Apple's software chief concedes that Macs have an unacceptably high level of malware.

The distinction between iPhone and Mac security is significant in this case because Epic Games is attempting to compel Apple to allow it to install rival app stores on iPhones, which are permitted on Mac computers. Epic Games claims that Apple can easily adapt Mac software installation controls and security procedures to iPhones, while Apple claims that its App Store approval process and guidelines protect users. Federighi remarked on Wednesday that the Mac's user base is around one-tenth that of the iPhone.

In January, Apple announced that it had 1 billion active iPhone users. “With iOS, we wanted to make something that was significantly more secure. According to all indications, we were successful,” Federighi added. Last year, Apple discovered and deleted around 130 different types of malware on Macs, infecting hundreds of thousands of user devices, compared to three types of malware infecting iPhones, he said. “I have a couple of family members who have had malware on their Macs, but I believe the Mac can be used safely in the end,” Federighi added. Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, who will decide what action to take in the following weeks or months, spurred Federighi's admission.

After three weeks, the trial is set to expire next Monday. Customers have long questioned if Apple was considering integrating its Mac desktops and iPad tablets, both of which run the iOS operating system. Apple's newest Mac computer is powered by the same CPU as the company's high-end iPads. Federighi then offered a metaphor, implying that Apple still views them as different products. Software engineers, for example, continue to use Macs because they can install development tools like Xcode and gain access to the computer's guts, including the ability to install unapproved software. “I imagine the Mac as a car; you can drive it off-road if you want to, and you can go wherever you want. As a driver, you must be trained, and there is a level of responsibility associated with doing so. But that's exactly what you intended to get, a car,” Federighi explained. “With iOS, you can design something that allows children, even infants, to operate an iOS device while being secure. “Really unique products.” According to a recent analysis from Nokia, iOS devices accounted for 1.72 percent of mobile malware attacks, compared to 26.64 percent for Android and 38.92 percent for Windows, according to Federighi. Federighi stated, "Android still has a significant malware problem."