A Look Inside Apple's User Data Utilization Wars (reuters.com)

tlhIngan writes: It's no secret Apple [is] on a privacy bent as of late. But that extends inside of Apple as well with various internal groups fighting for access to user data and often being denied by Apple's "privacy czars" who ensure Apple doesn't collect information they don't [need], that information is used only [in] ways the user allows, and to design the systems to keep user data separate. This has lead to many conflicts, especially for the Siri and iAd team who often cannot access [the] user data they need. Of course, Apple can do this because unlike Google, Facebook or [Amazon], Apple makes money on hardware and not on the sale of customer data.

Comments

You're title is correct in that you're wrong

[rsborg]

"Apple makes money on hardware and not on the sale of customer data."

iAd ... http://advertising.apple.com/
iBeacon ... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
iTunes ...

All of these use user data to facilitate advertising or other revenue for Apple.

Revenue breakdown for Apple:
http://www.statista.com/statis...

So they make 80% of their revenue from hardware. iTunes exists because of the hardware. All of that other stuff like iAd/iBeacon is probably a rounding error.

Oh and:
http://www.engadget.com/2016/0...

Re:You're title is correct in that you're wrong

[NatasRevol]

Most people do these days. My family has half a dozen iDevices. If they're hooked up to the computer once a year, that seems like a lot.

Re:You're title is correct in that you're wrong

[mlts]

I can run without iTunes, with the device backing itself to iCloud, and after an erase, having the device restore itself completely.

However, there is one use that iTunes is a must: If I want to do a DFU restore, I have to plug it via a wired connector, and load a firmware version that is within Apple's signing window.

Does this mean iOS is better? No. I can run an Android device, and not need to use an ADB driver until I need to flash a ROM. Restores are easy as well, as app backups are stashed on a cloud provider, then get reloaded via Titanium Backup.

I would say iTunes is a must on a computer, or at least a virtual machine, just for doing a DFU reload. Otherwise, one can run day to day without it.

Another humble brag from Apple?

[JoeyRox]

For a company as secretive as Apple, stories like this don't get out unless Apple intentionally leaks them. It's just like the recent story of how some Apple engineers might quit if forced to implement an encryption backdoor for the government.

Re:Another humble brag from Apple?

[JoeyRox]

I don't dispute the facts of the article or any of the points made in your post. My contention is that nothing leaks out of Apple unless Apple wants it to be leaked. Apple has made the protection of user data a cornerstone of their smart device strategy. We saw nearly zero leaks out of Apple for the last 10 years yet suddenly we now get inside information about how their engineers reacted to the potential of having to compromise their encryption and now how their business group is reacting to pressure to utilize user data, both stories which support Apple's strategy. You'd have to be cynical not to believe that these leaks weren't humble brags straight from Apple HQ.

Re:Another humble brag from Apple?

[tlhIngan]

Except, wasn't the whole Jennifer Lawrence naked photos scandal all about images leaked out of an iPhone? Wasn't it images on an Apple cloud drive??

And there have been a rash of 'leak' incidents and issues just since the start of this year.

Actually, it turns out that it was not Apple's fault - it was the result of a massive phishing attack.

It wasn't an attack on iCloud security, it was just social engineering, which explains why "the fappening" was limited to only a few accounts.

Google becoming Microsoftish

[Tablizer]

Apple can do this because unlike Google, Facebook or [Amazon], Apple makes money on hardware and not on the sale of customer data.

Google Maps on Android wanted me to register (with Google) in order for Maps to remember recent queries done just 5 minutes ago even. If you don't register, you gotta re-type them in.

And the User Agreement does permit them to share map queries with vendors.

Technically a map app could cache recent map queries on the phone itself rather than The Cloud.

I'm thinking of going back to iPhone.

Laws/Regulations protecting customer info exist...

[Lodragandraoidh]

Information privacy or data protection laws prohibit the disclosure or misuse of information held on private individuals. These laws are based on Fair Information Practice, first developed in the United States in the 1970s by the Department for Health, Education and Welfare (HEW). The basic principles of data protection are:

For all data collected there should be a stated purpose.

Information collected by an individual cannot be disclosed to other organizations or individuals unless specifically authorized by law or by consent of the individual

Records kept on an individual should be accurate and up to date

There should be mechanisms for individuals to review data about them, to ensure accuracy. This may include periodic reporting

Data should be deleted when it is no longer needed for the stated purpose

Transmission of personal information to locations where "equivalent" personal data protection cannot be assured is prohibited

Some data is too sensitive to be collected, unless there are extreme circumstances (e.g., sexual orientation, religion)

Re:Laws/Regulations protecting customer info exist

[Alumoi]

For all data collected there should be a stated purpose.

Becasue we want to do it.

Information collected by an individual cannot be disclosed to other organizations or individuals unless specifically authorized by law or by consent of the individual

You did read the 100+ pages EULA, right?

Records kept on an individual should be accurate and up to date

And that's why we're always traciing you.

There should be mechanisms for individuals to review data about them, to ensure accuracy. This may include periodic reporting

Nothe the 'should' and 'may' not the 'must' and 'will'. But hey, not everyone in US speaks English so we may get away with this.

Data should be deleted when it is no longer needed for the stated purpose

Again, 'should' not 'will'.

Transmission of personal information to locations where "equivalent" personal data protection cannot be assured is prohibited

But, your honour, their law said they care about data protection, it's not our fault they don't enforce it.

Some data is too sensitive to be collected, unless there are extreme circumstances (e.g., sexual orientation, religion)

We've seen it all, there's no need to be sensitive.

Re:wrong

[Old97]

You don't even know what these things are. Read the other posts. As to iBeacon, it's not giving data to Apple. Some business, e.g. MLB, buys and installs iBeacon technology in order to sell goods and services or enhance their experience. The purchaser of iBeacon, not Apple. If a user allows his/her device to communicate with iBeacon - the owner or user of the device, the iBeacon or the business operating it - then and only then is their an exchange of data. Any device that has cellular communications or bluetooth turned on is providing some data to whatever is scanning for it, It's the nature of electronic communications. The issue is whether or not it provides data you've put in or made available to your device and that is what Apple puts in the device owner's/user's control.