Apple Brings Privacy to the Forefront with iOS 13

A major change in iOS 13, which relates to location settings, could affect apps developed by companies such as Google and Facebook.

More Privacy with iOS 13

In Apple’s latest iteration of iOS, the user is periodically reminded about apps that are tracking their location in the background. Further, it will show how many times an app has tracked the user’s location in a recent period of time, along with a small map of the location points. The user now also has the choice to “always allow” the app to track location or have the option to limit the tracking. Previously, many apps were able to track the user in the background without their knowledge and collect data on their users without many limitations. This changes with iOS 13 as messaging and calling apps won’t be allowed to run in the background when the programs are not actively in use. After the update, users will also have more fine-grained control. iOS 13 allows users to give apps access to their location just once, an additional option to the previous “always,” “never” or “while using”. Users can grant an app access on a per-use basis — particularly helpful for the privacy-minded. Another vital change is that apps wanting to access Bluetooth will also ask for the user’s consent. Although apps can use Bluetooth to connect to gadgets, like fitness bands and watches, Bluetooth-enabled tracking devices known as beacons can be used to monitor a user’s whereabouts.

iOS 13 will also prompt you if an app you’ve already set to always allow location… uses your location regularly in the background pic.twitter.com/H0diIR3upt

— Tom Warren (@tomwarren) August 16, 2019

These beacons are found everywhere, like stores, shopping malls and other points of interest. They can grab your device’s unique Bluetooth identifier and track your physical location between places. Blocking Bluetooth connections from apps that clearly don’t need it will help protect privacy.

Will Privacy Become a Competitive Advantage?

User privacy concerns have been at an all-time high over the last 18 months. With that in mind, Apple now pushes an update that should be well-received among its users. In this context, many of the changes could be seen as a direct blow to Apple’s tech rivals Google and Facebook. Considering the impact data collection has on Google’s and Facebook’s business models, it could be viewed as an indirect stab from Apple at their rivals. In anticipation of the iOS 13 software update, Facebook has also published a blog post about how the Facebook app uses location data. The blog post appears to be a way to get out in front of software changes made by Apple and Google that could unsettle Facebook users given the company’s poor reputation for privacy. While Facebook assures users they are in control of their data, the company clearly states that they will still be able to track location through alternative methods. Privacy solutions are only slowly being implemented right now, but as the debate heats up more platforms will be forced to change their approach on data and user privacy. What do you make of the latest changes to iOS? Will this usher a wave of privacy-centered changes across other platforms as well? Let us know in the comments below.

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