Apple's Mystery Move: Including the Bitcoin White Paper in Recent macOS

Have you ever stumbled upon something unexpected while trying to fix a tech problem? This happened to Andy Baio, a developer, and writer for waxy.org. While fiddling with his printer, Baio discovered that every copy of macOS that shipped since 2018 includes a PDF of the original Bitcoin white paper by Satoshi. This discovery is even more mysterious because no one seems to know why Apple would consist of this document in their software. In this blog post, we will dive deeper into this puzzling move by Apple and try to get to the bottom of it.

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

First, let’s backtrack and understand what the Bitcoin whitepaper is. The document, titled “Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System,” was published in 2008 by an anonymous person or group using the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto. This paper outlines the concept of a decentralized and digital currency that allows for secure, transparent, and efficient transactions without the need for a central bank. It is considered the founding document of the cryptocurrency revolution.

Now, let’s move on to the mystery of why Apple included this white paper in their macOS. There have been no official announcements or explanations from Apple regarding this move. Furthermore, Apple has never publicly endorsed Bitcoin or any other cryptocurrency, and the company has been relatively reserved regarding blockchain technology.

One theory suggests that Apple might have included the white paper as part of its mission to educate and empower its users. By including this document, Apple might be signaling that they believe in the importance of understanding blockchain technology and digital currencies. This move by Apple can also be seen as showing solidarity with the cryptocurrency community, even if they have not publicly endorsed any specific coin or token.

Another theory is that Apple included the white paper as part of its commitment to open-source software. For those who don’t know, open-source software is code that is freely available to anyone to use, modify, and distribute under specific licenses. This type of software encourages collaboration, innovation, and transparency. By including the Bitcoin whitepaper in their software, Apple might be acknowledging the importance of open-source software and its role in shaping the future of technology.

While we might never know why Apple included the Bitcoin white paper in their macOS, we can still appreciate the significance of such a move. By highlighting this document, Apple is bringing attention to the idea of a decentralized and digital currency that can potentially transform the way we do transactions. Whether it was done to educate, inspire, or show solidarity, Apple’s inclusion of the white paper speaks volumes about the importance of understanding blockchain technology and its role in shaping the future of finance.