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This is pretty interesting..

“The Bitcoin Whitepaper Is Hidden in Every Modern Copy of macOS
POSTED APRIL 5, 2023 BY ANDY BAIO
While trying to fix my printer today, I discovered that a PDF copy of Satoshi Nakamoto’s Bitcoin whitepaper apparently shipped with every copy of macOS since Mojave in 2018.

I’ve asked over a dozen Mac-using friends to confirm, and it was there for every one of them. The file is found in every version of macOS from Mojave (10.14.0) to the current version, Ventura (13.3), but isn’t in High Sierra (10.13) or earlier.

See for Yourself

If you’re on a Mac, open a Terminal and type the following command:

open /System/Library/Image\ Capture/Devices/VirtualScanner.app/Contents/Resources/simpledoc.pdf

If you’re on macOS 10.14 or later, the Bitcoin PDF should immediately open in Preview.

(If you’re not comfortable with Terminal, open Finder and click on Macintosh HD, then open the System→Library→Image Capture→Devices folder. Control-click on VirtualScanner.app and Show Package Contents, open the Contents→Resources folder inside, then open simpledoc.pdf.)

In the Image Capture utility, the Bitcoin whitepaper is used as a sample document for a device called “Virtual Scanner II,” which is either hidden or not installed for everyone by default. It’s not clear why it’s hidden for some or what exactly it’s used for, but Reid Beels suggested it may power the “Import from iPhone” feature.

In Image Capture, select the “Virtual Scanner II” device if it exists, and in the Details, set the Media to “Document” and Media DPI to “72 DPI.” You should see the preview of the first page of the Bitcoin paper.

Screenshot of Image Capture utility with the Virtual Scanner II device selected, previewing the first page of the Bitcoin whitepaper
But Why

Of all the documents in the world, why was the Bitcoin whitepaper chosen? Is there a secret Bitcoin maxi working at Apple? The filename is “simpledoc.pdf” and it’s only 184 KB. Maybe it was just a convenient, lightweight multipage PDF for testing purposes, never meant to be seen by end users.

There’s virtually nothing about this online. As of this moment, there are only a couple references to “Virtual Driver II” or the whitepaper file in Google results. Namely, this Twitter thread from designer Joshua Dickens in November 2020, who also spotted the whitepaper PDF, inspiring this Apple Community post in April 2021. And that’s it!


One other oddity: there’s a file called cover.jpg in the Resources folder used for testing the Photo media type, a 2,634×3,916 JPEG photo of a sign taken on Treasure Island in the San Francisco Bay. There’s no EXIF metadata in the file, but photographer Thomas Hawk identified it as the location of a nearly identical photo he shot in 2008.

Photo of a weathered hand-painted "6" sign and a sticker reading "Warning! Alarm System" on blue painted wood
If you know anything more — about how or why the Bitcoin paper ended up in macOS or what Virtual Scanner II is for — get in touch or leave a comment. (Anonymity guaranteed!)

Update: A little bird tells me that someone internally filed it as an issue nearly a year ago, assigned to the same engineer who put the PDF there in the first place, and that person hasn’t taken action or commented on the issue since”.

https://waxy.org/2023/04/the-bitcoin-whitepaper-is-hidden-in-every-modern-copy-of-macos/

This is a great story. I’ve been certain that Apple has been accumulating Bitcoin for some time now (at least 5 years) after having discussions with one of their highest level executives. This is the first time I’ve seen any evidence of them beginning to show support for it. I guess that means they’re close to done filling their bags. I expect to see a LOT more support for Bitcoin from Apple in the future.

I've they've been accumulating Bitcoin, then they should've disclosed it already in any of their quarterly/annual results papers. Let's not forget that Apple is a public company and is required by law to disclose their finances.

I expect Craig "Faketoshi" Wright to take a legal action and file a copyright infringement lawsuit against Apple now.  ;D

OMG Steve Jobs=Satoshi Nakamoto. Since Steve died in 2011 that would explain Satoshi disappearance too. Just joking haha.

