US government built secret iPod with Apple’s help, former engineer says

An Apple engineer who helped launch the iPod said he helped the US government build a secret version of the device that could covertly collect data.

David Shayer, the second software engineer hired for the iPod project in 2001, said he first learned of the project in 2005, when he received an office visit from his boss's boss.

He cut to the chase," Shayer recounts in a post published on Monday by TidBITS, an online newsletter covering all things Apple. I have a special assignment for you. Your boss doesn't know about it. You'll help two engineers from the US Department of Energy build a special iPod. Report only to me.'"

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