So it only takes a couple million dollars to finance an exploit that circumvents all security from a billion iphones? Holy Heck, this must just be the tip of an iceberg.
After reading Apple press release again, It seems it was actually directed against China but in very subtle way. Even Google Project zero skipped mention of Uighur community targeting to not get involved in Geo politics of this attack. But Apple is now in a big dilemma as it is in very vulnerable to retaliation by Chinese government hence it also had to draft press release in such a way that it would seem that they are angry at Google.
Apple do not want to go Google way and lose access to Chinese market.
<a href="https://www.technologyreview.com/s/612601/how-google-took-on-china-and-lost/" rel="nofollow">https://www.technologyreview.com/s/612601/how-google-took-on...</a>
China’s methods worked on Tibet; I expect the Uighur culture to be dramatically changed in a generation, especially since recording devices are being put in the homes of these people to prevent passage of oral culture/history to the young.<p>After the Uighur culture is gone, will China keep the surveillance technology in place, e.g. the face scans required to enter the strip-malls, etc.?