Now you got me curious with this but unfortunately i dont have any device with macOS to check it out.

Yeah exactly, I was going to write the same thing. When will there be an article mentioning a noisy trial about it? That's a godsend for him!  ;D

I had no idea that the whitepaper was hidden in Macos. If I understand correctly, it was an employee who did this a few years ago, and it was never corrected?
If so, we shouldn't jump to conclusions about Apple's hypothetical possession of Bitcoin, this may just be an Easteregg of an employee close to resignation. (Although personally I am convinced that every personality who own large amounts of money and a minimal knowledge of Bitcoin, has at least a little bit of it )

In any case it's really nice, that makes a huge number of copies of the paper in circulation, even offline.
I'm not an Apple user personally, but I wonder if there is also this in IOS ?  Who knows, maybe some tablets and phones also include the whitepaper

It's nice to see that Apple believes in bitcoin without making too much noise about it.
The fact that the document is hidden confirms the philosophy of bitcoin which is the one shared with apple: privacy first!
It would be nice, as already said, to discover that Satoshi = Steve Jobs, but I don't think so, even if both were visionaries

It's probably just one or few engineer who happen to be Bitcoin enthusiast use Bitcoin Whitepaper as reference/example PDF file.


It'd be suicidal considering Apple deep pocket and very long history of handling lawsuit (e.g. Apple vs Samsung). But i personally i wish it happen.

I think the bookmakers could quote the chance of this happening at around 1  ;D , although as you said Apple would have already won.
When economic interests and presumed rights are at stake, everyone thinks they can win and carry on battles even without having the title to do so

By the way, it's very strange that recently, after so many years, we discovered for the first time that bitcoin logo has some design issues. Today, we discovered that there was a copy of Bitcoin Whitepaper in modern copies of MacOS, it's really funny and strange simultaneously.

Say whatever you want but I think it was done for two purposes:
1. For futher PR and marketing, news websites will publish articles about this story, that will promote apple and bitcoin at the same time but apple is a hero here.
2. Apple products mean high security for a lot of people, bitcoin has that reputation too. By including Bitcoin Whitepaper in macOS, it can be perceived as a message that there is a strong bong between Apple and the idea of security & privacy.
Yeah, this may sounds crazy but why not?

It's immediately a lost game for him.

• This could be true except that it's not on every news website and was not particularly made public years after it was slipped in. Anything done for PR would have found its way to the internet quickly, sometimes it would be made out to have leaked inadvertently, but there would be dozens of news on it.

• This is a loose but plausible reason for why it was done. Maybe not a company wide policy, but the engineer behind the code might have had that in mind when using it.

I don't know if you guys are taking it lightly or not. But, Whoever did it from Apple, is Extreme Bitcoiner.


I won't say it's for marketing or news coverage. It wasn't Apple who confirms the existence of the whitepaper on macOS. macOS 10.14 Was released on September 24, 2018. If they had any marketing strategy behind that, They wouldn't remain silent for four years. C'mon. I am taking it as a positive sign from Apple.

Another Image is rotating on Twitter which is this;

https://i.imgur.com/wL5MWV7.png

Of course, this is not real. But, This would be good to be true.

I don't think they are holding a lot of Bitcoin as of this date, but you are right that they are really interested in it, which is why they have included it in every copy of macOS. I believe that this will really ignite the passion of Bitcoin lovers and as well grab the interest of greedy investors. Things seem to be in favor of Bitcoin and its price may soon rise above 35K.

oh, I wouldn't be surprised if he actually does, that dude is a money-hungry individual that wants validation from everyone that he created Bitcoin and will sue anyone that has money any chance he gets. I also agree with ETFbitcoin I really hope he does, it'll be fun.

