Apple's "iKey" Wants To Unlock All Doors

Pickens writes "The Telegraph reports that Apple is developing technology, already being nicknamed the 'iKey,' which will allow users to gain access to their office and unlock their car or front door with a single electronic device like an iPhone. Users would simply have to enter a PIN and wave the device over an electronic pad fitted beside a door to open it. 'The device can communicate with an external device to open a lock. By way of example, the electronic device may be a model of an iPhone,' says the newly released patent application. 'The external device may be any suitable electronic device such as a portable media player, personal data assistant or electronic lock that may be used to access a door, car, house, or other physical area.' The technology behind the invention is known as Near Field Communication; it allows electronic devices to transmit information when in proximity. 'If true, it's a very big deal. As well as opening doors and unlocking your car, it could also turn your iPhone into an electronic wallet and ID card,' says Leander Kahney, a consumer technology expert. 'The trouble is that the technology hasn't gone completely mainstream. If Apple were to adopt the technology, they would likely set the standard, and that would drive widespread adoption as everyone scrambles to make their systems iPhone-friendly.'"

Comments

Translation

[marcansoft]

The fourth generation of the iPhone is getting NFC/RFID capabilities, much like some other phones already have.

This isn't new. The only new thing they could possibly bring to the NFC table would be (gasp) actual security, given that RFID/NFC devices are notorious for being horribly insecure most of the time.

Not an invitation to trouble at all

[SlappyBastard]

A universal key could never lead to bad things.

Re:Not an invitation to trouble at all

[Nadaka]

It could be more secure, or less.

In practice the only way to gain access to the locations secured by physical keys is to steal them, doing it without the persons knowledge means stealing them, copying them and returning them without the persons knowledge.

It may be possible to crack the encryption (if there is any, many such secure systems claim to have encryption but do not) on this RFID technology at range with an antenna that can not be seen.

Re:Not an invitation to trouble at all

[dejanc]

Of coarse I already keep all my keys on a single keychain, just like most people. This probably wouldn't be any less secure.

You probably don't have your address, name or a phone number attached on the same keychain.

Security?

[kingofnexus]

What happens when someone breaks the security on the device/ technology? A thief would be able to get into your house and rob everything, make an escape in your car, and then empty your bank account all for cracking just 4 numbers. I think I'll stick to the old manual lock and key thank you.

Re:Security?

[FlyingBishop]

You have far too much faith in old-fashioned keys. Locks are there to keep honest people honest.

The real problem is that this is tied to a device which is designed to be replaced every other year. It's far from durable enough to be used as a house key, or even a car key. I'm carrying a wireless car key in my pocket, but I change the batteries on it maybe once a year, and the batteries cost $10. Not only can you not carry a spare battery for an iPhone, but you have to recharge it daily. Completely impractical for a key.

Re:Security?

[biryokumaru]

You have far too much faith in old-fashioned keys. Locks are there to keep honest people honest.

If someone is trying to open my front door with a crowbar, someone else might get suspicious. If they're trying to open it with my iPhone, which would be the normal way I'd open my door, no one would even notice.

Locks may just keep honest people honest, but switching to something that can be so much more easily faked just lowers the bar of "honesty."

Re:Security?

[L4t3r4lu5]

You've watched too much CSI, bud.

High res images at a couple of hundred metres (high enough to read the peaks on your house key) between the time it takes you to take your keys from your pocket and put the key in the lock is well into the realm of serious photographic equipment and prowess (insuring your camera and lens for more than your car).

As for lock picking, have you ever seen someone do it? A seriously good lockpick will spend a good 15 minutes on his knees fiddling around with the tumblers (on a pin tumbler lock, forget lever locks) and is only really feasible if you have expensive locks. Otherwise the barrel will be drilled out as it is more efficient.

An opportunist thief will always go for the weakest point of failure; Smash the door, break a window etc. They don't care about keeping it neat, just about getting in and out as fast as possible.

Two words

[Linker3000]

Flat battery

Danger, Will Robinson! Danger!

[Pojut]

You know, with Apple products experiencing something of a resurgence in the past 5-10 years and their popularity slowly increasing, they will eventually cross that invisible line where hackers decide that it becomes worth their time to attack Apple products the way they attack Windows. The fact that people are sold Apple products under the guise of security and not having to worry about compromised hardware/software means they won't see it coming and won't know how to deal with it, either.

Be careful with becoming too big, Apple Nation.

Always bad

[SlappyBastard]

Considering the relative ease with which RFID has been hacked, and how long it took for Bluetooth to become only reasonably secure, and how far off good wireless security is . . .

And that's the discussion you go through before you get to "stupid people."

And let's not even have the "If software can't keep gas pedals from sticking, what will it do for door locks."

I'm an opponent of the excessive and unnecessary desire to expand technology into areas where an existing technology already does a better job.

Re:Apple and patents...

[Anonymous Coward]

What should be news is that other companies have tried to push NFC for almost a decade, but consumers never seemed to care enough to get critical mass. Now Apple swoops in, tells the media "it's a phone... and an iKey!" and soon enough we'll have hundreds of solutions compatible only with the iPhone and Apple will get credit for the whole technology.

Other phone companies need to grow a spine and learn some marketing, now.

Re: I think you just answered your own question

[Attila Dimedici]

Of course if all they have is your key ring, they have to figure out where the things the keys go to are. If they steal your Iphone, much of that information is in there.