Steve Jobs did resign from his company and the shares predictably fell down and all hopes were set at the new Apple CEO Tim Cook. People have been betting on Mr. Cook’s captaincy and that Apple would still continue to remain at the top in spite of Jobs’ absence.
However, all is not well in the house of Apple. The lost iPhone prototype has created a big security embarrassment and possible legal complications for Apple. Recently, an iPhone employee ‘lost’ an iPhone prototype that was predictably the iPhone 5. Apple usually tests its devices outside the location before launch, and during one such testing, the device was lost.
Apple’s location tracking technology traced the lost phone to Sergio Calderón’s home in San Francisco. Like in Hollywood movies, 6 cops claiming to be from the SF Police Department searched his house for the device but in vain. When they did not find out, they left but soon it was found out that the men were not cops but security men affiliated to Anthony Colon, an Apple investigator. Apple sleuths do respect secrecy and getting worried about a lost iPhone prototype before launch is reason enough to worry.
However, to impersonate police offers and enter someone’s house is a totally different thing and could land not only the investigating sleuths in trouble, but also Apple as a company into deeper problems. Impersonating police officers is punishable by up to a year in jail, according to the prevailing laws in California. Steve Jobs would have just wanted to make sure that the iPhone 5 got all the press attention. However, it seems like impersonating San Francisco Police Department would give Apple a lot of negative publicity which Mr. Tim Cook will have to fix. It remains to be seen how he shall address this sensitive and embarrassing issue.
[Editor’s Note: American cops are not allowed to search you or your property without a warrant unless there is the threat of imminent danger. If you find yourself in a similar situation, always ask to see the search warrant and the officers’ identifications.]
