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So now we know a major reason iAds are going away. It's too bad, because the ad designs were rather elegant and usually fit the overall look of the apps from which they were served. Google's AdMob ad designs, on the other hand, are mostly tacky.

A bit of a spin or reach there. There are several reasons iAds were not successful. The biggest reasons aren't because of privacy security. iAds started at way too high a premium for buy in and it was riddled (at least at first) by such a production/approval process through Apple that no campaign could have been launched in a timely manner. Apple's control/tight reigned approach soured agencies who found it simply not worth it. That's why Apple started lowering the cost of entry and easing up on restrictions/creation process. But by then, it was too late.
 
Which is just another fine reason for me to continue to purchase Apple products and services. They haven't lost sight of who their customer is. Together with great design, products which (mostly) just work and valuing me and my privacy, I'm fully on board.
 
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You gotta admit though, **** Google Now know is actually pretty damn cool and nice.

Its the definition of "it just works".

Sorta scary, but that's technology.
I'm quite happy with the limited level of information that apple's version provides us. It gives me the right balance of convenience and security that I like. Sure it may be nice to have a bit more AI, however I personally like a little more security over easy access.
 
And no matter what Google does, these "personalised" ads are usually ********.

I once went on a business trip to Australia, and for a whole year Google told me about restaurants in Sydney, 12 hours flight away, whenever I looked for a restaurant. Another time, I bought some Christmas presents from Amazon, and it took about 3 years until Amazon forgot about that. Note: Just because I buy something as a Christmas present, doesn't mean I want another one myself. Another note: After I bought something, I'm most definitely _not_ buying another one!

Only that's not "just" google. That's the advertiser not drilling down with better criteria. They might just be running a campaign based on keywords, etc. But they aren't saying "within the last 3 months." So you're getting targeted for well beyond your trip. One reason is because they don't know WHEN your trip is - just that you were searching, or whatnot.
 
All I'm asking for is when I am in Berlin and search for "BSR" in Apple Maps, I want to find my local cleansing department not the airport of Basra in Iraq. For my part Google might disappear from the face of the earth except for their search algorithm. Apple you need to use anonymized user informations to improve your search, everything else can stay private.
 
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I don't like this, tbh. I prefer personalized ads and people tend to not know how data is served to advertisers. Google doesn't say "Joe Smith watched this and that, so serve them this1 and that2." They make a unique ID for the person and tell advertisers, "whoever ID# 1234 is, did this and that, so they most likely want this1 and that2." That is, your private info is never actually directly revealed to advertisers. Sure your actions are recorded, but personally, if I'm going to be served ads regardless (and I am), then I'd much rather personalized ones than bogus ones.

Sounds nice on paper, but it doesn't work. I don't want my wife to see ads for something I was researching for her birthday. I don't want to see ads for the same product I am looking for a review of. I don't want to see ads for items I recently purchased.
 
I realize Apple is very conscious of protecting customer data. But couldn't they give us the ability to choose if we do want our personal info to be used so Siri would perform better?

A lot of people already give away tons of personal info via social media anyway. So for those, an option could be better.... No?
 
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I do enjoy the privacy, but have any of you used Google Now? it's pretty amazing, like a mind reader even. I know it mines your data so it lacks privacy, but it makes the phone so much more useful.
 
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A good, rigid standard.

My friend's S7 made a photo/video montage from pics and videos he took through the course of a day, while in a specific location. Soundtrack and all. I'm sure it can be enabled/disabled, but there was no button popping up saying 'yes do this', wasn't a share option.. It just did it.

No thanks. I don't even want to think about the amount of personal data l that was being tossed around without him even realizing it at the time.
 
If true, it is interesting that the 'policy czars' were at odds with the developers who were trying to increase targeting by identifying ad viewers...I hope they fired their sorry asses like my ad blocker fires so much ad garbage.

Disclaimer: I don't like ads. (can you tell?)
 
I don't like this, tbh. I prefer personalized ads and people tend to not know how data is served to advertisers. Google doesn't say "Joe Smith watched this and that, so serve them this1 and that2." They make a unique ID for the person and tell advertisers, "whoever ID# 1234 is, did this and that, so they most likely want this1 and that2." That is, your private info is never actually directly revealed to advertisers. Sure your actions are recorded, but personally, if I'm going to be served ads regardless (and I am), then I'd much rather personalized ones than bogus ones.

I'm physically very active and take yoga and Pilates classes. One day I though for a brief second about getting a pair of compression shorts and looked on Amazon. Next thing I know, every web page I hit has adds for compression shorts popping up.

It's not really that embarrassing, but tbh, I felt kind of violated. Maybe it's good that they don't serve me adds for feminine hygiene products, but targeted advertising can be invasive and I would prefer to have more control over what these companies know about me and how they use it.
 
On the one level Apple may be concerned about users privacy, but on a greater level, that of personal device dissemination, and now Healthcare apps and the new Care subdivision of the same, they are providing the means for the mass collection of intimate personal data for so-called healthcare bodies, that can forthwith be used to tailor the laboratory-created diseases that are increasingly proliferent in society at large, viz: AIDS, SARS, H1N1, the list goes on. Of course if proof were available other diseases could also be included, such as Zika, Gicongonya, diabetes, cancer, autism etc., that are spread via inclusion in so-called vaccines and/or airborne disease carrying entities.
 
