Tim Cook Highlights Apple's iOS 15 Privacy Protections in New Video for European Audiences

Apple has published a new video to its official regional YouTube channels for European countries that focuses specifically on the new privacy features coming with iOS 15 and iPadOS 15.


The video, simply titled "Privacy," opens with CEO Tim Cook speaking to the camera and explaining Apple's long-standing stance on the topic:

At Apple, we believe privacy is a fundamental human right. We work relentlessly to build it into everything we make, and it's fundamental to how we design and engineer every product and service that we put out into the world.

While others have focused on making customers the product, collecting ever-growing amounts of personal information, we've kept the lens focused on how technology can work for people. And that's meant introducing countless features that give users transparency and choice over how their data is collected, used, and shared. You see that with new tools like Privacy Nutrition Labels and App Tracking Transparency, which gives users more information, more choice, and greater transparency about how their data is used.

We know that privacy is a priority for our users in Europe and around the world. It's why we're always striving to set a higher bar, with new tools that put people in the driver's seat when it comes to managing your own data.

The video then cuts to segments taken from last week's WWDC keynote, where Apple executives and engineers explain new features including Mail Privacy Protection, App Privacy Report, Offline Siri support, and more. Cook then sees out the video with the following comments:

These big privacy features are the latest in a long string of innovations our teams have developed to improve transparency and put users in control of their data. They're features that will help give users peace of mind by strengthening that control and the freedom to use their technology without worrying about who is looking over their shoulder. At Apple, our commitment is to give users choice over how their data is used and to build privacy and security into everything we make.

iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 are currently in developer beta, with a public beta coming next month and the official version set to release in the fall.

Popular Stories

iOS 26

15 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.2

Friday December 5, 2025 9:40 am PST by
Apple is about to release iOS 26.2, the second major point update for iPhones since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least 15 notable changes and improvements worth checking out. We've rounded them up below. Apple is expected to roll out iOS 26.2 to compatible devices sometime between December 8 and December 16. When the update drops, you can check Apple's servers for the ...
Intel Inside iPhone Feature

Apple's Return to Intel Rumored to Extend to iPhone

Friday December 5, 2025 10:08 am PST by
Intel is expected to begin supplying some Mac and iPad chips in a few years, and the latest rumor claims the partnership might extend to the iPhone. In a research note with investment firm GF Securities this week, obtained by MacRumors, analyst Jeff Pu said he and his colleagues "now expect" Intel to reach a supply deal with Apple for at least some non-pro iPhone chips starting in 2028....
ive and altman

Jony Ive's OpenAI Device Barred From Using 'io' Name

Friday December 5, 2025 6:22 am PST by
A U.S. appeals court has upheld a temporary restraining order that prevents OpenAI and Jony Ive's new hardware venture from using the name "io" for products similar to those planned by AI audio startup iyO, Bloomberg Law reports. iyO sued OpenAI earlier this year after the latter announced its partnership with Ive's new firm, arguing that OpenAI's planned "io" branding was too close to its...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Monday December 1, 2025 2:40 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
Photos App Icon Liquid Glass

John Gruber Shares Scathing Commentary About Apple's Departing Software Design Chief

Thursday December 4, 2025 9:30 am PST by
In a statement shared with Bloomberg on Wednesday, Apple confirmed that its software design chief Alan Dye will be leaving. Apple said Dye will be succeeded by Stephen Lemay, who has been a software designer at the company since 1999. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Dye will lead a new creative studio within the company's AR/VR division Reality Labs. On his blog Daring Fireball,...
maxresdefault

iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Monday December 1, 2025 3:00 am PST by
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...
Apple John Ternus 2019

Will John Ternus Really Be Apple's Next CEO?

Friday December 5, 2025 9:01 am PST by
There is uncertainty about Apple's head of hardware engineering John Ternus succeeding Tim Cook as CEO, The Information reports. Some former Apple executives apparently hope that a new "dark-horse" candidate will emerge. Ternus is considered to be the most likely candidate to succeed Cook as CEO. The report notes that he is more likely to become CEO than software head chief Craig Federighi, ...
ios 18 to ios 26 upgrade

Apple Pushes iPhone Users Still on iOS 18 to Upgrade to iOS 26

Tuesday December 2, 2025 11:09 am PST by
Apple is encouraging iPhone users who are still running iOS 18 to upgrade to iOS 26 by making the iOS 26 software upgrade option more prominent. Since iOS 26 launched in September, it has been displayed as an optional upgrade at the bottom of the Software Update interface in the Settings app. iOS 18 has been the default operating system option, and users running iOS 18 have seen iOS 18...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 Release Candidates to Developers and Public Beta Testers

Wednesday December 3, 2025 10:33 am PST by
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 updates to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming two weeks after Apple seeded the third betas. The release candidates represent the final versions of iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found during this final week of testing....

Top Rated Comments

Kung gu Avatar
59 months ago

Stop accepting money from Google and stop responding to subpoenas then I'll believe that Apple somehow defends your privacy.
Umm the Google part I agree with but Apple HAS TO respond to subpoenas especially those straight from the DoJ.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Hammerd Avatar
59 months ago
Please encrypt icloud backups and iMessage from end to end !
While your phone content can be accessed without your will, the privacy perception is just an illusion
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Apple_Robert Avatar
59 months ago

Please encrypt icloud backups and iMessage from end to end !
While your phone content can be accessed without your will, the privacy perception is just an illusion
iCloud backups for your phone or iPad are encrypted in the cloud. The problem is Apple has the key for those backups and can unlock them when they have to. If you want peace of mind, create a Cryptomator folder in iCloud, and move your backups to that folder. Apple won't be able to access anything in that folder much less see file names etc. When you want to use the backup, you would have to download it to your Mac and decrypt.

As to iMessage, turn off messages in the cloud. Apple also holds the access key for your messages with the feature enabled.

Edited to add: Thumbs down all you want, Sinoka. What I said is true. If you want to show I am wrong, have at it.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sinoka56 Avatar
59 months ago
Stop accepting money from Google and stop responding to subpoenas then I'll believe that Apple somehow defends your privacy.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Ubuntu Avatar
59 months ago
Ever since the App Store trials I’ve taken Tim Cook a lot less seriously. I believe he’s genuinely a decent person but I no longer buy his “we’re looking out for you!” approach, especially when it comes to privacy, which is often something you can't argue against. Apple was smart to focus on privacy but now they market it so much and use it as a defence for many actions that don't have the consumer's best interests at heart.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Serban55 Avatar
59 months ago
Sundar Pichai and Mark Elliot Zuckerberg, your turn now
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)