Apple has incorporated several privacy-centric features in its iPhone lineup, but even that is not sufficient for Russian officials. As the 2024 election preparations are underway in the country, certain security-tightening measures have been employed, and one of them involves completely ditching iPhones due to hacking concerns.

First deputy head of the presidential administration stated that Russian officials would have to switch to different phones by April 1

With tensions growing between the U.S. and Russia, there is the possibility of spies bypassing the security of iPhones, which is why for the presidential election happening in 2024, Apple’s devices are not going to be used. According to Sergei Kiriyenko, the first deputy head of the presidential administration, Reuters reports that political officials will have to switch to different phones by April 1.

However, with the only other alternative being an Android smartphone, these Russian officials have little choice in what their next daily driver will be. These individuals can also choose to carry around burner phones, but with limited functionality, Russian officials will not be able to stretch their legs when it comes to proper communication with others. A Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, could not confirm this rumor, but he states below that smartphones should not be used for official business.

“Smartphones should not be used for official business. Any smartphone has a fairly transparent mechanism, no matter what operating system it has – Android or iOS. Naturally, they are not used for official purposes.”

Apple did not provide comment to Reuters regarding the security vulnerability of its iPhones when used by Russian officials, but given the company’s stance on privacy, its handsets happen to be the number one choice for consumers who do not wish to be tracked or those who value their security at all times.

Russian officials and their security experts likely believe that with Apple’s headquarters situated in the U.S., and the company spending billions on U.S. lobbying, there is a chance that iPhones used in the Kremlin may be compromised.

News Source: Reuters