Apple’s 2020 iPad Pro Comes With A Hardware Microphone Disconnect Feature

With our laptops and smartphones and tablets sporting built-in microphones and cameras, there is a bit of concern that these features could be used to spy on us. Apple tried to resolve that problem with its laptops back in 2018, where they introduced a disconnect feature in its MacBooks that disabled the microphone when the laptop’s lid was closed.

For those who are concerned about their privacy, the good news is that Apple appears to be extending that feature to its other products, such as the 2020 iPad Pro. According to a report from 9to5Mac, they have discovered that with the latest iPad Pro, Apple has introduced a similar disconnect feature where when the cover of an iPad case is closed, it will disconnect the tablet’s microphone.

This new feature was discovered in Apple’s Platform Security document where it reads, “iPad models beginning in 2020 also feature the hardware microphone disconnect. When an MFI compliant case (including those sold by Apple) is attached to the iPad and closed, the microphone is disconnected in hardware, preventing microphone audio data being made available to any software—even with root or kernel privileges in iPadOS or in case the firmware is compromised.”

This means that the 2020 iPad Pro will be the first iOS device to sport such a feature. We would love it if such a feature were to come to the iPhones in the future, but we’re not sure how that would be implemented given that not everyone uses an iPhone case with a cover.

Tyler Lee
Categories: Apple, Tablets
Tags: iPad, iPad Pro, Privacy