Obama is not allowed to use an iPhone due to security risks

Opinion
Dec 5, 20132 mins

Obama acknowledged on Wednesday that he is unable to use an iPhone for official business due to security concerns. Instead, he uses a trusty BlackBerry device.

President Barack Obama acknowledged yesterday that he is not allowed to use an iPhone due to security concerns. Instead, the leader of the free world is relegated to using a “” BlackBerry device.

During a White House gathering of youngsters meant to promote Obamacare, Obama on Wednesday explained that while his daughters are avid iPhone users, he himself is not alowed to have one.

“I’m not allowed for security reasons to have an iPhone,” Obama explained.

The report comes courtesy of SecurityWeek, which notes:

Blackberry is renowned for its strong security encryption — one reason why it is still popular in official Washington, even as the device loses market share to other smart phones including those manufactured by Apple.

That notwithstanding, a cryptographic module in Apple’s iOS has received a Level 1 FIPS 140-2 certification from NIST. This is the lowest level of approved security, but still represents a step in the right direction for Apple.

So while Obama may not be sporting an iPhone, that’s not to say he’s a stranger to other Apple products. Obama, for instance, has been known to carry around an iPad. Further, Obama and his staff were known to rely heavily on Macs while on the campaign trail. And not too long ago, Obama told Bill Simmons on the B.S. Report podcast that he uses his iPad to access NBA League Pass in order to keep up with the latest basketball news.

yoni heisler

Yoni Heisler is a technology writer and Mac nerd who's been using Apple products for well over 21 years. He actively covers a wide variety of Apple topics, from legal news and rumors to current events and even Apple related comedy and history. Got an idea, comment or suggestions? You can reach him at iOnApple1@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter at @EdibleApple where he's also a part-time contributor.

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