Today, Apple begins providing modified iPhones to security researchers to help them search for security flaws and vulnerabilities in the company’s mobile operating system.

The phones will allow researchers to run any program on them, and give those programs any access to data on the device, making it easier for external security experts to explore iOS. The company had promised the initiative a year ago, but delays in its implementation frustrated some security experts as serious flaws in the system continued to be discovered.

Specialists have long argued that the mystery of Apple devices not only made it safer than Android phones and other systems, but rather made its analysis more difficult.

Apple has some of the best security talent in the private sector, but its devices have been an effective target of national intelligence agencies and some arms contractors. Small companies sell to police departments equipment that can open multiple devices and download their contents, noting that these tools are not guaranteed.

They said Apple executives who spoke to Reuters before the announcement: They would choose an unspecified number of well-known researchers; To get the first batch of modified phones. On the other hand, researchers should pledge to notify Apple of any security vulnerabilities they find and negotiate a time when the company announces the existence of the vulnerability, and issues a correction to users to install it.

The company said: It will also allow senior engineers to discuss issues that arise with researchers, which is another step towards increasing openness and moving away from its previous secret policies.