If you sign up to this program and use one of their devices for 'research', then you are bound by contract to report any security bugs to them and only them (unless the bug is in a 3rd party app). I see this as a pretty sneaky way of avoiding your security vulnerabilities going public and all the bad media exposure that goes along with it.

It is giving security researchers something they have always wanted in return for their silence. Another way to put it is bribery.

Create a problem, and then heroically fight to make a solution.

This shouldn't exist in the first place. There would be no need for it if Apple didn't insist on "we own all the iPhones, our users just get to tap at them".

If you could just unlock the bootloader, re-enable SWD and do what you want with an iPhone that you actually own, there would be no need for this restrictive program at all.

Surely everyone sees this as an obvious trap to get researchers to sign NDAs for all research in advance, right?

Do not fall for it. Publish everything publicly after appropriate embargo periods.

The title should be "Apple bribes security researchers with free devices"

"Help us make the nooses we put around your necks tighter."

Does this include... Israel being able to pwn any Apple device ?

Cool. Where can I buy one.