Craig Federighi Responds to Google's Subtle 'Luxury Good' Dig About Apple Products and Privacy

[Macaholic868]

"Our mission compels us to take the same approach to privacy. For us, that means privacy cannot be a luxury good offered only to people who can afford to buy premium products and services. Privacy must be equally available to everyone in the world."​

The way I read the original piece is Apple's products are luxury goods (which they are), and they have their privacy. Apple doesn't sell non-luxury products and the universe they operate in does not encompass the budget users (like buyers for the Pixel 3a) and thus couldn't provide privacy for those who couldn't afford their phones.

Basically it's more of a dig at how Apple couldn't provide that lower end market segment with a product.

Agreed. Apples products are luxury items and I’m perfectly willing to spend extra to get my hardware from a company with Apple’s attitude toward privacy. It’s well worth it in my view. As for their devices being too expensive. They still sell the iPhone 7 for $18.99 a month and if that’s too expensive iOS 13 still supports the iPhone SE and the iPhone 6/6s lines that you can still buy refurbished from Apple Authorized resellers.

 

[racerhomie]

"Our mission compels us to take the same approach to privacy. For us, that means privacy cannot be a luxury good offered only to people who can afford to buy premium products and services. Privacy must be equally available to everyone in the world."​

The way I read the original piece is Apple's products are luxury goods (which they are), and they have their privacy. Apple doesn't sell non-luxury products and the universe they operate in does not encompass the budget users (like buyers for the Pixel 3a) and thus couldn't provide privacy for those who couldn't afford their phones.

Basically it's more of a dig at how Apple couldn't provide that lower end market segment with a product.

 sells products like the iPhone 7 for $450 which is a much faster & better device than the 3A.

 

[dominiongamma]

Uh, my iCloud data is stored in China?

Source?

 

[Crowbot]

I have some questions about Apple and encryption that I hope someone can answer.

iMessage conversations are protected by end to end encryption. My understanding is the only people who can see the contents of the discussions are 1) sender and 2) recipient.

I don't know what Google/Android calls their thing---Messages?

If I'm using Google's version of messaging, I can see the contents of the message and the recipient can see the contents of the message. There is no end to end encryption.

In both cases the sender and recipient are the only two parties that can see the content of the message---how does encryption protect iMessage more than Messages? Is it that the government can't somehow intercept the contents of the messages? That Apple can't read the contents of the messages? As a normal, run of the mill consumer, I like the idea of saying my messages with my mother or wife or whomever are "end to end encrypted," but I'm not really sure what that does for me, practically speaking, that Google Messages doesn't.

This is as opposed to "tracking" on the web, which is easy for me to understand and see as it's happening.

E2EE is just another layer of protection from everybody else along the line. Apple, government, the "400 pound guy sitting on his bed". I means that I can send things like financial records in a text and know it's secure. I don't use email for anything "usable" anymore, if I can avoid it.

 

[imac ios x]

Best experience? common...The ammount of money they charge for their products, it should be WAAYYY better then the google experience. But in the last 2 months I transfered from macbook pro 2014 -> asus zephyrus and iphone 6s to huawei p30 pro. The phone was 50% cheaper, maybe 10% worse experience. The laptop was 40% cheaper, and basicly offers the same experience. No no apple, start offering service worth the money, or lower the prices

 

[69Mustang]

Based on the structure of the sentence - Uh, my iCloud data is stored in China? - the poster is asking a question, not making a statement.

You're from Calgary and your icloud data is stored in China? Really?

Without further evidence, your incredulity seems a bit premature don't you think? The only answer you can give to the question being asked is "No, your data isn't stored in China."

Source?

Source for what? Asking a question?

Nothing in that sentence is making a claim. Intent can't be inferred from what you read.

 

[curtvaughan]

Btw, this picture is misleading when discussing high and low temperature testing often referred to as 8-corner or 4-corner testing. Environmental testing is usually done in chambers the size of a fridge/freezer (see images below) and not in open room for obvious reasons which looks more like regression testing.

