Apple's software engineering head has criticized the security model of the macOS platform by contrasting it with the iOS and iPadOS software powering the iPhone and iPad.

Apple Throws macOS Under the Bus

The comment was made by Apple's software engineering chief Craig Federighi during his testimony at the trial Fortnite maker Epic Games brought against Apple over the App Store.

Asked by Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers why Apple permits multiple app stores on the Mac, but not on the iPhone and iPad, Federighi responded by pointing out that the Mac platform is more prone to malware as a result of that decision.

[Multiple app stores are] "regularly exploited on the Mac. Today, we have a level of malware on the Mac that we don't find acceptable.

He added that 130 types of macOS malware have hit at least 300,000 Mac computers in the world between May 2020 and May 2021. By comparison, the iOS platform "has succeeded so far in staying ahead" of the malware situation. He also added that "it's well understood in the security community that Android has a malware problem."

The Verge has transcribed the best quotes from his testimony.

The Mac from the beginning has been part of a generation of systems where the expectation is you can get software from wherever---you can hand it to your friend on a floppy disk and run it, that’s part of the expectation. But Mac users also expect a degree of flexibility that is useful to what they do. Some of them are software developers, some of them are pros running their unique tools, and having that power is part of it.

On iOS, by comparison, Apple uses techniques like sandboxing and stronger platform security rooted in hardware to restrict what apps are permitted to do.

Touting the Security of the iOS Platform

Federighi went on to point out that the iOS platform has established "a dramatically higher bar for customer protection," adding that "the Mac is not meeting that bar today."

That's certainly a peculiar comment to make for a high-ranking Apple executive who reports directly to Tim Cook. Could it be that Federighi deliberately threw macOS under the bus in orderer to tout the security of the App Store and the iOS platform?

Related: How to Download Apps From US App Store in Any Region

We'll never know though it certainly sounds like it.

Apple has always defended the App Store's exclusivity by arguing that allowing multiple stores on the iPhone would reduce platform security and compromise the privacy of its customers. "iOS users are just accustomed to getting apps all the time," he said.

Federighi's Car Metaphor

In describing the macOS platform, he resorted to the following car metaphor:

I think of it is as if the Mac is a car---that you can take it off-road if you want, you can drive wherever you want. And that comes with as a driver, you gotta be trained, there’s a certain level of responsibility in doing that, but that’s what you wanted to buy. You wanted to buy a car. With iOS, we were able to create something where children---heck, even infants---can operate an iOS device, and be safe in doing so. So it’s a really different product.

And this, on whether macOS is safe:

Safe if operated correctly, much like that car. If you know how to operate a car, and you obey the rules of the road and are very cautious, yes. If you’re not---I’ve had a couple of family members who’ve gotten some malware on their Mac. But ultimately, I think the Mac can be operated safely.

Contrasting this with iOS, Federighi said that opening up the iOS platform to third-party stores would mean that users could be directed to "download misrepresented software from untrusted sources where they'd be subject to malware."