If you're reading this site, or if you're just a tech enthusiast, you're well aware of one thing: Apple is terrible at keeping a secret. Honestly, the company keeps things under wraps with all the tact of a junior-high schooler. But according to some Apple employees, the supply chain holds every bit of the blame.
Earlier this year, Apple CEO Tim Cook promised to "double down" on secrecy in regards to information surrounding new products. Well, that's not really how things have worked out, have they?
Prior to the iPhone 5 announcement, my 80-something year-old grandmother probably knew about the intricate details of the device. And tomorrow morning, we'll likely wake up to expectedly unsurprising news of an iPad Mini, Mac mini, and maybe even a new line of iMacs.
A recent article from Ars Technica sheds some light on how these information leaks transpire, speaking to a number of unnamed Apple employees. Surprising to basically no one, Chinese suppliers seem to be dropping the ball.
According to the Ars sources, Tim Cook and his team have appeared to make some crackdowns on security, but with a massive global manufacturing network like that utilized by Apple, keeping a lid on things is mighty difficult.
"Apple's security practices are targeted at making sure U.S. employees don't leak stuff, but everything comes out of China now," said one Apple employee to Ars Tech. "I think Apple's secrecy mode is really outdated."
Obviously, Apple's supply chain is massive. When you're dealing with manufacturing facilities like Foxconn, what incentive do workers -- who are, by repeated accounts, treated poorly -- have to keep company secrets in check?
But employees state that leaks do have a detrimental affect on U.S. Apple employees, causing further lockdowns on the sources Cupertino can actually control.
"They keep tightening up things on us -- there are code names upon code names upon code names," said another employee.
Of course, we're living in an age of super-quick -- if not immediate -- information. A Chinese factory worker can snap an early production photo of an iOS device's internal components, and within moments, every tech blog can have access.
Can Tim Cook really "double down" on secrecy, when the most populated nation in the world is holding all the cards? I'm no poker player, but I would't take that bet.
Image Source: Reuters/Tony Gentile
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