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Apple's "iKey" Wants To Unlock All Doors

Posted by kdawson on from the get-yours-at-ikea dept.

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.'"

34 of 383 comments (clear)

  1. Translation by marcansoft · · Score: 4, Insightful

    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.

  2. Not an invitation to trouble at all by SlappyBastard · · Score: 5, Insightful

    A universal key could never lead to bad things.

    --
    I scream. You scream. I assume that means we're both acquainted with the problem. We proceed.
    1. Re:Not an invitation to trouble at all by Nadaka · · Score: 4, Insightful

      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.

    2. Re:Not an invitation to trouble at all by dejanc · · Score: 5, Insightful

      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.

    3. Re:Not an invitation to trouble at all by elrous0 · · Score: 4, Funny

      Steve Jobs is welcome to a key to my apartment. He already has the key to my heart.

      --
      SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
  3. Is it wise? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Is it wise to have a consumer Internet-enabled(which I presume it would be) device that can unlock physical security? "Keylogger" has a whole new meaning. :p

    1. Re:Is it wise? by rpresser · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Or a house that locks you out when the power fails? Or worse, one that "fails safe" and DOESN'T lock strangers out when the power fails?

  4. Security? by kingofnexus · · Score: 4, Insightful

    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.

    1. Re:Security? by FlyingBishop · · Score: 5, Insightful

      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.

    2. Re:Security? by biryokumaru · · Score: 5, Insightful

      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."

      --
      When you're afraid to download music illegally in your own home, then the terrorists have won!
    3. Re:Security? by L4t3r4lu5 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      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.

      --
      Finally had enough. Come see us over at https://soylentnews.org/
    4. Re:Security? by spinkham · · Score: 4, Interesting

      I lock my doors so that burglers are likely to smash something to get in.

      Yeah, they could pick my deadbolts, but it would take a good locksmith multiple minutes to do so.

      What burglers do is go to the back door and kick it open. The way my deadbolts are installed with metal sleves in the frame, they would have to break the entire doorframe to gain entrance. Otherwise I have some deadbolts with knobs on the inside and glass doors, which they could break the glass then unlock the deadbolts. Once again they would leave physical evidence.

      I consider my locks:

      • There to keep my friends out when I don't want them in.
      • There to leave physical evidence of a break in for my insurance company.

      I trust my locks to be strong enough against the average burglar to make them bypass them entirely, and honestly I think that's all you can expect in residential security. I enjoy having a sunroom and don't want to live in a fortress to protect against a small risk.. Instead I live how I want and protect against loss through insurance.

      --
      Blessed are the pessimists, for they have made backups.
  5. Two words by Linker3000 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Flat battery

    --
    AT&ROFLMAO
    1. Re:Two words by Seth+Kriticos · · Score: 4, Funny

      4. ?????

      Don't you know what to do with a girl in her bedroom?

  6. typical Apple by pydev · · Score: 3, Insightful

    An entire industry gears up to create technologies for short range wireless communications in order to replace keys. Several companies already have solutions in the market, but they haven't caught on yet because the technology isn't quite ready yet and not quite cheap enough.

    If things continue along Apple's usual path then: (1) Apple starts patenting the obvious applications of those technologies, something other people weren't even considering because that's what those technologies were designed for, (2) Apple starts adding immature implementations of the feature to their products at a premium price that only Apple customers would be willing to pay and gets accolades for how "innovative" they are, and (3) a few years later when other people are starting to offer mass market products at mass market prices, Apple starts suing them for patent violations.

    1. Re:typical Apple by vlm · · Score: 3, Informative

      Several companies already have solutions in the market, but they haven't caught on yet because the technology isn't quite ready yet and not quite cheap enough.

      "isn't quite ready" ? "not cheap enough" ? You need to research that a little bit more. For at least a decade I've never worked at a place without those electric door "key card" locks. Every my kids daycare used them. Both my jobs, my wifes job, daycare, all use the same type of card.

