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Apple surpassed $3.5B in annual revenue from its ad network

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Re: Apple surpassed $3.5B in annual revenue from its ad network

#141

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem with that narrative is that apple does not apply the same rules to themselves. I actually agree with apple tracking should be optional, however why should apple get a free pass?

they do apply the same rules to themselves; that's why they've been successful

Which rules? Because they very famously do not treat themselves the same way.

Between built in apps, changing defaults, different tracking rules, payment processing, access of hardware features, UI/UX guidelines, there’s a long list of ways apple priorities themselves.

Re: Apple surpassed $3.5B in annual revenue from its ad network

#142
post #48

> But it crushed FB, Snap, and 1000s of small businesses in the process. Ironically, this is far more of a narrative than this guy’s idea of Apple’s “narrative.” The idea that banning user tracking hurts small businesses was FB’s narrative to try and get backlash against Apple for its tracking crackdown. That genuinely is a narrative because from Apple’s decision we have seen that consumers (1) prefer not to be track…

I’m surprised that people still call Apples stance a “story” All they are saying is that tracking is ok as long as you just ask the end user first. Here’s Steve Jobs in 2010 https://youtube.com/watch?v=Ij-jlF98SzA Are they perfect? No. But at least they haven’t changed their stance in 12 years unlike Google et al.

> All they are saying is that tracking is ok as long as you just ask the end user first.

And yet, Apple only started informing users of Apple "personalised ads" only after a French regulator started investigating Apple. More info here - French antitrust complaint alleges Apple allows itself to run personalized ads on iOS without getting user consent - https://9to5mac.com/2021/03/09/french-antitrust-complaint-al... and iOS 15 now prompts users if they want to enable Apple personalized ads, after it was previously on by default - https://9to5mac.com/2021/09/02/apple-personalized-ads-target... ). Yet again proving how we need governments to step up and be more proactive to protect us from corporate abuse and create a fair market.

Re: Apple surpassed $3.5B in annual revenue from its ad network

#143
post #92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

First of all, your definition of tracking is different from the one used by Apple. Apple’s definition of tracking is sharing information about an identifiable person between unrelated parties. Think Facebook buying all your purchases from Mastercard. Apple simply does not do that. Next, Apple’s cohorts and interest information about audiences is not nearly as detailed as Facebook or Google. And even at a far less det…

Yes, of course Apple would try to define tracking in a way that doesn't apply to their data collection. But the fact is that they are taking my activity across apps, my PII entered for non-ads purposes, and allowing ad targeting using that. What is the word you'd use for that instead of "tracking"? Why is that OK, but the advertising profiles built by other companies aren't? I don't have a problem with how Apple trac…

You linked to the privacy policy, so did you miss this part?

> Apple’s advertising platforms receive information about the ads you tap and view against a random identifier not tied to your Apple ID.

In other words it isn’t tied to your Apple ID, or the information linked to it, or the PII you enter for non-Advertising purposes. If you go into the News or Stocks settings, you can also reset that identifier at-will, and as you pointed out, you can also just turn it off. Completely opt-out. Facebook’s entire business model is predicated on not letting you opt-out of tracking and being able to link it to a social profile they host, whereas Apple can take it or leave it.

Re: Apple surpassed $3.5B in annual revenue from its ad network

#144

As an Apple investor, I am happy to seem them grow an advertising business. Human attention is the ultimate analog resource. Throughout our lifetime, it will stay in high demand. It cannot be inflated away or commoditized. What I don't get is: How can Apple prevent or even detect that other apps or websites tell Facebook about what you do? If I go to example.com and example.com sends fingerprinting and useage informa…

> As an Apple investor, I am happy to seem them grow an advertising business.

An an Apple user, I am not. And I'm getting closer and closer to jumping ship on the whole Apple ecosystem. I wonder if this is a wise long-term strategy for their brand.

Re: Apple surpassed $3.5B in annual revenue from its ad network

#145

> But it crushed FB, Snap, and 1000s of small businesses in the process. Ironically, this is far more of a narrative than this guy’s idea of Apple’s “narrative.” The idea that banning user tracking hurts small businesses was FB’s narrative to try and get backlash against Apple for its tracking crackdown. That genuinely is a narrative because from Apple’s decision we have seen that consumers (1) prefer not to be track…

tl;dr; Apple stopped Facebook from tracking (for privacy lol), now Apple gets more cash in the ad game because they are the only ones that can track. Well played Apple.