Yeah, the photo supplied in the article looks like a large server room - the type of place cloud services would be stored. Apple is not entirely forthcoming about where or how iCloud data is distributed, though yes, historically they have piggy backed on Google and Amazon servers, which already have the scaled infrastructure needed. Cook has said they are transitioning to building large data centers in the U.S. over the next several years (article published in 2018):

https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/...re-than-10bn-on-us-data-centers-over-5-years/

 

[joeblough]

Btw, this picture is misleading when discussing high and low temperature testing often referred to as 8-corner or 4-corner testing. Environmental testing is usually done in chambers the size of a fridge/freezer (see images below) and not in open room for obvious reasons which looks more like regression testing.

came here to say this... anyone who makes chips or systems does 4/8-corner testing. maybe the reporter is just a rube and is easily impressed; hard to believe apple would be touting this stuff as somehow unique?

 

[Rogifan]

How does one define luxury? Is there a certain price point that automatically puts a product in a luxury category?

 

[Crowbot]

Best experience? common...The ammount of money they charge for their products, it should be WAAYYY better then the google experience. But in the last 2 months I transfered from macbook pro 2014 -> asus zephyrus and iphone 6s to huawei p30 pro. The phone was 50% cheaper, maybe 10% worse experience. The laptop was 40% cheaper, and basicly offers the same experience. No no apple, start offering service worth the money, or lower the prices

If price is the most important factor then you made the right choice. But there are other reasons that go into making the choice. Apple’s attention to security and the quality of construction make the difference in price worth it.

 

[Macaholic868]

Best experience? common...The ammount of money they charge for their products, it should be WAAYYY better then the google experience. But in the last 2 months I transfered from macbook pro 2014 -> asus zephyrus and iphone 6s to huawei p30 pro. The phone was 50% cheaper, maybe 10% worse experience. The laptop was 40% cheaper, and basicly offers the same experience. No no apple, start offering service worth the money, or lower the prices

Huawei, huh? You not only saved a lot, you also sold your privacy for the savings and a self reported 10% worse experience. Hope it was worth it. Tell Chi hello!!!! You don’t even need to speak with him. Just utter it and your device will self report it on your behalf.

 

[Akrapovic]

Googles point of "privacy shouldn't just be for those who can afford it" does make sense...if it wasn't be said by Google. Their stance is you can't even buy privacy - so nobody gets any.

As much as I agree that privacy shouldn't only be for those who can afford it, Googles stance seems even worse.

 

[Classie]

If Apple is bending backwards for China then it begs the question who else it's bending backwards for? Google at least has refrained to do business in China due to state controlled censorship and spying on dissidents. That's why Apple's privacy claims come across as lip service.

I’ve always wondered about this. Is it that Apple is encrypting the data so that the government can’t use it and Googles “missing” privacy can’t?

 

[nikusak]

iPhones, for example, are not cheap.

But if you buy an iPhone XR now and swap the battery after the 2-3 years, you can use it for 4-5 years.

That’s roughly ~$200 per year.

Or one latte per week.

Yes, for hundreds of millions of people, or even billions, $200 is a month’s salary. Apple products are out of reach for many, that can’t be disputed.

But buying an iPhone isn’t really comparable to buying a Porsche or a Louis Vuitton bag.

 

[Ageing geek]

We will see, Apple is being sued for selling users information, that’s not been reported on this site though,. So much for privacy Apple, sold to the highest bidder it seems... bunch of hypocritical liars.

Ah yes, already made up your mind about guilt. Judge, jury and executioner based on a lawsuit by some ambulance chasers. No evidence seen no evidence cited but hey, they’re guilty right?
Hate much?

 

[I7guy]

Based on the structure of the sentence - Uh, my iCloud data is stored in China? - the poster is asking a question, not making a statement.

Without further evidence, your incredulity seems a bit premature don't you think? The only answer you can give to the question being asked is "No, your data isn't stored in China."

Source for what? Asking a question?

Nothing in that sentence is making a claim. Intent can't be inferred from what you read.

