Obama's White House aides can finally use an iPhone handset
The state of technology in the White House is surprisingly behind-the-times, as most of you probably know. The president himself is stuck with a not-so-smart phone, due to security reasons, and until very recently even his aides were prohibited from using an iPhone handset. That’s now changed, however, as part of Obama’s plan to properly modernize the technology inside of the West Wing before he leaves office next year.
The most recent iPhones
In a fascinating article from The New York Times, the plan to upgrade the infastructure inside of the White House is detailed at length. It makes for an interesting read in its entirity, though a couple of elements stand out.
For one, Obama is still stuck with his archaic “specially modified, highly secure” BlackBerry handset, and is prohibited from using an iPhone, Android-based phone, or anything more recent (and more technologically able). Yet there have been significant changes in the West Wing, and to the technology his most senior aides are now allowed to use.
Computers and Wi-Fi have both been revamped, and so have the telephones in the West Wing, and system log-ins. The New York Times adds, however, that at long last, “many White House aides now carry the most recent iPhones.” Obama is a fan of Apple products, however, and still uses a Wi-Fi only iPad (as 9to5mac points out).
Despite his liking for Apple technology, as you’d expect, the president nevertheless sided with the FBI in the controversial dispute Cupertino had concerning the San Bernardino case.
For The New York Times’ full article, click this link.
