Apple will soon launch a Mac Studio lock adapter to enable customers to physically secure their computer with a third-party lock without damaging it.
- The bottom of the Mac Studio includes a small hole that resembles a Kensington lock but appears to be a new kind of security mechanism to prevent the computer from being lifted, carried or physically moved in any other way.
- Apple is said to soon start selling a lock adapter, basically a dongle that would let a third-party lock mechanism physically secure the Mac Studio.
- Be sure not to confuse a lock adapter with a Kensington lock (more on that later).
A Mac Studio lock adapter is launching soon
Apple will soon launch a Mac Studio lock adapter letting you use a third-party lock mechanism to physically secure the machine and stop thieves from simply picking your mid-range Mac tower up when no one’s looking. The adapter will reportedly attach to the bottom of the Mac Studio to prevent the computer from moving.
So that’s a Kensington lock hole, no?
MacRumors cautions that this doesn’t seem to be your regular Kensington lock.
On the bottom of the Mac Studio, there is a hole that some have speculated could be for a Kensington lock. Kensington locks, however, are large and are unlikely to fit under the Mac Studio. Instead, in a memo seen by MacRumors, Apple has said a “lock adapter” that customers can use to keep their Mac Studio “physically secure without modifying or damaging” will launch soon.
No further information about pricing or availability was provided.
What’s a Kensington lock?
Part of an anti-theft system designed in the mid-1980s, the Kensington lock physically secures a device without modifying or damaging it. You just attach a small loop at the end of a cable with a key or combination lock to a table or similar permanent object. Read: How to find a lost Apple device with someone else’s iPhone
Some Apple devices (like Macbooks) support Kensington locks. If you see a metal-reinforced hole labeled with a small padlock symbol on your Apple device, that’s a Kensington lock. A cable usually isn’t included, requiring a separate purchase.