Huh? Why would someone from Calgary think their information is stored in China? Truth be told I don’t know where it’s stored, but I can almost bet I know where it’s not stored.

So no I do t think my incredulous is out of line. And the question could be taken multiple ways.

 

[Soccertess]

Siri is by far the best example of a horrible product that Apple has created. Even the third party integration is awful. If you don't say the exact phrase word for word, the third party app won't recognize it.

So, Siri sucks and reduces the value of their "premium" product."

While some products merit the premium prices, others certainly do not. Before the mac mini was updated, their price point was ridiculous considering the hardware you were getting. 10k gold apple watch? WtF was Tim thinking. Just glad Angela got the hell out, can't wait for Tim to leave next

 

[Ageing geek]

Best experience? common...The ammount of money they charge for their products, it should be WAAYYY better then the google experience. But in the last 2 months I transfered from macbook pro 2014 -> asus zephyrus and iphone 6s to huawei p30 pro. The phone was 50% cheaper, maybe 10% worse experience. The laptop was 40% cheaper, and basicly offers the same experience. No no apple, start offering service worth the money, or lower the prices

AND lack of security and privacy....

 

[paul4339]

iPhones, for example, are not cheap.

But if you buy an iPhone XR now and swap the battery after the 2-3 years, you can use it for 4-5 years.

That’s roughly ~$200 per year.

Or one latte per week.

Yes, for hundreds of millions of people, or even billions, $200 is a month’s salary. Apple products are out of reach for many, that can’t be disputed.

But buying an iPhone isn’t really comparable to buying a Porsche or a Louis Vuitton bag.

The point is more about privacy. Pichai is clouding it (IMO) by attaching to luxury.
In otherwords, can you put similar privacy in a $500 vs a $1000 smartphone?

If you think they can, then it's really not associated with luxury, but rather a company's 'posture' on privacy.

Federighi maintains that it goes down to the core of the business and business model - not just sending out a few press releases, saying that they care about privacy.

 

[realtuner]

We will see, Apple is being sued for selling users information, that’s not been reported on this site though.

http://9to5mac.com/2019/05/25/apple-itunes-lawsuit/

So much for privacy Apple, sold to the highest bidder it seems... bunch of hypocritical liars.

Probably not being reported because Apple didn't sell any information. I don't know how you could read about this and come to the incorrect conclusion that Apple DID sell users data.

 

[jsmith189]

And if I want Google maps as my default maps app, that’s my right!

No it’s not. Lol.

 

[farewelwilliams]

> sells your data to subsidize phone cost
“PRIVACY SHOULDN’T BE ONLY FOR RICH PEOPLE”

 

[Defthand]

They [Google] monetize on gutting their customers’ personal data, not giving a crap what that ends up doing to the individual.

Just curious. What harm(s) have they inflicted?

 

[69Mustang]

Huh? Why would someone from Calgary think their information is stored in China? Truth be told I don’t know where it’s stored, but I can almost bet I know where it’s not stored.

So no I do t think my incredulous is out of line. And the question could be taken multiple ways.

I have no idea why someone from Calgary would think their data is stored in China. Why they think it could be is irrelevant. It was a question that you and dominiongamma viewed as a statement. Maybe you both overlooked the question mark. Dominion wanted a source and you were "Really". As I said, the answer to the question is no, the data isn't in China. Without any other data the question stands alone. No matter how many ways you view that question, no context renders it as a claim of data being stored in China.

 

[paul4339]

No, because that's how pretty much everyone does it (inc Google). Otherwise if you ever lost your key (password) your data is gone forever.

If Apple adds this ability I can't wait to see the class action lawsuits from people who claim Apple didn't properly warn them that they "could" lose their data.
[doublepost=1558979042][/doublepost]

Probably not being reported because Apple didn't sell any information. I don't know how you could read about this and come to the incorrect conclusion that Apple DID sell users data.

If you read the filing, Apple didn't sell data. Data was being sold by two data brokers and claimed it was from Apple and Pandora. They accuse that it could be because of a bug in an API that Apple refused fix in a timely fashion.