Bitcoin Whitepaper Hidden in every Modern Copy of macOS

[ChiBitCTy]

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/

[OgNasty]

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.

[mk4]

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.

[FatFork]

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

[Grim_Fandango]

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.

[paid2]

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

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!  

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

[HedgeFx]

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

[ABCbits]

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

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

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.

[HedgeFx]

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  , 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

[Synchronice]

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?

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

It's immediately a lost game for him.

[Upgrade00]

1. For futher PR and marketing
2. Apple products mean high security for a lot of people, bitcoin has that reputation too.

• 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.

[Learn Bitcoin]

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

For futher PR and marketing, news websites will publish articles about this story, that will promote apple and bitcoin at the same time but

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;



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

[SamReomo]

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 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.

[acroman08]

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

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.

[DanWalker]

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.

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.

[DaveF]

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

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!  

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

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

[Latviand]

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.

[aoluain]

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...

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

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

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.

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

[KiaKia]

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

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 

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.

[Z-tight]

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.