XPost: misc.phone.mobile.iphone   
   From: mariasophia@comprehension.com   
      
   Hi Chris,   
      
   If you think iOS works differently than it does, just tell us how you   
   'think' it works, Chris, because the question was never how it works (which   
   is different from all other common consumer operating systems), but WHY.   
      
   iOS uses multiple independent authentication tokens   
   a. iCloud uses its own token set.   
   b. iMessage and FaceTime use their own tokens.   
   c. App Store and Apple Media Services use their own tokens.   
   d. Device activation and device unlock services use their own tokens.   
   e. Sign in with Apple uses OAuth 2.0 style tokens.   
   etc.   
      
   Apparently iOS treats each service as needing its own cryptographic proof.   
      
   Each token has its own expiration rules, revocation rules and refresh   
   rules. When any token becomes invalid, and if it can't update itself   
   silently, then iOS triggers a password prompt such as that below.   
   Jan 10, 2026    
      
   For those who nitpick on exact words in order for them to attempt to defend   
   Apple to the death no matter what, the word "token" isn't often used in   
   user-facing documentation but it's used in developer docs, such as in   
      
   Apple: Verifying a User   
      
   "After your app receives a user's information, you can verify their   
   associated identity token with the server to confirm that the token isn't   
   expired and ensure it hasn't been tampered with or replayed to your app."   
      
   If any one of these tokens expires or fails validation, iOS silently   
   refreshes some without your password, but others require the password.   
       
      
   If anyone thinks the system works differently, then they should tell us how   
   they think the system works because we're not asking how it works but why.   
   --   
   If people can't even understand how it works, they'll never understand why.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)