Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Companies who ignore user privacy are in for a hit I think, in the wake of equifax. Are they? Do people care that much? I think, except for those who actually have their credit stolen, the average person just sees it as another headline of the world today, and will move on, the way people still fly United.
> the average person just sees it as another headline of the world today, and will move on, the way people still fly United. Until people's lives are actually impacted by the lack of privacy, they'll continue doing what they always do. Once something requires action on the person's part, (either credit being stolen from them, or something along those lines) most people won't take preemptive actions. And this would ne…
Other than financial data I don't particularly value my privacy. I post on many online forums under my own name and even my alias here is a composition of elements of my name. I use Google services quite happily and have no material gripes with the company. But still as an iPhone user it's good to know that Apple has my back on this and I'd really hate to lose that feeling.
Also I don't think this is entirely a commercial decision on Apple's part. They must know very well that taking an absolute stance on customer privacy puts them diametrically at odds with the interests of the Chinese government. China hasn't taken many overt steps against them (though they shut down iTunes movies and iBooks and chipping away at Apple Pay and other services with onerous regulations), but does anyone really doubt that they're working away in the background to try to help Apple's competitors and slow down Apple sales and service expansion in China? There's no way the Chinese government can be happy with Apple's privacy stance and nunlike int he West Apple doesn't have the shield of the law to protect them in China. They stand naked against the Chinese government, but they're still doing it. That takes some real conviction. I really don't think I'm exaggerating in saying that this stance on privacy may very well cost them any chance of a dominant position in the Chinese market. It's certainly running a real material risk of that anyway.