There have been a number of theories on Facebook and Twitter about what you are referring to, but it's probably just people's happy thoughts, since, as the report has, it's very clear that this only comes up in macOS versions from Mojave (10.14.0) or later. But I'm also curious, I really don't know what Apple does this for and why it has not been made public until now. Today, I have seen many Mac users excited about this news, but I am also using Windows, and it is a pity that I did not get to experience it.

There have been Easter Eggs in Apple things forever.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/57527/16-easter-eggs-hidden-apple-products
Also in Windows, and Android and just about every other OS known.

Just because it's BTC do we care here.

The real question is, did Apple know about it, and if not why not? How could something like that get though what is supposed to be layers of verification of software without someone catching it. And, if nobody did catch it, what else is lurking in their OS?

-Dave

Pretty nice easter egg and at the same time a good advertising for Apple because we all know that if bitcoin is in it, I am pretty sure that the community will flock to it to check it out. Are they the only OS that has that in their system? Love to know that they're not the only one.

WOW, I'm gonna check in with one of my friends who uses a MAC, he's a Bitcoiner and I'll
bet he doesnt know this.

First thing I thought when I read the OP was CSW and how that is a BIG f-u to his efforts
to try and claim/control that.

I wonder who did it? was it a company directive or an employee...


yes would love to see David taking on Goliath and Goliath flattening him into the dust.

Same things that's been running through my mind lol, I will never get off crypto space ever, this type of drama can't be missed mehn  ;D

I am not surprised, every big companies knows how good Bitcoin investment ks, they just pretend to not care, maybe because of the watchdogs or something.

This is why I don't trust the government either, they hate Bitcoin and yet investing in Bitcoin is very attractive, ain't it? governments

Believe it or not, the Government are also doing the same thing, we only get to know about Apple by luck, we still don't know how many other big names are already onto Bitcoin investment.

It is strange, though i don't think it means that Apple have been accumulating BTC or that the company is pro BTC, maybe they are, but this does not prove it. What this means though is that one of their engineers or coders is pro BTC and maybe he has put it there secretly for anyone who finds it to read about the amazing currency that Satoshi created. There is also an image found in the same folder where the BTC whitepaper can be found, though the image is unrelated to BTC, strange, or maybe all these was just done for some fun.

Searching online, i heard this isn't the first time that someone found this, but it did not get so much attention from the media, though this news is not everywhere for now, but i expect this one to be published in many news outlets. There are many interpretations to this, but we cannot know the exact truth because i don't think Apple would comment on this, nor would the engineer who did this too, but good development for BTC, so anyone who has a macOS since mojave should go and read the BTC whitepaper. :D

Well, if that's true, then there better be an integration for it in the App Store, so that I can stop buying iTunes gift cards  :P


Doesn't check out. From reading Satoshi's posts here, he certainly doesn't sound like an asshole. Also Jobs was never a cryptographer, but a product designer. And he literally only had access to a Windows with AMD processor when designing the early versions of Bitcoin Core software.

I don't know, but most Apple device users don't dig deep into the system to read hidden files, most of the use is for design or to exploit the device's features.
The question must be presented to Apple. If they know, then this is a problem, and if they do not know, then the problem is greater.
Wouldn't they face any legal problem, at least in the UK, in which the Bitcoin white paper seems to be outlawed.

I also saw this one and I thought that no one made the thread yet but it's all good.

I agree that it's a work of someone who has passion for bitcoin that worked for them. But his coworkers probably didn't noticed it until someone did. It's also even likely that he's the one to open it up since no one has ever noticed it all over these years.

Since 2018, macOS Mojave has harbored the enigmatic Bitcoin whitepaper, intriguingly tucked away in every copy. The burning query: why would Apple do this? Some surmise it's a mere handy file for testing, while others detect deeper motives.

Could it be an Apple salute to the burgeoning clout of cryptocurrencies and blockchain? By embedding the whitepaper, they might be declaring allegiance to these nascent technologies and a pledge to spearhead the industry's avant-garde.

