Department of Defense Ordering 650,000 iOS Devices? [Updated: DoD Denies]

[MythicFrost]

They want to understand how the hipsters fight

Haha but seriously if this is real that's cool.

 

[imageWIS]

Angry Birds IS NOT A COMBAT SIMULATOR.

Custom made App: Angry Drones?

 

[Dobiewonkanobie]

This is just a small drop in the ocean of sales by a company as big as Apple. It is kind of like Boeing bragging that they sold one more island-hopper type airplane to the military.

Perhaps, but in this case it's also good marketing. That's over half a million people forcefully being exposed to Apple products. Sure many may already be familiar with and own Apple products. But in any case it's guaranteed that they will make additional sales from this.

 

[Plutonius]

While I am a long time Mac fan (my first Mac was a FatMac in 1984), this is a very poor decision by the DoD. They should be choosing open source solutions whenever possible and with smartphones and tablets, they have an easy choice, Android.

I'm not sure why everyone keeps claiming they are open source. Your Android device is nearly useless without Google apps to run on it. IOS = Apple, Android = Google

 

[64Mario64]

They want to understand how the hipsters fight

Haha but seriously if this is real that's cool.

Cool for you Australians who don't pay US taxes

 

[.Asa]

Shouldn't they invest in durable devices with secure software?

This seems like a terrible move. Overpay for devices that are prone to easy cracking/breaking, a mobile OS that isn't secure and puts entertainment over security, and an overall ecosystem that supports consumer grade products and software.

iOS is not professional grade let alone high level government clearance level software. Nothing wrong with iOS for the average consumer, but I don't want to see issues of national security and life or death situations being handled on entertainment devices.

ha... ha...

Would you rather have them go with android, the home of malware?

The latest version of iOS can't even be jailbroken. If anything, apple is going over the top with security.

How about those crappy samsung phones with the back popping off every 5 seconds?

iPhones are very durable, I speak from experience. I think the DoD made a good choice.

 

[64Mario64]

Perhaps, but in this case it's also good marketing. That's over half a million people forcefully being exposed to Apple products. Sure many may already be familiar with and own Apple products. But in any case it's guaranteed that they will make additional sales from this.

You're right. Speaking of forcing people to use stuff, why the heck does Waste Management pay for advertisements?

 

[carl0sian]

For those "fans" who are saying that this was a bad move by the department of defense.....please explain...


why go cheap and by something that will break or has the potential to easily get hacked? We are in the 21st century. Paper trail is slowly becoming obsolete and rightfully so.



i'm not a fan of seeing my hard earn tax spending $$ go to waste but at least its going for something good. more importantly, its being bought from an American BASED company! (I know its manufactured in the US but the $$ says in Cupertino, CA) I would have been apualed if they would have bought a foreign company own device like Samsung

 

[MythicFrost]

As a developer, you have no idea what you are talking about.

I am an android fan FWIW, but it most definitely is based upon java. When you are developing android apps you are writing Java code - and lots of the Java SDK is available on Android.

This is pretty much common knowledge.

You can write Android apps with C++ as well, no?

If you're going after government secrets, though, you are going to be crafting much more sophisticated attacks. Right now the most effective attacks are social engineering based and not actual software attacks. An attacker is far more likely to gain silent access to accounts via social media posts, etc, and then use that access to work their way through connections.

I'd think apps and websites (not specifically social media websites) would be the most likely avenues of attack. On a side note, does Android incorporate ASLR like iOS?

 

[ECUpirate44]

Tell me now, where are those iPhones made? Certainly not in the US, and therefor when bought support the country in which they were made, China. Don't be surprised when the US defaults on its own debt and China converts the White House into a King Buffet.

What's the alternative?

 

[brdeveloper]

Afghanistan needs 4G carriers so DOD members will get the best from their devices.

 

[maxosx]

Luckily the country isn't in a financial cris.... oh wait.

POTUS loves spending.

 

[claus1225]

yeah right.

i highly doubt ipad can be useful in combat situation.

 

[OtherJesus]

Election season 2007.

I seem to remember Bill Clinton sucking up to MTV when I was kid.
I was just a kid and could detect bull ******.
Don't act like 2007 was the year of state controlled media.

 

[Peace]

i highly doubt ipad can be useful in combat situation.

I highly doubt it will be used on the front line. It might be but if it is I'm sure it will have a big fat case to protect it.

 

[norrismantooth]

Wouldn't be a bit surprised if tracking software was installed on half of these devices, just so they could monitor potential/suspected terrorists. Oh. These are government phones? Like I said. Suspected terrorists.

 

[Ryth]

This is just a small drop in the ocean of sales by a company as big as Apple. It is kind of like Boeing bragging that they sold one more island-hopper type airplane to the military.

It's not that small of a drop in the ocean

iPads (using base $500 model)
120000 x $500 = 60,000,000

iPad minis (using base $330 model)
1200000 x $330 = 39,600,000

iPod touch (using base $300 model)
200000 x $300 = 60,000,000

iPhone 5 (using base $649 unlocked)
210000 x $650 = 136,500,000

That's a $296,100,000 million.

Yes, the DoD gets a discount so lets say its around $200,000,000 for the sale ($100 million savings almost).

If that was Samsung or Google, people would be screaming high heaven that Apple is doomed with a sale of this size.

$200 million is a great day for any company, even Apple.

 

[64Mario64]

That's a $296,100,000 million.

Yes, the DoD gets a discount so lets say its around $200,000,000 for the sale ($100 million savings almost).

1. I don't think 296.1 trillion dollars is accurate.

2. I think the DoD buying it makes it MORE expensive. After all, government spending somehow ends up being way bigger than it's supposed to be. It costs $90000 to install one street-wide (normal-sized street) metal gate in a neighborhood.

 

[jav6454]

POTUS loves spending.

You do realize, the POTUS has nothing to do with this? It is Congress and DOD in charge of this spending. The POTUS has to spend what Congress says.

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Oh boy this is an embarrassing post. China does not own the debt of the United States. Most dept is owned by American citizens. Besides that is not how a country defaulting happens; see Greece.
Anyway, a government agency purchasing this many iPhones is good for the country as well as Apple. Obviously, Apple gets a nice chunk of change (and a contract). The government gets phones at a discount, support, and security.
For those of you saying its a waste of money you are also wrong. The government is not giving the phones away, it's basically an investment in the employees.

You do realize most of debt is held by foreign banks. It is an allusion to that. Also, we know that a country does not default like that. It was a huge sarcasm post that you failed to see, I think you need a sign just like Dr. Sheldon Cooper does.

 

[jonnysods]

Better than buying Blackberry or Samsung, or almost any other smartphone or tablet manufacturer company for that matter ... as they aren't American.

Buying American supports its own economy and a heavy percent will go back into their pockets as tax revenue.

Aren't Apple famous for avoiding corporate taxes by keeping stuff off shore?

 

[Peace]

Aren't Apple famous for avoiding corporate taxes by keeping stuff off shore?

Stuff they sell out of country they are but not sales in the USA.

 

[linkgx1]

Still don't have my tax refund damn it!

 

[wizzerandchips]

Angry Birds IS NOT A COMBAT SIMULATOR.

very good

 

[gotluck]

As a developer, you have no idea what you are talking about.

Well as a human, java and JavaScript are 2 entirely different things developed by 2 different companies. This is pretty much common knowledge.

 

[Soulweaponry]

Yep. Apple is doomed