[detaro]

I don't think we truly know. I'd bet on the story being not accurate, but I'm unsure to what degree: Did Bloomberg eat some total fabrication? The method described seemed questionable, but variations on it could be possible and be easily in the realm of "reporter doesn't understand source". Did something happen, was caught earlier and embellished (on the way to the journalists, or by the journalists?) and Bloomberg doesn't want to admit they didn't validate that properly? To my knowledge Bloomberg has not given any further statements about this, which IMHO doesn't look good. Neither is there any third-party information outside the denials, which also could be inaccurate or hiding behind technicalities.

[nojito]

Given that it was just revealed that Apple was working on secret project that no high level executive knew about, it's very likely the story was true and was hidden from top tech execs.

https://tidbits.com/2020/08/17/the-case-of-the-top-secret-ip...

[duskwuff]

I'm having a hard time seeing the connection. Why would the fact that Apple engineers participated in a secret project for the government once mean anything with regard to this story?

(Note that the iPod project wasn't even "hidden from top tech execs". It was approved by top executives at the time, including the SVP of Hardware.)