Google Announces Plans to Allow Android Users to Opt-Out of Tracking Later in 2021
Android users, later this year, will have the ability to opt-out of tracking across apps on Android devices, limiting the ability for apps to access their unique advertising ID, Google announced in a support page update (via Bloomberg).
The new change, in theory, is similar to Apple's recently launched ATT, or App Tracking Transparency framework; however, it differs in direct implementation. On iOS 14.5 or later, when users first open an app, a prompt is shown with the options "Ask App not to track" or "Allow." According to Google, users won't see a pop-up for each app, nor will they have granular controls over each individual app's ability to access their IDFA.
Instead, according to the support document, a new toggle within Android settings will let users opt-out completely of all tracking, for all apps.
As part of Google Play services update in late 2021, the advertising ID will be removed when a user opts out of personalization using advertising ID in Android Settings. Any attempts to access the identifier will receive a string of zeros instead of the identifier
Initial reports suggested that Google was hesitant to implement a framework similar to Apple's due to concerns over the impact it would have on its advertising business. In the weeks and months leading up to Apple's ATT launch, which was first previewed at the company's developers conference last year, Facebook and other companies voiced concerns that the new privacy-focused change would hurt their bottom line.
Google says the new change, which will come as part of an update to its Google Play services, will be rolled out in phases starting later this year and "will expand to affect apps running on devices that support Google Play in early 2022."
Popular Stories
Apple has announced it will be holding a special event on Tuesday, May 7 at 7 a.m. Pacific Time (10 a.m. Eastern Time), with a live stream to be available on Apple.com and on YouTube as usual. The event invitation has a tagline of "Let Loose" and shows an artistic render of an Apple Pencil, suggesting that iPads will be a focus of the event. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more ...
Apple has dropped the number of Vision Pro units that it plans to ship in 2024, going from an expected 700 to 800k units to just 400k to 450k units, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Orders have been scaled back before the Vision Pro has launched in markets outside of the United States, which Kuo says is a sign that demand in the U.S. has "fallen sharply beyond expectations." As a...
Apple has stopped production of FineWoven accessories, according to the Apple leaker and prototype collector known as "Kosutami." In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Kosutami explained that Apple has stopped production of FineWoven accessories due to its poor durability. The company may move to another non-leather material for its premium accessories in the future. Kosutami has revealed...
The upcoming iOS 17.5 update for the iPhone includes only a few new user-facing features, but hidden code changes reveal some additional possibilities. Below, we have recapped everything new in the iOS 17.5 and iPadOS 17.5 beta so far. Web Distribution Starting with the second beta of iOS 17.5, eligible developers are able to distribute their iOS apps to iPhone users located in the EU...
Apple is finally planning a Calculator app for the iPad, over 14 years after launching the device, according to a source familiar with the matter. iPadOS 18 will include a built-in Calculator app for all iPad models that are compatible with the software update, which is expected to be unveiled during the opening keynote of Apple's annual developers conference WWDC on June 10. AppleInsider...
Top Rated Comments
Google have to begrudgingly react somehow.
The privacy bubble is akin to a fart in a jacuzzi.