      The cards are about $4 and the little pencil-eraser keychain fobs cost a whopping $8. Now this is from a reseller like smarthome.com. Wholesale in bulk they are probably about half that. Most businesses charge like $50 for a lost card, not because it costs $50 but to scare and intimidate the employees (some bosses love that) and also to make up for the labor cost of issuing another card. They are cheap enough to put in a house, and I've been seriously considering it.

      I integrated mine with my ipod by purchasing a silicone stretchy case and placing the credit card sized doorcard behind the ipod in the stretchy. It was actually quite inconvenient and I was worried I'd drop the ipod so I stopped doing that. It was more convenient to have them separate.

      I think they are hurrying up, because the provider has long sold a little pencil eraser shaped fob, and I know people whom have made bracelets out of them. A wee bit smaller and they could be mounted in a ring. That would be quite convenient, since my had is usually near the door when I'm opening the door.

      --
      "Science flies us to the moon. Religion flies us into buildings." - Victor Stenger
  7. Apple and patents... by YA_Python_dev · · Score: 3, Interesting

    What's new here is that Apple is possibly thinking of making this a standard while owning critical patents on it, then after this is widespread (if it ever happens) crackdown on competition using its patents.

    Apple is becoming more evil lately, see the recent attempt to shut down competition on smartphones from HTC using completely trivial software patents (the original article is from LWN, I highly suggest getting a subscription there).

    Sounds familiar? Remember GIF? MP3? h.264? Yeah, I know, this last reference will get me modded as troll.

    --
    There's a hidden treasure in Python 3.x: __prepare__()
    1. Re:Apple and patents... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      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.

    2. Re:Apple and patents... by mcgrew · · Score: 3, Insightful

      My problem with it is entering a PIN to unlock a door; it's easire to just stick a key in and turn it. My car already has a remote unlocker, and all I have to do is push a button. It's a step forward from the mechanical key, having to enter a PIN is a step backwards.

      --
      Free Martian Whores!
    3. Re:Apple and patents... by Yvan256 · · Score: 4, Informative

      Yes, DRM'ed AAC files will only play on Apple devices and in iTunes (Mac OS X and Windows).

      But you seem to be under the impression that AAC is an Apple technology limited to Apple devices.

      Just FYI, more than a year ago Apple was allowed by the music labels to remove all DRM from the audio files sold on the iTunes Store, that's why there is three tunes prices now instead of one. Apple also increased the bitrate to 256kbps.

      There is a lot of non-Apple devices that can play AAC audio files, such as the Microsoft Zune, Microsoft Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DSi, Sony PSP Slim, some models of Archos / Creative / Cowon / SanDisk / Sony MP3 players, a lot of Digital Photo Frames, etc, etc.

    4. Re:Apple and patents... by Renderer+of+Evil · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Apple is becoming more evil lately...

      Someone should come up with an equivalent of Godwin's Law when it comes to branding some companies "Evil"

      What does it mean? It's a non-argument that stifles debate. Why is X suing Y? Because they are EVIL! It's an infantile attack that does very little to explore the nuances of the complicated patent law landscape and goes for the intellectually lazy answer.

      I guess all these companies on the chart are Evil and we should all invest in Lemote Yeelong and gaze at our navels out of principle.

      If Apple wanted to shut down the competition they'd sue Android producing OEM's from day 1. Truth of the matter is, HTC is going out of its way along with help from Google to ape every feature of iPhone instead of actually coming up with novel ways of doing things. It's like ripping off the act of a successful comedian and calling it competition. Come up with your own damn material.

  8. Duplicate Functionality by bjackson1 · · Score: 4, Informative

    I can currently do this with my Zipcar app http://www.zipcar.com/iphone/ . It allows you to unlock, lock and honk your cars horn. It does this using your EDGE/3G connection, so not near-field/RFID however, same kind of thing is currently being done.

  9. Danger, Will Robinson! Danger! by Pojut · · Score: 5, Insightful

    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.

