putting forward as a key feature the number of bits in their processor in a general public announcement... I'm really feeling the "new" product is not really new. In the past Apple was always laughing at the PC ads boasting processor speed and memory capacity.

I suspect that slide was partially a message to ARM and their partners as well as Intel:

"Architecture transitions used to be a big deal. We have built a software and developer ecosystem that makes them worth a single slide. ARM: Don't get too comfortable. Intel: Show us what you can do."

Looking at Intel's roadmap and the success they've had with Haswell ULV, I think they have at least a fighting chance at ending up in an iOS flagship product within 2-3 years.

Re: Apple Unveils The iPhone 5S

#558

Post by jsmeaton »

threeseed wrote: post #526
cheald wrote: post #320

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We're talking about it, aren't we? We haven't forgotten this issue, distracted like children by the latest shiny toy. Even in the face of the things that traditionally kill news stories, we're talking about it. Change starts by making enough people aware of and angry about the issue that the politicians can't afford to support these programs any more. If we're just distracted the next time $TECH_TOY or $NATURAL_DISAS…

Look HN is not a US-only site. For those of us in the other 200 odd countries it really is boring as hell to have to wade through your pointless, unsubstantiated paranoia.

We non-US citizens have even MORE to worry about, because there are no laws to protect us and our privacy. We are open season.

Re: Apple Unveils The iPhone 5S

#559

Post by sliverstorm »

paganel wrote: post #535
sliverstorm wrote: post #415

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So... what is the fear here? That someone will steal your fingerprints and plant them at a crime scene?

Not the OP, but think a about it this way: your fingerprint is now in a central database backed-up by lots of processing power so someone can match it pretty quickly and, all of a sudden, you realize you can no longer commit anything "bad", ever, because "they" may catch you based on the data they have about you. And to someone who may ask me "why would you want the freedom to do something bad?" I'll answer that thre…

you can no longer commit anything "bad", ever, because "they" may catch you

Is it just me, or is HN getting really frikkin' paranoid?

to someone who may ask me "why would you want the freedom to do something bad?"

I think you're over-reaching.

Re: Apple Unveils The iPhone 5S

#560

Post by AsymetricCom »

cma wrote: post #233
kyro wrote: post #221

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, absolutely. While the idea of fingerprint-purchasing might have interesting applications, what you mention should also be a serious concern. The saddest part to me is that people are attempting to put an end to this worry by saying "well, Apple said they don't give apps access to it." And no other tech company has ever told us about any of their involvement and cooperation with the NSA in the collection of priva…

In the future you aren't going to be able to keep your fingerprints to yourself anyway: http://www.dvice.com/archives/2012/06/keeping_you_saf.php

Installing such machines in public or private property would require all sorts of legislation that doesn't yet exist otherwise the machine would be illegal in both of those environments because of existing legislation.
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