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iOS 13 app tracking alert has dramatically cut location data flow to ad industry

appleinsider.com

131–140 of 461 posts

Re: iOS 13 app tracking alert has dramatically cut location data flow to ad industry

#131

I'm probably saying the complete obvious, but Apple can completely crush Google if they execute this angle properly. Google has no choice but to support ads. They're an ad company. Apple has to keep hammering how bad the ad and privacy experiences are with Android. Make iOS an absolute delight to use in contrast. I'd pay a premium for that. Android has done a great job making me want an iOS device again, these last t…

There’s two things about iOS that bothers me, privacy wise: - Apple still makes money off of ads, creating a conflict of interest. By default, users have a unique tracking/advertising ID attached to their phone. - iOS is extremely restrictive, making certain privacy adjustments impossible.

> By default, users have a unique tracking/advertising ID attached to their phone.

My understanding is that this tracking ID was a replacement for apps being able to obtain the devices serial number. The tracking ID is unique per developer (edit: not true, it is unique per device, so multiple devs can build a profile on you) and can be reset by the user at any time.

Re: iOS 13 app tracking alert has dramatically cut location data flow to ad industry

#132

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have never owned an ios device in my life and strongly avoid them but this makes drift slightly over considering one. If apple allowed easily sideloading apps I would consider moving over.

for most people the last thing they want is to add another app on their phone. but somehow the need for more apps is what keeps you away?

I probably use less apps than the average person. I refuse to use almost all corporations apps and sideload on a selection of trusted open source apps from f-droid. Some of which are not allowed on the play store because they limit googles ability to track and profit.

Re: iOS 13 app tracking alert has dramatically cut location data flow to ad industry

#133

Earlier quoted context omitted.

“ If apple allowed easily sideloading apps I would consider moving over.” This was the reason I was an android guy until my wife told me to just get a phone that works. And you know what? Not letting you side load is a feature. When you see it like that, you care a lot less about your phone, and just appreciate that it works and that you can trust it as your more intimate possessions .

Without sideloading I can't use a 3rd party youtube app that has no ads, no tracking and allows downloads. I also can't use my pebble watch because the official app is unsupported and only community supported software exists. I also am restricted from some content that android users of the same app can view because apple prohibits adult content inside of apps. I see a phone as a tool to do what the user needs. Not th…

I know this is a privileged position, but I just solved that by paying your YouTube premium which gets rid of ads and allows me to download.

Re: iOS 13 app tracking alert has dramatically cut location data flow to ad industry

#134

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Of course they have a choice: charge money for the services they provide. Revolutionary concept, I know.

Charge for search? For maps? Gmail? How's that going to work when you get it for free from everyone else? The entire reason Google's products are as big/ successful as they are is because they are free. If they started charging for Gmail, the rush to the exits would be instant. If Google started charging for Android OEMs would switch to AOSP, China, Amazon, and Microsoft would ensure a supply of free Android versions…

This is a false dichotomy. It's not free-for-all vs paid-for-all. Google charges for their services as well. Gsuite is "paid Gmail" among other things. GCP gives you access to extra APIs which are "paid google maps". They can move that balance where needed without causing a mass exodus.

Re: iOS 13 app tracking alert has dramatically cut location data flow to ad industry

#135
post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have never owned an ios device in my life and strongly avoid them but this makes drift slightly over considering one. If apple allowed easily sideloading apps I would consider moving over.

> If apple allowed easily sideloading apps I would consider moving over. This is definitely the major pain point. For device owner controlled root software cert (and independently device owner controlled hardware cert too) I'd certainly like it to be an option of some kind, because there are real tradeoffs between security and configurability here. It could for example be restricted to an order-time config, or maybe…

You can install root certs by deploying a device profile:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204477

Re: iOS 13 app tracking alert has dramatically cut location data flow to ad industry

#136

I'm probably saying the complete obvious, but Apple can completely crush Google if they execute this angle properly. Google has no choice but to support ads. They're an ad company. Apple has to keep hammering how bad the ad and privacy experiences are with Android. Make iOS an absolute delight to use in contrast. I'd pay a premium for that. Android has done a great job making me want an iOS device again, these last t…

There’s two things about iOS that bothers me, privacy wise: - Apple still makes money off of ads, creating a conflict of interest. By default, users have a unique tracking/advertising ID attached to their phone. - iOS is extremely restrictive, making certain privacy adjustments impossible.

AFAIK they make money off of non-tracked ads, eg. app store contextualized ads. The advertising ID only makes them money in the sense that more people might buy due to being able to reset this ID, Apple doesn't directly make money off of this (the ID is a string adtech can use to generate a profile instead of via fingerprinting, there isn't some API adtech has to use to use this unique ID).

Re: iOS 13 app tracking alert has dramatically cut location data flow to ad industry

#137

I'm probably saying the complete obvious, but Apple can completely crush Google if they execute this angle properly. Google has no choice but to support ads. They're an ad company. Apple has to keep hammering how bad the ad and privacy experiences are with Android. Make iOS an absolute delight to use in contrast. I'd pay a premium for that. Android has done a great job making me want an iOS device again, these last t…

Sure, but Google/Android has added fine grain GPS permissions in Android 10+ so we have the option to say "just track when using app" instead of "no" or "all the time".

The problem, now, is rolling it out due to fragmentation.

Re: iOS 13 app tracking alert has dramatically cut location data flow to ad industry

#138
post #125

As someone who works in this space I see this from an alternative angle. Yes we use data like this in order to advertise to you, No Apple is no better than Google at how they approach this - they are just walling you further into their walled garden. Google uses your location information to track your locations in order to provide better (more relevant) advertisements through their own ad platform. Apple does exactly…

Why do I "have" to see ads? When I watch live theater, do the performers segue into a paid endorsement? The online ad industry as it currently exists, is too intrusive and the data it collects about us, are too much and permanent. It is past time for a change.

Re: iOS 13 app tracking alert has dramatically cut location data flow to ad industry

#139

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have never owned an ios device in my life and strongly avoid them but this makes drift slightly over considering one. If apple allowed easily sideloading apps I would consider moving over.

“ If apple allowed easily sideloading apps I would consider moving over.” This was the reason I was an android guy until my wife told me to just get a phone that works. And you know what? Not letting you side load is a feature. When you see it like that, you care a lot less about your phone, and just appreciate that it works and that you can trust it as your more intimate possessions .

The "phone that works" really needs more context. Android phones work. People are also happy to move from iPhone to Android. If you want to do crazy things that make them not work, you can, but nobody forces you to.

Re: iOS 13 app tracking alert has dramatically cut location data flow to ad industry

#140

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have never owned an ios device in my life and strongly avoid them but this makes drift slightly over considering one. If apple allowed easily sideloading apps I would consider moving over.

“ If apple allowed easily sideloading apps I would consider moving over.” This was the reason I was an android guy until my wife told me to just get a phone that works. And you know what? Not letting you side load is a feature. When you see it like that, you care a lot less about your phone, and just appreciate that it works and that you can trust it as your more intimate possessions .

> Not letting you side load is a feature.

Err, what? That some serious peasant mind set on display.

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