Proving it's not lip service is a daunting task. Words are cheap and Apple's a masterful wordsmith. Combined with a massive cadre of cult like followers Apple's in the Cat Bird seat.

The more people Apple convinces, the more money they make. The existing conflict of interest is legendary, yet taboo to reveal.

Apple is one of the most clever companies on the planet.

:rolleyes:

Yeah, Apple runs the world along with those 12 Jewish bankers.
 
Actually, they _might_. And Apple has already announced that they will want the details of that exploit (and probably take the FBI to court if they don't get it) so that it can get fixed.

The conspiracy theorist in me says that the FBI is full of crap and is going to say "we broke into the phone and got the info we needed" but actually won't have gotten in. They will do this just to punish Apple for making them look like fascists. I think they believe, like most of us that if there was anything on that phone important that it would have been destroyed like the other phones were. I'm now removing my tin foil hat.
 
A good, rigid standard.

My friend's S7 made a photo/video montage from pics and videos he took through the course of a day, while in a specific location. Soundtrack and all. I'm sure it can be enabled/disabled, but there was no button popping up saying 'yes do this', wasn't a share option.. It just did it.

No thanks. I don't even want to think about the amount of personal data l that was being tossed around without him even realizing it at the time.
Then your friend set his S7 to do it automatically. He also had to set where the information is shared. Your anecdote is misinformed. There's no arbitrary sharing function.

On topic: Apple has to strike a balance between functionality and privacy. They err on the side of caution. The good thing is they haven't locked the system down for those who want the additional functionality of a Google Now for instance. Users can choose.
 
Then your friend set his S7 to do it automatically. He also had to set where the information is shared. Your anecdote is misinformed. There's no arbitrary sharing function.

On topic: Apple has to strike a balance between functionality and privacy. They err on the side of caution. The good thing is they haven't locked the system down for those who want the additional functionality of a Google Now for instance. Users can choose.
Off topic: That was a good good year for the Mustang.
 
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Commitment to privacy is not a major selling point of Apple, in my opinion. For the average consumer, this isn't something that crosses their mind until maybe after they've made their purchase. But for long time Apple customers like myself, this is unequivocally a major reason I stay loyal to the company.
 
A company that self regulates security and data concerns. I'm gobsmacked it even exists!

I feel like users could have the option to provide data if they wished to get tailored results in maps, siri etc.

It certainly appears that Apple has stumbled onto a good product differentiator. Lets all hope it is not just smoke and mirrors.
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I do enjoy the privacy, but have any of you used Google Now? it's pretty amazing, like a mind reader even. I know it mines your data so it lacks privacy, but it makes the phone so much more useful.

And pretty soon, your phone will just start buying the products it knows you want. No need to even press the 'buy now' button, won't that be awesome. Never have to think again. And since your phone will only show you the products it determines you are interested in, you really don't have to worry because it will also shield you from products its creator thinks are bad for you, that the government thinks are bad for you, or that anyone thanks are bad for you. Wow, just think how good and proper this new world will be.
 
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I don't like this, tbh. I prefer personalized ads and people tend to not know how data is served to advertisers. Google doesn't say "Joe Smith watched this and that, so serve them this1 and that2." They make a unique ID for the person and tell advertisers, "whoever ID# 1234 is, did this and that, so they most likely want this1 and that2." That is, your private info is never actually directly revealed to advertisers. Sure your actions are recorded, but personally, if I'm going to be served ads regardless (and I am), then I'd much rather personalized ones than bogus ones.

Except that with enough of that information, it is possible to uniquely identify you. Not to mention how much of it could be subpoenaed by security agencies with ridiculously lax judicial oversight and zero public accountability.

Apple keeps your iCloud data accessible as a convenience for users who lose their passwords (and there are believable rumours that even this is going away). Anything Google has about you must remain readable to Google, for the purposes of serving ads.

Case-in-point: iMessage (unreadable to Apple or anybody but the recipient) vs Hangouts (readable by Google and any government agency, or anybody who manages to hack Google)
 
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I bet a third party cracks the security and the Fed drops the case. This is getting too political in an election year.
 
Commitment to privacy is not a major selling point of Apple, in my opinion. For the average consumer, this isn't something that crosses their mind until maybe after they've made their purchase. But for long time Apple customers like myself, this is unequivocally a major reason I stay loyal to the company.


I totally agree. Most people don't think about the issue enough to care. And how many of the people activity touting Apple's security policy compared to Google have a gmail account? People like things that are cheap and convenient and will not read the fine print or thing about the ramifications to get it.
 
This is interesting, because I have been wondering why Siri lags behind Google Now in voice search.

As an iPhone user, Google's web services have always been faster and more responsive than its iOS counterpart, and that is because Google is willing to use the data and experiment to have better iterations for their services.

It is indeed a tradeoff, but that also means Google's web services will just be flat out "better" in the long run.

Well, "better" modulo how much you care about keeping your personal data private.
 
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