Or, perhaps it's an insinuation of decentralized systems' potency. By nestling the whitepaper within their OS, Apple could be coaxing users to delve into crypto and blockchain realms, contemplating decentralized structures' merits over centralized counterparts.

Regardless, macOS's enshrinement of the Bitcoin whitepaper highlights the soaring impact of cryptocurrencies and blockchain in our era. As these technologies advance, one can't help but ponder their influence on finance and tech's future.

The timing with which this news was revealed is pretty curious.
It's not just few days that WP is inside Macs... guys, do you really think it was a choice of apple as a company and maybe not a choice of a single programmer within their company?

haha that's pretty cool. I just opened it up and yes indeed it is there! Bitcoin White Paper tucked away in my computer!


Some fan of Bitcoin who works at Apple must have snuck it in there.

Well, come on. This doesn't look like a support, but more like an easter secret from one of the developers or other employees than the fact that Apple added the bitcoin whitepaper purposefully. Otherwise, this story would have surfaced much earlier, and not a few years later.

Although, on the other hand, it may be some kind of planned PR campaign from this company and an attempt to show their loyalty to bitcoin, but at the same time not much officially advertising. I don't think so, but the devil knows what they have in mind.

Could mean three things, be my guest on telling which would be the most plausible theory out of all of them!

1. Steve Jobs or someone from the Apple Executive Board (or maybe even the whole executive/founding fathers of Apple) were Satoshi Nakamoto, and had created the project for the sole purpose of not only creating a payment channel/system that would traverse seas and continents, but to also beta test Apple Pay which is their strongest suit in creating the Apple Ecosystem

2. Could've been a good sign that they are in close connection with Bitcoin's creator, or that they are on the same side in the discussion between bitcoin and fiat or whatever the hell, which could also mean they've stocked up on bitcoins without us ever knowing.

3. Just a random and funny easter egg that a high-tier apple employee left on the MacOS systems to not only act as some sort of "where's waldo" on the code but to fuck with the bitcoin visionaries brain into thinking that Apple supports bitcoin, thus having them buy more apple devices, supporting apple projects and startups, and be Apple's unsung heroes.

As far as I can tell not everyone agrees on this either. I don't think we can find the answer anyway since one of them could simply answer ambiguously, or even lie if it fits their current narrative. Even if we did find the answer, things can change pretty quickly if the market demand to do so. Who knows, the company that hates crypto right now will change its tune after they prepare its best to reap profits from the market, and vice versa.
This is too far-fetched IMO. At the very least, I can't imagine satoshi working at some corporate that produce so many overpriced products and being so privacy-conscious at the same time. But well who knows, unless we got internal info all of these theories might as well be true.

I don’t think it’s number 1, Steve Jobs or his partners cannot be Satoshi Nakamoto, there is a clear distinction in their beliefs. I believe Satoshi is a liberal and apple founders are capitalists, also Craig Wright would sue them for impersonation if he hears of this lol.

I also don’t think it’s number 3 because apple doesn’t need do all that to get more loyal customers. I think people buy apple products as luxury items.

In my opinion, number 2 is the closest, there were rumors last year that  apple bought 2.5 billion worth of bitcoin (https://coinmarketcap.com/alexandria/article/has-apple-really-bought-2-5-billion-worth-of-bitcoin) but there was never an official statement from the company.

I assume that indeed, some workers at Apple are allowed to sneak in some Easter eggs, as long as they do not interfere with the proper functionality of the OS. That is more expected that some big fish in the company including the Bitcoin WP for whatever reason.

When I think of companies which would be open to Bitcoin and pro-adoption, Apple is one of the least that comes to mind because how fond of closed-source and simple functionalities they are. The average Apple user does not like to swim in code and like things to be super simple and intuitive.

I would not be surprised if this Easter Egg ended up being removed in future iterations of the OS.

