Tag: iphone mobile security

The country feels that this behavior could lead “state secrets” to be revealed to spies.

The ever growing disagreement regarding mobile security and American spying activities in China has now risen to a new level as Apple has been roped into the battle, with the iPhone being branded as a national security threat by state television media.

This announcement has arrived only a small handful of months after an iPhone deal with China Mobile.

Recently, a U.S. technology group entered into a deal with China Mobile to supply that company with iPhones. China Mobile is currently the largest phone company on the globe and this accomplishment was considered to be a critical step forward in Apple’s efforts to break into the Chinese marketplace of one billion smartphone users in a more meaningful way. However, online and mobile security have become a growing source of tension between the country and the United States and now it looks as though the success of this deal may be threatened.

CCTV has added this mobile security statement to the growing pile of criticisms of brands from outside the country.

This announcement arrived in the same week that China and the United States brought high level trade talks to a conclusion and were able to take only the slightest progress in updating an agreement that was already a year and a half old regarding the $2 trillion in annual trade of high tech products.

The state broadcaster in China, CCTV, has been steadily boosting its aggression when it comes to the criticism that it has been laying down against brands from other countries. Its latest accusation was regarding the ability of the iPhone to track its user through its geolocation and positioning tech, as well as having the ability to “view the user’s home address, unit information and whereabouts.”

The report from the broadcaster suggested that some of the information released by Edward Snowden, the former contractor from the National Security Agency (NSA) had shown that some of the data that Apple collected through its smartphones was passed on to advertisers as well as American spy agencies. The broadcaster went on to say that this mobile security issue went even deeper because the data could still be recorded regardless of whether the feature was turned on, placing “state secrets” at risk along with this “sensitive” information.

Apple may be inching into mobile payments arena with iPhone upgrades

While Apple has not made any firm announcement concerning its future involvement in mobile payments, the company may have a major impact on that sector in the coming months. Wells Fargo has raised its projected price range for Apple stock this week, citing news that the famed technology company will become more flexible in its relationship with carriers of its iPhone devices. New technology that is expected to be introduced with the iPhone 5S is also creating some buzz and this technology could help boost the adoption of the already popular mobile device.

Fingerprint sensors could boost mobile security

Apple is expected to include fingerprint sensing technology in its iPhone 5S, which is likely to be released later this year. This technology comes from AethenTec, which was acquired by Apple somewhat recently. The company specializes in security technologies and its fingerprint scanner could make next generation iPhones significantly more secure than their predecessors. This added security could create more confidence among consumers and boost adoption rates, especially among those interested in mobile payments.

Apple to be more flexible with iPhone sales restrictions

Apple is also expected to relax the restrictions it has on iPhone sales, which will allow its partners to exhibit more flexibility in the device market. This may help Apple compete more effectively against other companies, such as Samsung, when it comes to mobile technology. Better security features may help Apple’s partners market the iPhone 5S to corporate customers — a market that has been held firmly by BlackBerry for several years.

Mobile payments may be in Apple’s future

Apple has been slow to warm to the concept of mobile payments in the past. Security concerns had caused the company to distance itself from NFC technology, which forms the backbone of most mobile payments platforms. Apple has been looking for an alternative to NFC and some rumors suggest that the company is developing its own mobile payments system for future iterations of its smartphones and tablets.