Apple to Publish Privacy Labels for Preinstalled iOS Apps on Website

Apple today assured that its new requirement for privacy information on the App Store will apply equally to all iOS apps, including its own.

appstoreprivacy
This means that the dozens of Apple apps available through the App Store, such as Apple Books and Apple Podcasts, will display the same privacy "nutritional labels" as third-party apps. And for built-in iOS apps, like Messages, Apple says that it will make the same privacy information available to users on its website. Apple says this information will be presented in the same way as it appears on the App Store.

This clarification comes in response to Facebook-owned WhatsApp accusing Apple of a double standard with the privacy labels. WhatsApp said that the broad terms displayed in the labels could result in users being concerned about the data that WhatsApp collects, putting it at a competitive disadvantage compared to Apple's built-in Messages app.

Developers are required to include this new privacy information when submitting new apps and app updates to the App Store as of December 8. It is unknown when exactly the privacy labels will begin appearing in the ‌App Store‌.

Apple's developer portal offers more information about the new privacy detail requirements.

Top Rated Comments

cmaier Avatar
44 months ago
not really sure why facebook wants to pick a privacy fight. They won't come out looking good.
Score: 48 Votes (Like | Disagree)
I7guy Avatar
44 months ago
Good that Apple is "eating their own dogfood" as the saying goes. Will go a long way towards mitigating the responses of the critics, who believe Apple plays unfairly.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ozzymo Avatar
44 months ago

Why can't everyone trust that Apple is a straightforward and honorable company?

I got a guy at work that lumps Apple in with Google, Amazon, and Facebook as shady data-collecting monsters. I had to laugh because he was so adamant about it: no changing his mind.
Wow dude. Seriously. That is scary. I hope you're being sarcastic and I missed the tone. We should all just trust Apple because Tim Cook says so and because they make sexy phones. Wow!
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
smithrh Avatar
44 months ago

They handled this perfectly by responding quickly and ensuring that it ends fast and in their favor.
Even better than that.

I'm sure Apple absolutely knew that some poor, downtrodden company would trot that position out sooner or later.

They waited for the other company to complain, then they countered.

Let the other player make the opening gambit and then respond - with what you were always going to do anyways.

Smart.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tzm41 Avatar
44 months ago

Who says that?
WhatsApp...
https://www.macrumors.com/2020/12/09/whatsapp-protests-app-store-privacy-requirements/
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nvmls Avatar
44 months ago
There Facebook. Keep the next cry coming.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 18 Siri Integrated Feature

iOS 18 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Friday April 12, 2024 11:11 am PDT by
iOS 18 is expected to be the "biggest" update in the iPhone's history. Below, we recap rumored features and changes for the iPhone. iOS 18 is rumored to include new generative AI features for Siri and many apps, and Apple plans to add RCS support to the Messages app for an improved texting experience between iPhones and Android devices. The update is also expected to introduce a more...
iOS NES Emulator Bimmy Feature

NES Emulator for iPhone and iPad Now Available on App Store [Removed]

Tuesday April 16, 2024 11:33 am PDT by
The first approved Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) emulator for the iPhone and iPad was made available on the App Store today following Apple's rule change. The emulator is called Bimmy, and it was developed by Tom Salvo. On the App Store, Bimmy is described as a tool for testing and playing public domain/"homebrew" games created for the NES, but the app allows you to load ROMs for any...
Delta Feature

Delta Game Emulator Now Available From App Store on iPhone

Wednesday April 17, 2024 9:58 am PDT by
Game emulator apps have come and gone since Apple announced App Store support for them on April 5, but now popular game emulator Delta from developer Riley Testut is available for download. Testut is known as the developer behind GBA4iOS, an open-source emulator that was available for a brief time more than a decade ago. GBA4iOS led to Delta, an emulator that has been available outside of...
iGBA Feature

Apple Removes Game Boy Emulator iGBA From App Store Due to Spam and Copyright Violations

Sunday April 14, 2024 9:22 pm PDT by
Apple today said it removed Game Boy emulator iGBA from the App Store for violating the company's App Review Guidelines related to spam (section 4.3) and copyright (section 5.2), but it did not provide any specific details. iGBA was a copycat version of developer Riley Testut's open-source GBA4iOS app. The emulator rose to the top of the App Store charts following its release this weekend,...
iPhone 15 Pro Action Button Translate

All iPhone 16 Models to Feature Action Button, But Usefulness Debated

Tuesday April 16, 2024 6:54 am PDT by
Last September, Apple's iPhone 15 Pro models debuted with a new customizable Action button, offering faster access to a handful of functions, as well as the ability to assign Shortcuts. Apple is poised to include the feature on all upcoming iPhone 16 models, so we asked iPhone 15 Pro users what their experience has been with the additional button so far. The Action button replaces the switch ...
iGBA Feature

Game Boy Emulator for iPhone Now Available in App Store Following Rule Change [Removed]

Sunday April 14, 2024 8:06 am PDT by
A week after Apple updated its App Review Guidelines to permit retro game console emulators, a Game Boy emulator for the iPhone called iGBA has appeared in the App Store worldwide. The emulator is already one of the top free apps on the App Store charts. It was not entirely clear if Apple would allow emulators to work with all and any games, but iGBA is able to load any Game Boy ROMs that...