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Apple CEO Explains How a Few Billion Dollars From Google Changes His Views on the Company's 'Unsettling' User Data Mining Activities (arstechnica.com)
In an interview with Axios on HBO Apple CEO Tim Cook explained the decision to use Google as the default search engine on Apple products. This decision, which enables Apple to make up to $9 billion a year, has baffled some, considering Google's business model of making money off of users' data -- something Apple has spoken out against numerous times. From a report: "I think their search engine is the best," Cook said in the interview. He followed up by diving into privacy features Apple has implemented in its Safari browser. "Look at what we've done with the controls we've built in," Cook stated. "We have private Web browsing. We have an intelligent tracker prevention. What we've tried to do is come up with ways to help our users through their course of the day. It's not a perfect thing. I'd be the very first person to say that. But it goes a long way to helping." Google pays Apple to have its search engine be the primary one on iPhones and other Apple devices.
Google bribed Apple and I'm not sure it could be any more transparent.
Anons need not reply. Questions end with a question mark.
I am speaking as someone who has sent Bing as the default search on iOS, but still use Google on desktop.
Why? Because Cook is right - Google is the best search engine, still by a fair margin. I tried REALLY HARD to use other search engines, but (especially for a developer) it is dumb to hamstring yourself with inferior search results in day to day work.
Cook is also right to point out anti-tracking things Apple has in place, so even though you are using Google on iOS you are giving them relatively little information.
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
I’ve been using DuckDuckGo for the past few years - it works well enough.
You can even get it to redirect to Google’s search results by adding “!g” after your search terms. I do that occasionally to check whether Google gives me better results... but the Goog generally shows me the same list as DDG (sometimes in a slightly different order, but that’s about it).
#DeleteChrome
Looking back on the articles listed it never mentions a company by name, just the practices they use. However, if you think apple doesn't collect your data you'd be wrong. They may not sell it to a 3rd party, but they allow targeted ads in some of their products, using things such as your likes and possible your demographics as well.
They never really cared about your privacy, they just want you to think they care about your privacy.
Sorry, no.
Their BRIEF toe-in-the-water with targeted advertising, iAds, was WILDLY UNPOPULAR with both Devs. and Users, and was DISCONTINUED in 2016, IIRC.
At present, there are NO "targeted ads" in Apple's Products, and no Ads for A DIFFERENT Publisher or Service in any Apps, either. I didn't say that, for example, "Freemium" iOS Apps don't have Ads for enhanced features, or even other Apps BY THE SAME PUBLISHER; but there are pretty strict rules about what is, and is not, allowed.
Ditto with using DuckDuckGo for a year or two now. The search results are good enough. If my search doesn't show good results I just add a "!g" and that solves it.
Plus it's got a whole bunch of other good controls. "!w" for search wikipedia, !gm for google maps, !gn for google news, !n for DDG news, etc.
here is one example - https://searchads.apple.com/ad... SearchAds. You can target ads by gender, age, location
They don't give China anymore than what the FBI and other LEOs already get. The only thing China has is potential access to iCloud data. But Apple gives that up pretty freely upon being shown a warrant.
The only thing Apple cannot get you are unlock codes for the devices. China can't get them either. So Apple won't unlock a phone upon request because they can't. Doesn't matter if you're an FBI, China, ISIS, whatever.