Apple’s 2020 iPad Pro offers an anti-eavesdropping feature that ensures the device’s microphone hardware is disabled when an MFi-compliant case is attached to the iPad and is closed.
The security feature first made an appearance in 2018 MacBook models that were equipped with Apple’s proprietary T2 security chip. The chip includes a hardware microphone disconnect feature that diable’s the laptop’s mic when its lid is closed.
An updated version of Apple’s Platform Security document (first discovered by 9to5Mac) mentions that the anti-eavesdropping feature is available on the 2020 iPad Pro when using an MFi-compliant case:
iPad models beginning in 2020 also feature the hardware microphone disconnect. When an MFI compliant case (including those sold by Apple) is attached to the iPad and closed, the microphone is disconnected in hardware, preventing microphone audio data being made available to any software—even with root or kernel privileges in iPadOS or in case the firmware is compromised.
Apple released updated 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models in March. The new tablets feature an A12Z Bionic chip, a new 10MO Ultra-Wide camera as well as the traditionally 12MP camera, and a LiDAR depth scanner for improved augmented reality experiences.
