Apple Products Leaked By Workers Who Are Often Bribed To Do So, Report Reveals

Apple has been going so far as hiring veterans who have previously worked for the Federal Bureau of Investigation and National Security Agency to prevent leaks, according to a leaked recording of the company’s internal briefing, which ironically was held on the subject of preventing leaks about the company’s new products.

The briefing, obtained by the Outline, titled “Stopping leakers — keeping confidential at Apple” was led by the company’s director of global security, David Rice, director of worldwide investigations, Lee Freedman and Jenny Hubbert from the company’s global security communications and training team.

Read: Apple putting In New Security measures To Prevent Leaks: Report

The presentation showcases a slew of videos, with employees from different divisions talking about leaks. One such video featured Greg Joswiak, Apple’s Vice President of iPod, iPhone and iOS product marketing, saying, ”This has become a big deal for Tim. Matter of fact, it should be important to literally everybody at Apple that we can't tolerate this any longer. I have faith deep in my soul that if we hire smart people they’re gonna think about this, they’re gonna understand this, and ultimately they’re gonna do the right thing, and that’s to keep their mouth shut.”

Leaks about Apple’s products have been surfacing since the advent of the first iPhone, often as rumors. They generally surface throughout the year, like they have been doing for the upcoming iPhone — the iPhone 8.

The reason for the leaks has mostly been monetary incentive. Many of the company’s supply chain employees in China have stolen parts and prototypes due to being paid low wages — $350 a month, not including overtime, according to a 2016 report from China Labor Watch. Employees have tried to steal parts by stashing them in bathrooms, clenching them between their toes and flushing them down the toilet to retrieve them later from the sewer. One common way to smuggle out such products is women putting them in the underwire of their bra, according to David Rice.

Leaks are commonplace when it comes to Apple’s offerings and might have even generated some buzz for the company’s products in the past. Slowly but steadily however, the leaking of information about Android phone rivals such as Samsung and Google have been catching up and have become increasingly detrimental to Apple's growth. They dampen the company’s edge in technology — the company had in the past been the first mover in terms of technology such as voice assistants and pressure-sensitive display. Now there is the possibility of rivals developing similar technology and launching their products before Apple, handing them the edge in the market.

Read: Tim Cook Blames iPhone 8 Reports For ‘Pause’ In iPhone 7, 7 Plus Purchases

It is the element of surprise, which Apple products hold, which is valuable to its appeal. The company has had a mass appeal over users since the first iPhone, because it used to bring out features that Android phones did not offer.

Hubbert sums Apple products’ appeal and how leaks impact the company, “There is one more thing,” she said after the videos were played, “Surprise and delight. Surprise and delight when we announce a product to the world that hasn’t leaked. It’s incredibly impactful, in a really positive way. It’s our DNA. It’s our brand. But when leaks get out, that’s even more impactful. It’s a direct hit to all of us.”