I actually would have no problem with that. The move on itself, clearly spoken out, ( or not ) would have been a great victory against Facebook.

I have a problem with Apple's hypocrisy of doing that but labelling it as a move of privacy. And this hypocrisy is only the tip of the Iceberg.

But the saddest thing is that most people dont see it. iPhone 14 will likely continues to sell like hotcakes.

Re: Apple surpassed $3.5B in annual revenue from its ad network

#146

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The difference between Apple News and Facebook or other third-party tracking is that Apple News only tracks what you do within their app while FB/etc track what you do everywhere on the internet. I wouldn't actually have any problems with Facebook tracking what you do on the Facebook app (or Google doing so in their own apps), the problem is when they litter the rest of the internet with spyware (Facebook "pixel", Go…

Apple will only let you install apps through their App Store, and they correlate your actions in the App Store with the ads you click in the News app. How is that any different?

If you don't use the App Store or an iPhone they don't track you, do you think I have a Facebook account? Well, I'm still getting tracked by them

Re: Apple surpassed $3.5B in annual revenue from its ad network

#147

> But it crushed FB, Snap, and 1000s of small businesses in the process. Ironically, this is far more of a narrative than this guy’s idea of Apple’s “narrative.” The idea that banning user tracking hurts small businesses was FB’s narrative to try and get backlash against Apple for its tracking crackdown. That genuinely is a narrative because from Apple’s decision we have seen that consumers (1) prefer not to be track…

tl;dr; Apple stopped Facebook from tracking (for privacy lol), now Apple gets more cash in the ad game because they are the only ones that can track. Well played Apple.

If that's the story it sounds like an antitrust investigation might be in order. Which to me is ridiculous and makes sense at the same time...strange.

Re: Apple surpassed $3.5B in annual revenue from its ad network

#148
post #90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Facebook likes to demonstrate how useful they are by showing traffic/revenue of people who advertise through them vs people who don't, and then say "look! The people who do it are making way more money!" Ignoring the fact that they intentionally suppress businesses who don't pay them. It's like if the mafia came by your business every week to collect their $1000 to not break your kneecaps and say "look at all the hap…

Except now you have to pay Apple for the privilege of protecting your app store rankings. If someone decides to purchase ads for "HBN App" searches, you're out of luck on your own trademark. You have to pay for ads too. Let me count the ways that we're now beholden to app store mafias: - Downloads are no longer free to distribute - You have to obey draconian and arbitrary rules, and your engineering team has to jump…

[deleted]

Re: Apple surpassed $3.5B in annual revenue from its ad network

#149

> But it crushed [snip] 1000s of small businesses in the process. There's a lot of comments here suggesting this is a narrative from FB/Snap, but it really isn't. I was previously able to target adverts directly to the tiny audience of potential users of my product, and the return on those adverts was nearly 10x. Overnight it entirely evaporated as a source of new customers and I don't know how I'd build a niche busi…

For the past 5-6 years, 95%+ of HN comments believe Ads are completely useless. And small business making money with ads, ( Facebook or not ) are Facebook or Social Media's narratives. Had your account not been one from 2011, you would have been labeled as shill for Social Media.

Re: Apple surpassed $3.5B in annual revenue from its ad network

#150

Earlier quoted context omitted.

First of all, your definition of tracking is different from the one used by Apple. Apple’s definition of tracking is sharing information about an identifiable person between unrelated parties. Think Facebook buying all your purchases from Mastercard. Apple simply does not do that. Next, Apple’s cohorts and interest information about audiences is not nearly as detailed as Facebook or Google. And even at a far less det…

Does Facebook buy purchases data from Mastercard? Genuine question. But meanwhile Apple doesn’t have to buy it. Apple Card and their wallet gives them access to it directly, without having to involve third party.

Yes banks and large advertising networks have data sharing agreements, the details of which I’m not privy to: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2018/08/07/your-ba...
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