“Global Police Summit”: Apple gives tips to police officers at an event in Apple Park

A three-day Apple event – ​​and the iPhone – at the company’s headquarters, Apple Park in Cupertino: normally one would assume it would be read about in the media. But that was not the case at the “Global Police Summit”, which is said to have been last held in October 2023: there were media reports about it only a year later. like forbes magazine reported this fallIt is said that 50 police personnel from seven countries are represented in it.

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Potential competitors – but also customers

Its purpose was to explain to prosecutors how to use Apple products like the iPhone, Vision Pro or even Car Play for their daily work, including monitoring suspects. The latter is probably the main reason Apple is not making this program public. The company is actually in a cat-and-mouse game with the authorities and has already fought against efforts by various governments to weaken encryption. It was recently reported that iPhones running iOS 18 routinely restart when not in use – making unlocking more difficult.

Still, Apple is clearly keen to spread a positive mood among prosecutors. Not only can these create problems for the company, but they are also a potential target group for hardware and software sales. In fact, according to Forbes, last year’s “Global Police Summit” was described as very cordial. This took place shortly before the International Association of Chiefs of Police conference in San Diego, so visitors did not have the opportunity to go that far.

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Good cooperation with and among the “police”

Apple’s former head of public safety and emergency services, who is said to have organized the Global Police Summit, told Forbes that the first event was held in 2019, but due to COVID-19, no new one will be held until 2023. The meeting did not take place. Police officers from countries ranging from Australia to Sweden were present there. An email from Apple said “customer agencies” will share “successes, innovations, and lessons learned” with attendees, among other things. “There were also presentations from Apple about new products and features that will benefit law enforcement.” These include “CarPlay, crash detection, emergency SOS via satellite, Vision Pro and more”.

John McMahon, chief information officer of the Los Angeles Police Department, told Forbes that he learned how far police departments in other countries are ahead of the United States in “application of technology” and use of mobile technologies. In his nearly 36 years in policing, he said he has never experienced a meeting where he has been able to work so well with colleagues from around the world. It is unclear whether there will be a “Global Police Summit” any time soon. The former chief no longer received a budget for at least 2024 and then immediately left Apple – he remained silent about the reasons. The iPhone company did not comment on the Forbes report.

(B.Sc.)