A lot of reputable organizations are into Bitcoin more than we know but the problem is that they never make it public. If you remember some years ago, some of the celebrities that publicly tell the world they are holding Bitcoin never had the gut to make it public.
Yes, of course, they ought to disclose their finances but only those they want the public to know.

This is what i thought while still reading the OP, like this guy ^{(mentioned the name)} will be very upset again and will take legal action after lossing multiple times. lmao.

Well, yeah, this is very interesting story, would be glad to know if what's the bitcoin whitepaper doing there on that folder.

Apple doesn't own any bitcoins; only CEO Tim Cook does, at least according to an interview he gave last year. As it is a personal bitcoin, you shouldn't expect Cook to make his holdings public. However, just as we have the Bible and the Quran in each of our hotels, the presence of the Bitcoin Whitepaper PDF on the Apple system is not news and has no significance. maybe it was just a good pdf sample for dev testing who knows.

The discovery of a hidden white paper on MacOS in the middle of Bitcoin price movements is quite good in my opinion because being able to stay above $ 25K does not interfere with Bitcoin movement traffic which is predicted to continue to reach new support. Or we hope that behind the discovery of the white paper on MacOS can positively strengthen Bitcoin.

Regarding Wright, I laughed to myself when I read your post with what I read on coindesk.com (https://www.coindesk.com/tech/2023/04/06/hidden-inside-macos-the-bitcoin-whitepaper/);

Of course it doesn't check out, thats why i wrote that i am just joking so people wouldnt think that i was serious. If someone like Steve Jobs was behind Bitcoin, it would look very different and it would be way more centralized.

That didn't take long, did it?  ;D

This guy is completely nuts!

https://talkimg.com/images/2023/07/19/ZWMoH.png

Self-Proclaimed Satoshi Claims Apple Violated Copyright by Putting Bitcoin White Paper on MacOS (https://watcher.guru/news/self-proclaimed-satoshi-claims-apple-violated-copyright-by-putting-bitcoin-white-paper-on-macos)


I believe it was intentional not a mistake

I think it's just the macOS for now.

It isn’t just the CEO. He isn’t the one I discussed Bitcoin with. A large number of people at Apple are Bitcoin supporters and I’m sure their entire top level executive team are all buying up as much as they can to front run their own company… At some point when it isn’t controversial or potentially illegal to do so, Apple will support it. Mark my words.

I thought the Hodlonaut case would have kept him quiet over his claims of being Satoshi, however he can't take any step, he just admitted that apple broke the copyright law. Craig cannot stand apple in court for such a thing as being the owner of bitcoin whitepaper, they're many backed up proofs to why he'll fail again. Unless he is seeking to remain relevant on news outlets, he wouldn't think of filing a lawsuit against apple.

Haha lmao, this guy is absolutely nuts.  Let's say that he actually was/is Satoshi (which all of us with a brain of course know he is not), lets for a moment pretend he was..how would Apple face litigation over this, I just don't understand what his legal precedence would be? 

Either way, I think it's funny that he so quickly responded to this.  I mean this guy couldn't be any more different on twitter than he was here on btalk, where he went to immense lengths to hide his identity.

The Bitcoin white paper is also stored in the blockchain

Here is a detailed explanation about it: https://bitcoiner.dev/2021/01/30/lets-get-the-bitcoin-whitepaper-from-the-blockchain

Discussing beyond Apple, how about Warren Buffet and Berkshire Hathaway. We knew that Warren does not like Bitcoin and cryptocurrency but years ago he did not invest in tech companies. However it changed and Berkshire Hathaway invested in Apple and MicroStrategy directly or indirectly.

What if some days, Berkshire Hathaway invest in Bitcoin as well. I am not surprised if they do so. They  have a lot of cash and they can use it to invest in Bitcoin when it is no longer illegal or has some restrictions legally in some nations. That day will come for Bitcoin and I think not only Apple or Berkshire Hathaway, more big tech companies will add Bitcoin to their portfolios.