Apple’s Senior Vice President of Software Engineering Craig Federighi on Wednesday is testifying during the Epic Games v. Apple lawsuit. During questioning from Apple’s lawyers, Federighi noted that the Mac currently has a level of malware that Apple “does not find acceptable.” This, obviously, is in contrast iOS and iPadOS, which offer a comparatively more secure and trusted environment for users.
Federighi also highlighted Google’s “Toxic Hellstew” Android as another example of a platform with multiple avenues for installing sometimes questionable applications that suffers from security problems.
“It’s well understood in the security community that Android has a malware problem,” he explained. “iOS has succeeded so far in staying ahead of the malware problem.”
Federighi’s analogy is that the Mac is like a car: The Mac is a car. You can take it off road if you want and you can drive wherever you want. That’s what you wanted to buy. There’s a certain level of responsibility required. With iOS, you wanted to buy something where children can operate an iOS device and feel safe doing so. It’s really a different product.
When asked if the Mac is a safe platform, Federighi explained that in terms of “PC-class devices” the Mac is “the safest possible:” If operated correctly, much like that car, if you know how to operate a car and obey the rules of the road and are very cautious, yes. If not, I’ve had a couple of family members who have gotten malware on their Macs, but ultimately, I believe a Mac can be operated safely.
MacDailyNews Take: Hair Force One speaks the truth.
‘It’s well understood that Android has a malware problem’. Can you say ‘Understatement Of The Century!’?
I covet an android over my iPhone about as often as I go to the second page of a google search.
The latest MDN trick on the website is to pop up a video ad window that sucks down massive amounts of bandwidth while blocking all but a narrow slat of content, with no way to close it down until the 30-sec spot is over.
Ever seen it, but then I take precautions…
AdGuard.
If malate caused Android to become a walled garden like iOS, it would be ransomware of thmillennium.
If malware caused Android to become a walled garden like iOS, it would be ransomware of the millennium.
Apple could give you a billion dollars and your fackwheat self would complain it isn’t enough. One day the worm in your head rotting your core will pop out of your eyes.
So his argument is child safety. Is he admitting that parental controls do not work, or that Apple is not confident they could make it work for iOS?
Wow…a contortionist.