In the months leading up to the introduction of a new iPhone, there's always quite a bit of speculation surrounding the new features that Apple might pack into it as well as what the new phone will look like. We won't know for sure exactly what Apple has planned for its next iPhone models until Tim Cook takes to the stage to introduce them to us, but according to a new report, the Cupertino firm already has some of the details of its upcoming models figured out.
In a new San Francisco Examiner report on "kill switch" technology that can be used to remotely disable stolen cellphones, San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón claims to have been told by Apple government liaison Michael Foulkes the work of researching and creating a kill switch is "long and laborious" and that Apple already has its next two iPhone generations developed. Foulkes reportedly went on to explain that next two iPhone generations "preceded Tim Cook," suggesting that the models were crafted under the watch of Steve Jobs.
Many mobile companies begin work on new products far in advance of those devices' launch dates. For example, Google has mentioned in the past that when it purchased Motorola, it inherited 18 months of product pipeline as well. That's likely not different for Apple, but it's still interesting to hear that the next two generations of iPhone have already been developed. There are many fans of Steve Jobs and his work, and so the claim that there are still more iPhones coming that were created under his lead is sure to get some folks a bit more excited about the upcoming models.
As for the kill switch technology that San Francisco DA George Gascón has been investigating, he doesn't seem to be having much luck. Gascón said that he was disheartened about the tech after meeting with service providers about it last month and that his talk with Foulkes was "very underwhelming." It's not clear exactly why these mobile companies aren't terribly interested in implementing kill switches, but Gascón speculates that it has to do with the money that the firms make when customers must re-purchase a phone that's been stolen. Some mobile companies already offer software that will allow a user to remotely disable or wipe a lost handset, including BlackBerry Protect and Apple's Find my iPhone. Do you use one of those services or something similar with your mobile devices?
