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Apple CEO Tim Cook Says Giving Up Your Data For Better Services is 'a Bunch of Bunk' (washingtonpost.com)
Apple chief executive Tim Cook urged consumers not to believe the dominant tech industry narrative that the data collected about them will lead to better services. From a report: In an interview with "Vice News Tonight" that aired Tuesday, Cook highlighted his company's commitment to user privacy, positioning Apple's business as one that stands apart from tech giants that compile massive amounts of personal data and sell the ability to target users through advertising [The link may be paywalled; alternative source]. "The narrative that some companies will try to get you to believe is: I've got to take all of our data to make my service better," he said. "Well, don't believe them. Whoever's telling you that, it's a bunch of bunk." [...] Cook said in the interview that he is "exceedingly optimistic" that the topic of data privacy has reached an elevated level of public debate. "When the free market doesn't produce a result that's great for society you have to ask yourself what do we need to do. And I think some level of government regulation is important to come out on that."
The key difference between Google/Facebook business model vs Apple is how they make money.
Apple you buy expensive hardware, for more money, but your data and privacy is managed much better.
Vs.
Google/Facebook where you may get the same hardware for cheaper, but your data is sold to compensate for it.
It is akin paying for a vacation, vs. getting a cheaper vacation but have to sit threw a time share presentation.
If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
Privacy is good, but I also remember the first time I saw how Google was using that information it gathers to benefit me when I loaded up the Google Assistant app thingy a few years back and it just barfed out all kinds of convenient details about what I had going on. Travel times, package delivery statuses, etc. Obviously there's plenty of bad things that could happen with that information but IF it's anonymized well enough and I get a cheaper product and/or more intelligent service, it's worth it.
Every time I compare Siri and what Apple offers via our iPad to what Google offers through Android, I'm struck by how much more accurate, useful, or contextually insightful Google's responses are. That takes data, and by not collecting and using more of that data, Apple can't keep up.
Are those benefits worth the potential risks? That's up to each individual to decide, but it's not like they're really offering the same services.
Presently here, but not there.
Tim Cook rails against Google's privacy invading/trading business model yet earns a reported $9B/year to make Google the default search engine for Safari and various Apple services like Siri. In other words, Apple wont abuse user privacy themselves for profit - they get paid to enable Google to do it on their behalf.
https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2018-09-28/apple-looks-down-on-ads-but-takes-billions-from-google
because they generate most of their income by: a) selling real physical goods ('phones, etc); or b) taking a slice of others who sell into the Apple eco-system via the app store. It is much harder for the likes of facebook & google who do not charge people for their product and thus have to generate income by helping others put adverts in front of their users' eyes. This is not a criticism of Apple - but just explaining that they have a very different business model.
Having said all of that I agree with a lot of what Tim Cook says.