When it comes do building apps, developers need extensive training in order to build even the simplest applications.
A developer named Kevin Burke submitted a request for the information regarding the iPad deployment and the app that randomizes an arrow to point either left or right for passengers to go through regular security or a faster TSA Pre-check
The information was available thanks to the Freedom of Information Act which allows anyone the right to certain aspects of Government information when requested. In any case, it took a while for anyone to reply, and finally, the TSA’s contract with IBM for the iPads and the development of the randomizer app was released to the public upon Kevin Burke’s request.
Upon further inspection, IBM's contract with the TSA totaled around $1.4 million dollars. The contract does not show us a breakdown of how much money was allocated to what. After some calculation, analysts estimate that the amount of money allocated to only the development of such an app roughly comes to about $336,413.59.
Of course, the TSA needs the most secure system it can get, and surely the organization needs an app that clocked many hours of rigorous testing in order to make the cut, but the TSA can probably yield the same result by flipping a coin.
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