Apple released iOS 14.5 to the general public earlier today. The iOS 14.5 update ships with much-awaited app tracking transparency, over 200 emojis, the ability to unlock iPhone with Apple Watch, and a lot more. Soon after the launch, Apple published a new video on its YouTube channel explaining the App Tracking Transparency.
App Tracking Transparency is a new feature available with iOS 14.5 update. What it basically does is that it forces iOS app developers to ask users if the app can track their usage. Up until now, app developers and advertisers were able to target specific ads to users based on the data collected from them. iOS 14.5 hides this data from the app developer.
If that sounds a bit confusing, Apple published a two-minute video explaining what app developers have been doing till now. And how it will change moving forward — with the iOS 14.5 update. “It’s a feature that gives you a choice,” says the voiceover in the video. “A choice on how apps use and share your data.”
The video goes onto explain how advertisers use user data like location history, browsing history, and other data to track him/her. It even says that many advertising agencies have a ‘profile’ made based on the usage. Adding to this, Apple says that this digital profile is then sold to others for ad targeting purposes and to “predict and influence behaviors and decisions.”
Along with highlighting what advertisers do, Apple also mentioned how this data collection could benefit you and your local sellers. It says that a local shop might be able to offer discounts and coupons on the data they’ve collected. But, in the end, Apple again states, “Your information is for sale. You have become the product.”
Apple’s senior vice president of software engineering, Craig Federighi, in a new interview, said that all Apple is doing is giving a ‘choice’ to the users. He says that Apple did the right thing with iOS 14.5 and app tracking transparency for the benefit of the user.
Have you updated to iOS 14.5 yet? What features do you like? Let us know in the comments section below!
