Apple admits Airpods and Beats had security problems

Apple’s motto is privacy and security. The company is known for setting high standards across the tech industry, which has put it at odds with other tech giants like Meta in the past. But lately, yes needed to address software security issues across its entire product range, from iPhone to Apple Watch. This week, the company admitted it is addressing privacy concerns in another product: AirPods.

Apple said Tuesday that it would has released an update for several of its wireless headphones, including AirPods and Beats Fit Pro, due to a vulnerability that could allow hackers to “spoof” the “intended source device” of people wearing the headphones. In other words, hackers could have tricked a pair of headphones into pairing them with the wrong device, giving them access to the headphones.

The company did not immediately respond to Quartz’s request for comment, but said in a statement that “(in) an effort to protect our customers, Apple does not disclose, discuss or confirm security issues until an investigation and fixes are made or available there are releases.”

Other recent security issues on Apple devices have meant, for example, that apps on earlier iPhone and iPad operating systems — before iOS 17.4 and iPadOS 17.4 — could obtain confidential information from usersand that hackers may have broken into consumers’ Apple Watches to collect private data. Apple did not say whether any sensitive user data was affected as a result of these vulnerabilities.

Scientists have also found this Apple’s own apps eat up data. According to Forbes, it’s hard to stop Apple devices from sharing iPhone users’ data with native Apple apps, and Siri automatically collects data from the apps consumers use.

However, Apple still puts privacy at the forefront of its brand. Apple, for example, made it a central topic of discussion when it debuted its artificial intelligence initiative, Apple Intelligence.

“With Apple Intelligence, powerful intelligence comes with powerful privacy” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s chief software officer during his keynote speech at the 2024 World Developers Conference. Apple also reportedly rejected an artificial intelligence deal with Meta amid concerns that the company’s privacy policy is not strict enough.