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.

Top Rated Comments

Kung gu Avatar
24 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
24 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
24 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
24 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
24 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
24 months ago
Sundar Pichai and Mark Elliot Zuckerberg, your turn now
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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