Hardware microphone disconnect (2021)

I was recently trying to figure out whether the microphone is usable when using my notebook in clamshell-mode. Turns out Apple added a privacy&#x2F;safety feature to all Apple silicon-based Mac notebooks and Intel-based Mac notebooks with the Apple T2 Security Chip. It will hardware disconnect the microphone when the lid is closed, based on the lid sensors.<p>Pretty cool safety feature!! Even though I&#x27;m sad I can&#x27;t use my mic in clamshell mode

They have this feature but closing the lid on a MacBook or even putting it to sleep allows Bluetooth devices to stay connected. Heck, a MacBook even while in sleep mode will connect to Bluetooth devices. As far as I can see, this requires a third-party app to fix. Can an application still use the microphone on a Bluetooth device that’s connected?

This title is slightly confusing. I was thinking that closing my MacBook disables this privacy feature

Should just be a hardware switch you can flip. We should be able to decide whether the webcam or mic is physically connected.

Anyone have an explanation of how Apple actually decides what merits security and what does not?<p>(For example, it’s my understanding that turning turn off a iPhone, it’s bluetooth, etc — does not actually completely turn them off. Also appears hardware&#x2F;OS specs vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction; for example, it is my understanding China limits a number of iPhone’s hardware&#x2F;OS specs for domestic iPhones.)

I wish Apple would think about MacBook screens when the lid is closed. Too many times I&#x27;ve had to wipe clean the display after opening because the keys leave shapes on the monitor.

On the topic of closing and opening your MacBook, has anyone else had an issue where with an M1 any time they open it from sleep the cursor moves at like 20hz until you close it and open it again?<p>It’s been driving me mad and I can’t find anything about it online.

Does that mean MacBook microphone cannot work while operating in Dock mode?

I wonder whether one would be able to do passive sound reconstruction using the laptops camera, sice it isn&#x27;t being deactivated. I guess you would only be able to extract sounds lower than ~30Hz if the camera records at 60Hz, but that should be enough to detect steps for example. Not that this has real privacy implications, but I think that would be a fun way of disproving that no sound can be recorded.

I had no idea about the iPad microphone disconnect. That&#x27;s cool enough to justify getting a new case. I wish they&#x27;d address some of their other products. Optionally enable hardware microphone disconnect on phones when placing upside down with their lockdown mode. No idea how the watch microphone could be disabled.

(this is about phones as well as laptops)<p>Not only HW disconnect of the mic, but the speakers as well. I want a switch on the side that does the equivalent of taping over the camera. No software can use them when they&#x27;re off, period.<p>Take back your privacy.

Now, how hard it would be to allow user to have a slider (just like the one on iPhones for DND) to allow hardware disabling of mic?

If I&#x27;m reading correctly, this also removes one of the 20 potential issues with clamshell mode. Unfortunatley there are still plenty of other issues with clamshell mode :&#x2F;

I know some of the reasoning, but I find it really obnoxious the way it kills the wifi when switching users. I often am bouncing back and forth, I get the reasoning, but it would be nice if there was a setting to stop that.

How about a disconnect even when it&#x27;s open?

Me at 14: WTF APPLE IT&#x27;S MY MICROPHONE<p>Me at 30: Cool.

a physical switch would be ideal - akin to Ring&#x2F;Silent feature on iPhones

Thanks you

if only this also disconnected the speakers

In general they should finally open source the operating system. A close source system should not be called safe, private or secure.

When will Europe say they can do this?

Please, just add a physical switch to disconnect the microphone and camera and even battery! Why the hell do we need special chips to do this? Every chip can be hacked... internet hackers can&#x27;t turn on physical switches...

The microphone&#x2F;camera disconnect must be a physical switch that physically disconnects it. Absolutely not a software switch.

Another annoying mic feature was older macbooks (before T2 I think) didn&#x27;t have any built-in way to plug in the 3.5mm jack for a mic, and the usual sound output still be the internal speakers. Or an easy way to set the mic to monitor mode like in Windows.

I am getting more and more frustrated with all the things Apple thinks I want my computer to do.

Too bad your phone doesn&#x27;t have a privacy feature like this! The advertisers are always listening.

So nice of them to give more privacy features when closing the laptop.<p>Here is a fun thing that happens if you keep your laptop on to play some music or maybe run a light server with the lid closed.<p>The backlight of the LCD turns off, but the LCD does not turn off.<p>This causes screen burn in. There is no way to turn the screen off when you shut certain model mac laptops.<p>So on one hand, we have a company offering neat privacy gimmicks and on the other, deploying anti-consumer practices at every corner of their product.<p>Privacy is the bait that will trap you into their money sucking ecosystem. Manage it yourself or companies will always find a way to use it to exploit you. Even when they are not busy actively violating your privacy.