    --
    Living With a Nerd
  10. Security by dachshund · · Score: 4, Informative

    This is a bad idea. Mainly because the iPhone doesn't have a very sophisticated security architecture, so any cryptographic keys and wallet information are fundamentally vulnerable to theft. This is best demonstrated by the recent attack where a handful of SMS messages was sufficient to give an attacker root on the device. If you're going to put something like this into widespread deployment you at very least want to include some sort of hardware security module to validate the software and store cryptographic secrets.

    Right now I wouldn't want to use the iPhone (or any Android phone, for that matter) to store any kind of critical secrets.

  11. Depends... by denzacar · · Score: 4, Funny

    I for one don't consider it "bad" if stupid people get punished for using "0000" as their PIN.

    Hey... we are long overdue for some regular punishment of stupidity.
    There are no longer wild bears roaming the streets at night, eating stupid people. Haven't been any for centuries.
    Wee need something to eliminate those genes from the pool.

    --
    Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens
  12. Re:ICKY by biryokumaru · · Score: 4, Funny

    No, no, no, this is "Ikey," not "Icky." It means: "of, or relating to, Former President Dwight D. Eisenhower." And he was awesome.

    --
    When you're afraid to download music illegally in your own home, then the terrorists have won!
  13. Always bad by SlappyBastard · · Score: 4, Insightful

    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.

    --
    I scream. You scream. I assume that means we're both acquainted with the problem. We proceed.
  14. I don't like it. by dreemernj · · Score: 4, Funny

    I'd be afraid someone would try to jailbreak my front door and end up bricking my house.

    --
    1 (short ton / firkin) = 89.1432354 slugs / keg
  15. Hmmm what would you do? by xednieht · · Score: 3, Informative

    This concept including the name iKey and iLock and a description of this product were described a year and a half before Apple applied for the patent.

    http://www.jenom.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&cid=17

    "iKey and iLock, for lack of a more creative product name
    Give me a tiny device the size of a flash drive that I can encode with some unique ID like a segment of my DNA. When I get within 2 feet of my office, my car, my house, or whatever locked item it is, it reads the code from the device in my pocket and unlocks the electronic lock. No more carrying 200 keys around like some medieval jailer. 2007 is half over and we're still securing our possessions with medieval technology.

    "Apple credits Michael Rosenblatt, Gloria Lin, Sean Mayo and Taido Nakajima as the inventors of patent application 20100042954, originally filed in Q3 2008."

    Apple lies.

    --

    Hope is the currency of fools
  16. Re: I think you just answered your own question by Attila+Dimedici · · Score: 4, Insightful

    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.

    --
    The truth is that all men having power ought to be mistrusted. James Madison
  17. Priceless by wing03 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Basic house door lock and key from Home Depot - ~$20
    Extra key cutting - ~$2

    Watching your neighbour spending hundreds or more than a thousand to outfit their home with an iLock and having their iPhone run out of juice or fumbling and dropping/breaking it before they could unlock the front door.... Priceless.

  18. AppStore by Sir_Lewk · · Score: 4, Interesting

    What happens when Apple decides that I should be locked out of my car because I drove past the local porn shop and they consider that a TOS violation? And how do I know they arn't going to purposely brick my key if I make after-market changes to my car?

    --
    "linux is just DOS with a UNIX like syntax" -- Galactic Dominator (944134)
  19. Re:http://www.digikey.com/ by amicusNYCL · · Score: 4, Informative

    Nice, you've discovered the best way to make a link unclickable in Slashdot. I can't even highlight and select "Go To URL", because it's already a link (to your comment, which doesn't have any content).

    http://www.digikey.com/

    --
    "Our two-party system is like a bowl of shit looking at itself in a mirror." - Lewis Black
  20. wow, similar functionality to my PDA in 1998 by jsepeta · · Score: 3, Funny

    my brother was able to use an app from my Palm Pilot using IR to unlock his Ford Taurus' doors back in 1998. Way to keep up with the times, Apple.

    --
    Remember kids, if you're not paying for the service, YOU ARE THE PRODUCT THAT IS BEING SOLD.