Report: Apple is So Obsessed With Secrecy That They Put New Engineers On Fake Products Until It Can
35 replies, posted
[quote]Apple is so obsessed with secrecy, it sometimes puts new hires on fake products until they can be trusted.
Adam Lashinsky reported this tidbit in his new book "Inside Apple," and a former Apple employee confirmed it when Lashinsky spoke at LinkedIn the other day.
Here's what the engineer said:
A friend of mine who's a senior engineer at Apple, he works on -- or did work on -- fake products I'm sure for the first part of his career, and interviewed for 9 months. It's intense.
The employee also believes that Tim Cook has the charisma to be president. Not the president of Apple -- the president of the United States.
The exchange was captured on video by Fortune's Philip Elmer DeWitt, and pointed out by Jim Romenesko earlier today.
Here it is:[/quote]
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmUhZ6wt3Oo[/media]
[url=http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-puts-new-engineers-on-fake-products-until-it-can-trust-them-2012-1?op=1]SOURCE[/url]
Oh no, what if someone would find out their latest innovation* before it has been released?
*Recycling of old technology and/or currently used technolgy, but slapping a shiny casing onto it
Who wouldn't, When making a product that gains you ALOT of money, Wouldn't you like to reserve the benefits for yourself?
[QUOTE=dingusnin;34463248]Who wouldn't, When making a product that gains you ALOT of money, Wouldn't you like to reserve the benefits for yourself?[/QUOTE]
Why put their employees through all that work when they can just make them sign a simple NDA?
that's actually a good idea.
I think this is a really interesting idea. From the outside, it seems like a waste of resources (though very high employing, which you could think of as good for the economy), but I think it is a neat way to battle leaks within a company that puts such a high value on secrecy. The engineers have a chance to earn their way up the ladder while gaining the trust of the employer. Eventually the potential leakers would not only have to break the NDA, but the trust of their employers, which won't be as easy as a first-timer breaking a NDA, despite it being binding.
I can't really blame them, corporate espionage is a really big problem for companies these days. You don't want bionic dudes in trenchcoats stealing all your shit, do you?
Basically, if you're an Apple engineer and your product description isn't "a touchscreen, but BIGGER," then they don't trust you.
How does that even work, though? Can't they tell that the products are fake? What do they even work on if it's fake? Do they end up actually creating a working machine that simply doesn't get mass-produced? I'd like to see some of those...
[QUOTE=Shugo;34465139]How does that even work, though? Can't they tell that the products are fake? What do they even work on if it's fake? Do they end up actually creating a working machine that simply doesn't get mass-produced? I'd like to see some of those...[/QUOTE]I hope they mean concept designs for testing. Otherwise it's a real waste of manpower.
[QUOTE=Shugo;34465139]How does that even work, though? Can't they tell that the products are fake? What do they even work on if it's fake? Do they end up actually creating a working machine that simply doesn't get mass-produced? I'd like to see some of those...[/QUOTE]
Android phones with that iOS theme installed.
This is a great idea but it's Apple's idea so it SUCKS
[QUOTE=Scot;34465529]This is a great idea but it's Apple's idea so it SUCKS[/QUOTE]
They are so concerned about copyrights and competition that they pay engineers to do nothing
is that really a great idea
[QUOTE=Scot;34465529]This is a great idea but it's Apple's idea so it SUCKS[/QUOTE]
Except they claim to have "innovations" worth protecting even though there is nothing of the sort.
It's pointless because they, in reality, have [I]nothing[/I] in need of such measures other than their copyright dept.
I don't see any problem with wanting to keep things secret. If that's what Apple wants then they need a way to find the right worker.
[QUOTE=Ninja Duck;34465959]I don't see any problem with wanting to keep things secret. If that's what Apple wants then they need a way to find the right worker.[/QUOTE]
I'm pretty sure this is the best way.
They go through all the trouble to make sure they can trust people and they still recruit people who leave unreleased products at the bar.
This is probably one of the only things I understand on how Apple runs. The rest is all of their legal lawsuit bullshit.
Apple doesn't suck because they are apple.
Apple sucks because they are super controlling.
[QUOTE=Sector 7;34465836]They are so concerned about copyrights and competition that they pay engineers to do nothing
is that really a great idea[/QUOTE]
It's not like they aren't making huge profits as it is. If they're making that much, they might as well go the extra mile.
"Here at apple you will be working on the cure for cancer. No really."
The video has been taken down.
Damn you, LinkedIn / Apple!
[QUOTE=Combin0wnage;34463274]Why put their employees through all that work when they can just make them sign a simple NDA?[/QUOTE]
An NDA is like a restraining order, it's only paper.
When you're dealing with big companies with a lot of IP and technology on the line, an NDA really does nothing.
I can go tell all your secrets to Microsoft. You sue me for money, but in the end, that is all you get, it didn't really protect your secrets. On top of this, what if in exchange for the secret information, Microsoft is willing to pay for a top lawyer, all the legal fees, and a sum of money on top of that? And this is all only if you get caught.
NDAs do not protect protect your information.
[QUOTE=VistaPOWA;34469845]The video has been taken down.
Damn you, LinkedIn / Apple![/QUOTE]
I think it makes it more hilarious honestly.
i am an apple engineer and i can say that we are working on iphone 6 and ipad 3
i will now be sued to death by apple but exposing this shocking product line to the public was worth it
[QUOTE=Sector 7;34463611]Basically, if you're an Apple engineer and your product description isn't "a touchscreen, but BIGGER," then they don't trust you.[/QUOTE]
Remember how apple is about to start making 4k resolution tvs?
Yeah.
oh no someone might find out that the iphone 5 has 10 mb more ram, has 10g and comes in 2 new colours
I'm guessing the so rumored iTV is a result of this isn't it?
[QUOTE=chimitos;34470539]Remember how apple is about to start making 4k resolution tvs?
Yeah.[/QUOTE]
Too bad they started doing so right after every other company had already made theirs. :v:
[QUOTE=Tools;34470625]Too bad they started doing so right after every other company had already made theirs. :v:[/QUOTE]
the 4k resolution is the important part.
nobody has actually released them yet.
60" 1080p tvs look like shit.
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