[fpgaminer]

In case people aren't aware, such a thing _is_ possible. Companies have used steganography techniques in the past to secretly embed identifiers into movies and other visual content. It's been used to track down the movie leakers, for example.

Another example; most printers covertly embed an identifier in their prints.

I have a vague memory of a pre-release video game doing it? Or maybe it was just debugging information that they were embedding. shrug

Personally I don't believe Apple is doing what you describe (though maybe they might do it to a prototype iPhone). But it's certainly your right to hold that belief and take measurements to protect yourself. Shame you're getting downvoted for explaining yourself.

EDIT: Fixed a typo; thank you.

[TurkishPoptart]

Sorry to nit-pick, but isn't the concept of hiding messages in images steganography, rather than stenography? studying for Security+

[saagarjha]

Yes.

[jaclaz]

>Another example; most printers covertly embed an identifier in their prints.

To be picky only colour printers, at least officially (though there are theories about similar ID for B/W laser printers):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machine_Identification_Code

[black_knight]

> Another example; most printers covertly embed an identifier in their prints.

This frustrates me a lot with my current printer. The yellow dots which "covertly" identifies my prints are way too visible in the print. So every time I look carefully at something I print I am reminded of how I am being watched.

[baroffoos]

Microsoft embedded an ID in one of the animations on the xbox 360 dashboard which could identify the person who leaked video of a beta game.

[Gaelan]

Worth noting that, IIRC, this was never included in production/release builds of the dashboard.