I remember a phone company saying they were going to install cameras in the screens but then no one every talked about it again. Does anyone check?
Edit: I mean hidden cameras for “security”.
You’re being tracked via the mic and cameras they sell you on. There’s no need to hide anything.
Good point. but I cover the cameras I know about most of the time. Mics, there isn’t much you can do about that. They’re pretty sensitive and can pick up very slight sounds.
Check out JerryRigEverything. He does teardowns of pretty much every mainstream phone.
The very privacy focused might but it’s not a matter of inspecting the device for hidden devices but removing them. I remember people opening iPhones a few years ago to disconnect the microphone.
If I get a new device and it’s relatively easy to open (no heat and suction cups) I typically look inside. My Pinephone has kill switches inside for various features and even if I don’t use them. They are pretty neat.
It was Apple that talked about doing that. I wonder if it’s now too expensive to do that and people just root their phone. The only thing weird about that, is that Apple is involved in every step, couldn’t they hide info being sent?
He’s talking about physical switches that cut power to the hardware.
I think what you’re referring to with Apple is that the camera (on MacBooks) is wired in a way so that it’s impossible for the camera to be on without the indicator light also being on. Software can’t do anything because it’s not controlled by software.
Apple was talking adding kill switches? I feel like the cost compared to how many people would actually use it would be a big factor but there’s also a multitude of other things that would go along with that like how it would effect water resistance.
The only thing weird about that, is that Apple is involved in every step, couldn’t they hide info being sent?
Do you mean with encryption or if they wanted to send information away maliciously?
I’m not sure, tbh. You never know with any phone companies, not just Apple. That’s why I’d like to know if anyone checks.
I imagine most mainstream devices are torn down and inspected by reviewers at some point. I’d be significantly more concerned about the OS versus some 1950s style wiretap in your cellphone.
It’s not a wiretap, it’s a camera.
I feel like we are going in circles here. My point was you should be more concerned about your OS than a physical addition to a device. Especially if it’s a widely purchased consumer device.
If I need to replace the screen, yeah I’ll take it apart. But modern phones are usually glued together and a huge pain in the ass to disassemble. So I avoid it unless I really need to.
People absolutely do teardowns of new phones. Between sites like ifixit and various tech YouTubers it would be almost impossible to have some hidden hardware in a device.
Thanks for the sources, that’s what I was hoping to find. I tried googling it but no luck.
Ifixit is a source and a pretty good one. Other than that, typing “(phone model) teardown” into Google is all I do.
Well, if it doesn’t work if you try to create an app for it, you’ll know pretty fast.
I don’t think I’m being clear, they meant hidden cameras.
Yeah, but you should be able to access those via root and/or there are ways to see what kind of information is being sent where. You really don’t need to open it to get at these things. Hell, you can completely change your phone OS if you want.
I’m obviously not that techy even though I’m on Lemmy, I would be too freaked out to even root my phone.
