In an interview with Vanity Fair, director Rian Johnson has said, "I don't know if I should say this or not, Apple... they let you use iPhones in movies but — and this is very pivotal if you're ever watching a mystery movie — bad guys cannot have iPhones on camera."

The director disclosed Apple's industry secret while talking about a scene from his Oscar-nominated release, "Knives Out".

He joked that anyone paying attention can predict who the protagonist or the antagonists of the film are based on their cellphone.

"Oh no, every single filmmaker that has a bad guy in their movie that's supposed to be a secret wants to murder me right now," he said.

One of the most valuable brands in the world, Apple relies on a "product as hero" philosophy in their marketing, according to a statement by the company's Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing, Phil Schiller in 2012.