Disclaimer: I'm a long-time admirer of Apple, and think they have come up with some exceptional (and a few crappy) products which have changed the face of the industry. I don’t intend to antagonize any hard-core Apple fans here; in case I unintentionally do, please excuse :)

So….I was just reading an article today about how the Apple iPhone (yes, the same shiny overpriced device) has a serious vulnerability which will allow attackers to have access to contact lists/emails/messages.

Wait a minute – an Apple device with a security vulnerability? What the hell are you talking about?! Apples are meant to be bullet-proof!

Well, apparently they’re not. Apple has always been a niche brand, catering to a small bunch of loyalists (if you discount the phenomena called ‘iPod’, which has become synonymous with ‘MP3 Player’). Apple devices, whilst always appreciated by one-and-all, have never really catered to the ‘masses’. Now with the iPhone, that’s set to change. Apple plans to sell 10 million of those devices by the end of this year itself, which by all means makes it a mainstream product. And with a mainstream product, come a lot of security/customization headaches. Apple devices have always been more secure because they’re built on a more secure platform….*and* also because they have never really been worthwhile targets. The iPod, whilst immensely popular, was not a device for which connectivity was too important. And even then, I personally feel Apple didn't do a great job with the whole ‘my way or the highway’ attitude with iTunes. Well, the iPhone is a mainstream device, built for connectivity with the mainstream networks, The moment something becomes mainstream, you can be sure that there will be all sorts of bad (and some good) guys who will be trying to figure out a way to make a quick buck. Just ask Microsoft.

And then the ‘problem’ of being popular; you just can’t cater to everybody! Let’s face it; Apple is one of the greatest brands ever (if not the greatest); their whole “i” has inspired countless me-toos, from iClones to even automobiles! Apple loyalists (or maybe ‘fanboys’ is the more appropriate term) will pay exorbitant amounts for shiny rocks (with the Apple logo) packaged as ‘iPaperweight’. The rest of the market though is a slightly tougher nut to crack. Apple is now catering to the mainstream audience, and faces the unique challenge of retaining their brand ‘halo’ and exclusivity at the same time. Apple must tread carefully if it wants to become the next ‘WinTel’ (or should we say Google) of the coming decade.

What do you think about it? Please let me know :)