Video: Apple Shares Unique New iPhone Privacy Ad

BY Chandraveer Mathur

Published 18 May 2022

iPhone Hello screen Unsplash

Apple spares no opportunity to reiterate that the iPhone is a privacy-focused product. The company’s latest advertisement uploaded to YouTube revisits the subject, spotlighting App Tracking Transparency and Mail Privacy Protection features.

The scene depicted in the ad shows how Apple’s iPhone features are designed to ensure users can control how and when their personal data is collected. The video shows a young woman called Ellie whose personal data is being auctioned off to the highest bidder. Items going under the hammer include her iPhone emails, location data, contacts, browsing history, and purchase history, among other things. The ad then shows Ellie using App Tracking Transparency (ATT) and Mail Privacy Protection. The bidders and auctioneer then disappear as the ad comes to a close.

If you aren’t aware, Apple’s ATT framework allows users to opt out of targeted advertising in apps. It debuted in iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5, wreaking havoc with the advertisement-centric monetization models of social media platforms such as Facebook. ATT works by limiting how trackers can log your activity across apps and websites. This activity is usually shared with data brokers and advertisers who use it to target advertisements to the right audiences.

Meanwhile, the Mail Privacy Protection feature on iPhone helps keep your activity on the Mail app confidential. When enabled, it hides your IP address and prevents senders from tracking whether or not you opened the mails. The feature was introduced with iOS 15, iPadOS 15, and macOS Monterey.

The latest privacy-centric ad can be seen as Apple’s attempt to stand up against regulatory action looming over the company. You can view Apple’s ad below, but if you are in the US, you could also see billboard campaigns the company says it will run with the catchphrase “Privacy. That’s iPhone.”