An innocuous file named "simpledoc.pdf" that is included as part of the Apple operating system MacOS contains a copy of the foundational text of Bitcoin, written by pseudonymous founder Satoshi Nakamoto in 2008, blogger Andy Baio has recently revealed.

The Bitcoin white paper can be found on Apple computers running macOS Mojave or later. It appears to be used as a sample document for the image capture device Virtual Scanner II, with Apple site MacRumors suggesting that it could be a sample document for a system for transferring photos from iOS devices to Macs.

The white paper appears to be the first crypto-related easter egg that has been found buried in Apple software, it is unclear why or how the Bitcoin white paper ended up on Apple systems. Its inclusion on Apple computers is particularly surprising given that the company has maintained an arbitrarily harsh stance against crypto and NFTs. Apple's insistence on imposing its 30% App Store fee on crypto apps prompted many developers to protest its policy, with some calling for a boycott of iOS.

(By Ryan S. Gladwin)