When the tech world talks about end-of-life, it usually means obsolete devices losing support for repair and security updates. But this end-of-life iPad case isn’t concerned with Genius Bar support—it’s worried about what happens when the user goes to the eternal Apple Store in the sky.
Of course, device protection after death isn’t a totally outrageous concern. There are legitimate complaints from bereaved next-of-kin who can’t access their loved one’s devices and online accounts, which means they have no way to shut down profiles or access personal information that’s locked away. But In Case of Death Case is less about securing your digital livelihood than protecting your digital reputation: The case will brick your iPad moments after your heart stops, so your embarrassing secrets will go with you to the grave.
We know what you’re thinking, but it’s not a joke. It comes from iPad case maker Zugu, which offers the package for a mere $1,500. You get quite a bit for your money, including a $999 11-inch iPad Pro in space black, a case, a smart ring with pulse detection, a proprietary In Case of Death app, and a catchy slogan, “Peace of mind, so you can rest in peace.” It all works together to track your vitals until, well, there’s nothing to track anymore.
Zugu says the ring “continually measures heart rate, heart rate variability, respiration rate, blood oxygen levels, and body temperature” just like an Apple Watch. Meanwhile, the monitoring app on the iPad looks for a gradual reduction in temperature, coupled with a heart rate stoppage. (When there is an immediate cessation of heart rate and a plunge in temperature, the app is smart enough to know that the ring has been removed, since actual death, they argue, delivers a more gradual temperature reduction.)
The setup also requires an iPhone, which acts as “the control hub for the app, managing the connection and communications to and from the ring.” That’s not included in the $1,500 price tag.
The iPad Pro case is the least important part of Zugu’s In Case of Death Case.
Zugu
Before we delve into the practical problems with diagnosing death based solely on the readings from one finger on one hand, let’s look at what happens if the app concludes that the user has met the Grim iReaper. During initial installation, the user can choose from several options about what they want the app to do if it determines death.
Option one is to “destroy” the default browser and remove it and its history.” However, the app doesn’t actually delete anything. It merely hides the browser from view and disables it from opening. The second option is to erase all the data from the iPad and effectively “brick” the iPad. Though this isn’t exactly true either, since it merely resets the iPad to factory settings. The tablet should still work fine, but the user’s information will be gone.
The other options are decidedly less serious. There’s “Rickroll My Loved Ones,” which triggers the iPad to play a never-ending video loop of Rick Astley. The final option is “Tweet My Followers,” which sends the following message: “Going offline permanently, bestie. Literally. Don’t forget to like and subscribe to my obituary #LastPost #NoFilter #NoHeartBeat #RIPme.”
Since we’ve established this is not a joke, what about the ability of a single third-party smart ring to reliably determine death? Depending on the option, Zugu CEO Tim Angel said, an incorrect death diagnosis, such as frostbite, for instance, “can be easily reversed.” We also asked whether the existence of iCloud backups would make wiping the iPad irrelevant, at least in terms of preventing the data from being seen, Angel admitted that “it does somewhat undercut the point of wiping the iPad.” But if you outlive the M4 iPad Pro’s own shelf life, you’re out of luck and will need to purchase a whole new kit since there’s no path for upgrading to an M7 down the road.
But the In Case of Death Case is a serious project and not a joke, Angel insists. “This product was created for a very specific customer who’s often thought to themselves, ‘When I’m gone, I definitely don’t want anyone seeing what’s on my iPad.’ We’ve seen millions of people post messages like that on social. ‘I’m so embarrassed by my browser history. Hope no one sees it after I’m dead.’”