Department of Defense Ready to Approve iOS 6 for High-Security Uses - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Department of Defense Ready to Approve iOS 6 for High-Security Uses

DOD-logo-vector-RGBThe U.S. Department of Defense is readying a new government approval for iOS devices to be used by military agencies for nonclassified communications. This is apparently a separate approval from the "commercial mobile device implementation plan" that the DoD announced a few months ago.

The Wall Street Journal reports that the certification would not only allow more widespread use of iPhones and iPads across the military, but would signal to other security conscious companies like banks and law firms that these devices are safe to use.

Separately, DISA is expected to rule that Apple's latest operating system, iOS 6, conforms to a different security-requirement guide, these people said. That would allow iPhones and iPads to be used by military agencies for nonclassified communications, like email and Web browsing.

The DoD is also preparing to sign off on Samsung's Galaxy line of phones for similar uses.

Popular Stories

iOS 26

iOS 26.4 Adds Two New Features to CarPlay

Tuesday March 24, 2026 1:55 pm PDT by
iOS 26.4 was released today, and it includes a couple of new features for CarPlay: an Ambient Music widget and support for voice-based chatbot apps. To update your iPhone 11 or newer to iOS 26.4, open the Settings app and tap on General → Software Update. CarPlay will automatically offer the new features so long as the iPhone connected to your vehicle is running iOS 26.4 or later....
Apple Business hero

Apple Unveils 'Apple Business' All-in-One Platform

Tuesday March 24, 2026 8:53 am PDT by
Apple today announced Apple Business, a new all-in-one platform that unifies device management, productivity tools, and customer outreach features. The service is designed to be a consolidated replacement for several of Apple's existing business-focused offerings, including Apple Business Essentials, Apple Business Manager, and Apple Business Connect. It provides organizations with a single...
AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Pro 3, AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4

Tuesday March 24, 2026 12:31 pm PDT by
Apple today released new firmware for the AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, and the AirPods 4. The firmware has a version number of 8B39, up from 8B34 on the AirPods Pro 3, 8B28 on the AirPods Pro 2, and 8B21 on the AirPods 4. There is no word on what's included in the firmware, but Apple has a support document with limited notes. Most updates are limited to bug fixes and performance...

Top Rated Comments

fenderbass146 Avatar
168 months ago
I stopped reading when they said they were approving an Android device.
so you still read the whole thing seeing as thats on the last line.....
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
168 months ago
The DoD is also preparing to sign off on Samsung's Galaxy line of phones for similar uses.

Immediately discredits this article, iOS 6 != hardware. And if they're about to useAndroid for "high security" purposes then i'd assume they have pretty low security requirements.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
168 months ago
This news has zero effect on my life whatsoever.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
crisss1205 Avatar
168 months ago
Immediately discredits this article, iOS 6 != hardware. And if they're about to useAndroid for "high security" purposes then i'd assume they have pretty low security requirements.

Samsung's line of Galaxy Phones have something called "Samsung SAFE (http://www.samsung.com/us/business/samsung-for-enterprise/index.html?cid=omc-mb-cph-1112-10000022)" which is not part of Android. Like iOS, SAFE provides:

* Advanced Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync features
* On-device AES 256-bit encryption
* VPN connectivity
* Top-tier, multivendor Mobile Device Management support
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
G51989 Avatar
168 months ago
I stopped reading when they said they were approving an Android device.

Yes, I'm sure you know more about the security on Samsung devices than the US department of defense.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
flottenheimer Avatar
168 months ago
So, where do I get a "United States of America — Department of Defence"-approved sticker and a hardcore milistyle cover for my iPhone?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)