John McAfee, founder of the world s largest security technology company, McAfee is all set to release the ‘world s first truly private smartphone’ this year. McAfee took to Twitter to show the first prototype of the ‘John McAfee Privacy Phone’ and says that ‘you gonna love it’. This device is set to be the most hack-proof smartphone ever manufactured. The smartphone will be released later this year through MGT, a cybersecurity firm where McAfee is the executive chairman and CEO, and will be priced at a staggering $1,100 which is approximately Rs 70,600. Also Read - COVID-19 themed cyber-attack surge by 114 percent in Q4 2020: McAfee
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Looking at the prototype image of the smartphone, it runs on Android OS. The smartphone appears to bear a curved shape with a physical Home button below. Above the display and just below the earpiece and selfie camera lens, the John McAfee branding is visible. What appears to be the volume rocker in gold color is located on the left side of the smartphone.
The John McAfee Privacy Phone, by MGT – first prototype. World’s first truly private smartphone. You gonna love it. pic.twitter.com/n06CuO3Jay
John McAfee (@officialmcafee) April 25, 2017
Newsweek through an exclusive interview with John McAfee, shared the details on his next big project. Seeing the heavy price tag on the smartphone, its target audience is enterprise users but privacy-conscious consumers may also be interested in it. On describing a little bit about the hack-proof smartphone, McAfee says that it contains a bank of switches on the back cover that allow the user to physically disconnect the battery, the antennas for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and geolocation, the camera and the microphone .
McAfee stresses on the fact that it is actually hardware that is key in providing security to a smartphone. Replying to a comment on Twitter about hardware not having anything to do with security, he says, Hardware has everything to do with security. Software has everything to do with insecurity.
In addition to this, the smartphone will also prevent connecting to a StingRay or any other IMSI-catcher device. It also contains a web search anonymizer. The StingRay is an IMSI-catcher device which mimics a wireless carrier cell tower compelling nearby smartphones to connect to it. MGT will be developing security features for the device with Nordic IT Sourcing Association. The prototype of the smartphone has been developed already, but its full specifications will only be revealed a week before its official launch which is due to happen later this year. ALSO READ: Micromax smartphones to now come bundled with McAfee Mobile Assistant
The John McAfee Privacy Phone which will be launched this year, will be Version 1 and its successor dubbed Version 2 will be launched in the summer of 2018. McAfee says that the Version 1 of this device is not completely hack proof but will give users enormous power over their privacy. He goes on to say that this device is light years ahead of the Blackphone or any other phone claiming to be secure . Blackphone which currently holds the crown of being the world s first privacy secured smartphone runs on Silent OS which is an enhanced Android OS for privacy. ALSO READ: Apple Watch, Microsoft Surface Pro 3, BlackPhone join the selfie stick in Time Magazine s best inventions of 2014
While the Version 1 of the John McAfee Privacy Phone may or may not beat the Blackphone series, the Version 2 promises so much more. McAfee says that the Version which will launch in the summer of 2018 will be as hack proof as humanly possible .
