Google Planning to Update iOS Apps With Privacy Labels Soon

Earlier today, Fast Company shared an article noting that Google has yet to update its iPhone and iPad apps to bring them in line with Apple's new App Store privacy labels requirement. Fast Company speculated that Google might be trying to delay revealing its privacy label data, but it turns out that's not the case.

appstoreprivacy feature
According to a report from TechCrunch, Google is not taking a stand against Apple's privacy labels and is in fact planning to add the privacy data to its iOS app catalog as soon as this week or next week.

Apple implemented App Privacy information in iOS 14.3, after promising the feature when iOS 14 was first announced. App Privacy labels provide customers with a way to determine what data an app collects about them before choosing to install it.

Apple is requiring all apps to self-report privacy information in the ‌App Store‌, and developers must identify all data collection and use cases. Labels are separated into categories including data used to track you, data linked to you, and data not linked to you, which indicates that it is anonymized.

There has been some negativity associated with App Privacy as Facebook was called out for having a lengthy label due to the amount of data it collects, and it's quite possible Google will have similar privacy labels.

As of December 8, all app updates submitted must include the privacy label information, and most Google apps designed for iOS devices have not seen updates since before December 7. It is not clear why Google has delayed updating its iOS apps when it has updated Android apps, but it could be due to the holiday period. Google implements a code freeze from late December to early January, which TechCrunch suggests could be the reason behind the lack of iOS updates.

Popular Stories

iphone 17 models

No iPhone 18 Launch This Year, Reports Suggest

Thursday January 1, 2026 8:43 am PST by
Apple is not expected to release a standard iPhone 18 model this year, according to a growing number of reports that suggest the company is planning a significant change to its long-standing annual iPhone launch cycle. Despite the immense success of the iPhone 17 in 2025, the iPhone 18 is not expected to arrive until the spring of 2027, leaving the iPhone 17 in the lineup as the latest...
duolingo ad live activity

Duolingo Used iPhone's Dynamic Island to Display Ads, Violating Apple Design Guidelines

Friday January 2, 2026 1:36 pm PST by
Language learning app Duolingo has apparently been using the iPhone's Live Activity feature to display ads on the Lock Screen and the Dynamic Island, which violates Apple's design guidelines. According to multiple reports on Reddit, the Duolingo app has been displaying an ad for a "Super offer," which is Duolingo's paid subscription option. Apple's guidelines for Live Activity state that...
Low Cost A18 Pro MacBook Feature Pink

Apple's 2026 Low-Cost A18 Pro MacBook: What We Know So Far

Friday January 2, 2026 4:33 pm PST by
Apple is planning to release a low-cost MacBook in 2026, which will apparently compete with more affordable Chromebooks and Windows PCs. Apple's most affordable Mac right now is the $999 MacBook Air, and the upcoming low-cost MacBook is expected to be cheaper. Here's what we know about the low-cost MacBook so far. Size Rumors suggest the low-cost MacBook will have a display that's around 13 ...
govee floor lamp

CES 2026: Govee Announces New Matter-Connected Ceiling and Floor Lights

Sunday January 4, 2026 5:00 am PST by
Govee today introduced three new HomeKit-compatible lighting products, including the Govee Floor Lamp 3, the Govee Ceiling Light Ultra, and the Govee Sky Ceiling Light. The Govee Floor Lamp 3 is the successor to the Floor Lamp 2, and it offers Matter integration with the option to connect to HomeKit. The Floor Lamp 3 offers an upgraded LuminBlend+ lighting system that can reproduce 281...
airpods pro 3 glitter

AirPods New Year's Deals Include Up to $99 Off AirPods Max, AirPods Pro 3, and AirPods 4

Sunday January 4, 2026 8:04 am PST by
Now that the calendar has flipped over into January, steep discounts on popular Apple products have become more rare after the holidays. However, if you didn't get a new pair of AirPods recently and are looking for a model on sale, Amazon does have a few solid second-best prices this week. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a...
Belkin 25W Battery magnetic

CES 2026: Belkin Announces Magnetic Ring Power Bank, Modular Dock, and More

Sunday January 4, 2026 3:02 pm PST by
Belkin today announced a range of new charging and connectivity accessories at CES 2026, expanding its portfolio of products aimed at Apple device users. UltraCharge Pro Power Bank 10K with Magnetic Ring The lineup includes new Qi2 and Qi2.2 wireless chargers, magnetic power banks, a high-capacity laptop battery, and USB-C productivity accessories, with an emphasis on higher charging...
Low Cost MacBook Feature A18 Pro

Low-Price 12.9-Inch MacBook With A18 Pro Chip Reportedly Launching Early This Year

Friday January 2, 2026 9:08 am PST by
Apple plans to introduce a 12.9-inch MacBook in spring 2026, according to TrendForce. In a press release this week, the Taiwanese research firm said this MacBook will be aimed at the entry-level to mid-range market, with "competitive pricing." TrendForce did not share any further details about this MacBook, but the information that it shared lines up with several rumors about a more...
Clicks Communicator Feature

'Clicks Communicator' Unveiled — Will You Carry This With Your iPhone?

Friday January 2, 2026 6:35 am PST by
The company behind the BlackBerry-like Clicks Keyboard accessory for the iPhone today unveiled a new Android 16 smartphone called the Clicks Communicator. The purpose-built device is designed to be used as a second phone alongside your iPhone, with the intended focus being communication over content consumption. It runs a custom Android launcher that offers a curated selection of messaging...

Top Rated Comments

Maconplasma Avatar
65 months ago
Google and Privacy go hand in hand as Oil and Water.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
farewelwilliams Avatar
65 months ago
They drag their feet when it comes to supporting user privacy, but they're first to adopt any new data collection features.

Classic Google.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ghanwani Avatar
65 months ago
It's taking some time for their smartest people to figure out what needs to go on the label.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ThaGoochiestMane Avatar
65 months ago
Obviously Google loves scooping every bit of data they can get, but at least their software is outstanding.

Compared to a company like Facebook, at least Google's services give me the impression that at least some of their snooping is going to improving those services.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Westside guy Avatar
65 months ago
Man, people seem to be all about conspiracy theories these days...

Google did their annual code freeze starting on December 11. It runs for about a month, and they do it every year.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
LeadingHeat Avatar
65 months ago
Of course they’re “coming soon, don’t worry guys!” NOW that the media is getting wind that mysteriously none of their apps have been updated on iOS yet on android they’ve seen multiple. I just wonder what will actually happen if they withhold some of the tracking info from the label, and Apple catches them. Will Google really get banned from the App Store like was promised? Time will tell
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)