Except Apple doesn't do cross-app tracking for advertising purposes. The reason they don't have to follow the same standards is Apple Apps don't do what ATT prohibits - track activity across multiple apps for the purposes of selling advertisements. Adding them to the list would imply that they do, which in addition to being untrue, would counter Apple's value proposition and marketing that they don't track users the same way others do.
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Apple Loses Appeal Against German Regulatory Controls
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If they could they would....but they cannot. So the hot tech companies and ideas go to Asia and America. Most European companies that get a little success relocate. Europe has entered the long bloated decline a few years ahead of the US so for the time being innovation will flow away from Europe to US until US gets there as well then innovation will just flow to Asia.
That’s up to the regulators to find out. What Apple advertises and what Apple actually do can be very different.
If it came out that Apple was secretly selling advertisements against data they were tracking in violation of all of their marketing and privacy policies, that would be a company-ending mistake. I also suspect the idea of even investigating doing so, let alone actually doing it, would get leaked by Apple employees aghast at that thought. So no, I don't think it's up to the regulators to find out. The people running Apple aren't stupid or reckless.
Nobody remembers Ericsson?
Loved their flip style phones with the little antennas, that worked flawless even in an underground car park! 👍
[edit] ...and their batteries lasted dayS!
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Ahh. I see. Good for thee, not for me. Thanks.
Nope - the poster you are quoting is spreading misinformation. Apple Apps don't do what ATT prohibits. If Apple Apps did track across apps from advertising purposes, then those rules would apply, but Apple doesn't do that.
So it has nothing to with regulation, but it has everything to do with regulation? Yes. Reducing 'plastic waste' is regulation.
True, but it still fits.
Also, called the reason I buy Apple products ...
Won't someone think of the poor data brokers?!?
The question is this. Which is worse, an unrestricted technocracy with concern for only profit and power? Or a regulated technocracy that can mitigate the worst impulses of tech bros in the public- and national interest?
You only have to look at the USA right now to confirm that an unfettered "broligarchy" is detestably corrupt and politically naïve.
You only have to look at the USA right now to confirm that an unfettered "broligarchy" is detestably corrupt and politically naïve.
Well, three outcomes can come out of this investigation, and two are good for the consumers.
Worst case: Apple is forced to revert to the previous default for the tracking string.
Other two:
- They find Apple is secretly selling advertisements based on tracking data and they're forced to stop that. (Good for consumers)
- They find Apple's actions matches their marketing materials. That gives them another party to verify their claims, and Apple can use it to shut all the other advertising companies up. Apple gets a new marketing bullet point. (Good for Apple, status quo for the consumers)
It all boils down to one thing. Europe hates the United States and always has. This contempt goes back to the 19th Century. Until recently, the UK looked upon the United States as a prodigal son. The State's closest allies are now in Eastern Europe, a region Western Europe also despises. What a great time to be a high level corporate lawyer.
I don't trust EU regulators to understand the difference; we have multiple enthusiasts on MacRumors misunderstanding the rules and think Apple is exempting themselves from what it applies to others - regulators who have already shown an inability to understand basic things about technology and shown a biased mistrust of Apple are likely to make fundamental mistakes that lead to negative security and privacy implications for Apple's users.
Also the idea that Apple is secretly selling advertisements is laughable. It betrays a complete lack of understanding of how ad tracking technology works, how Apple operates, and how corporations operate. If Apple wanted to sell ads on tracked data, they would just do that, not lie about it. Again - Apple lying about this would likely be company-ending, and would likely lead to Apple executives going to jail. They're absolutely not going to risk it.
Another day, another government in Europe trying to neuter Apple because their own tech sucks and no one wants it.
This a mildly insulting to our collective intelligence. I'm guessing you have an ax to grind.
Oh that one again... sure, 20, or even 10 years ago you would have been correct. These days are radically different.
Oh-Kaaay... since you're clearly an expert on the subject, why don't you enlighten us on how you can justify those wild assertions?
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Apple is selling advertisements based on the report linked in https://www.macrumors.com/2024/11/19/apple-now-directly-selling-ads-in-news-app/, and a more recent article claims they're planning to add ads in the Maps app.
The regulators have to investigate the claims brought up by a third party; they can't go "because Apple said they're not doing it so we're not investigating"
I see this dumb comment a lot. The EU is not a single person micromanaging bottle caps while ignoring bigger issues. It’s a legislative body working on multiple policies at the same time: climate, trade, digital regulation, human rights, etc. The fact that you’re fixated on a minor environmental regulation about plastic waste while ignoring everything else just shows how deep you are in your right-wing anti-eco propaganda echo chamber.
No it's not, and no I don't. I've seen at least three people saying Apple in this thread say Apple is exempting itself from rules that apply to others when Apple is doing no such thing. Clearly there is a broad misunderstanding of the rules and how they operate.
How so? We've seen crazy regulations coming out of the EU for years now that betray a complete lack of understanding of good user experience and the value of integrated business models.
At a very high level, here are just a few of the things Apple would have to overcome to be doing this
- Need to collect user data beyond what it publicly acknowledges
- Obscure that collection in a way that isn't visible to users or researchers - which would be a huge lift given how closely Apple's software is analyzed.
- Also hide it from the cybersecurity experts, privacy advocates, regulatory agencies and rival companies who are always looking into Apple's software and privacy practices including full audits.
- Bypass their internal compliance and security teams who are supposed to catch this sort of stuff.
- Convince everyone at legal who found out about this to not resign on the spot.
- Avoid anyone at Apple finding out about it who would whistleblow on Apple lying to its users on one of its biggest principles that many of its employees feel is a fundamental human right
- Sign contracts with advertising brokers / companies, in secret, to serve the ads informed by the data they are secretly collecting to Apple's users. None of those contracts could leak, and Apple would have to trust that no one at those companies would whistleblow on Apple lying to its users
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100% NOT true. Who told you this lie? How many Europeans have you spoken to? What are your sources?
By far most Europeans always respected and liked the USA. Also considered US as a close friend. Many are still grateful for the US role in WW2.
Now, with the new US government..I see opinions change. Less and less democracy and on a sure way to dictatorship. For many European this is sad , confusing and incomprehensible.
Yes, I now see more and more anger and bitterness towards the attitude, lies and abusive actions of the Trump administration. Where’s the number one democracy? Where’s the land of the free? So many rightful questions in Europe.
US and Russia in the same bed….
If European tech is so bad, why is Apple terrified of fair competition? Meanwhile, the U.S. ditches antitrust laws, lets billionaires buy politicians, guts voting rights, and is sleepwalking into autocracy while you cheer for corporate overlords. Enjoy your ‘freedom’.
They're not. Apple doesn't have a monopoly on anything.
They believe (rightly so, in my opinion), that an integrated model results in better products and experiences for their users, that a large and profitable subset of users are willing to pay a premium for those better products and experiences, and since they don't have a monopoly, developers and others who want to profit off that profitable subset of users should have to follow the rules Apple makes for the platform it developed and maintains because (Apple believes) the rules result in better products and experiences for its users.
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My 1st phone was an Ericsson - my brother worked there, so I got it for free.
Not that bad, with antenna and all. Then I had a Samsung before I got into Apple 3G...or if it was 4 that was my 1st Apple phone, not sure.
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I liked the one in the Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies. It’s a shame they never released it for sale.