Apple revised its privacy guidelines to prevent third-party apps from monitoring iPhone users’ activity. Now, the Cupertino-based tech behemoth is said to be keeping tabs on App Store user activity. If this rumor proves to be accurate, the corporation may have seriously strayed from its values and guiding principles surrounding customer privacy.
Apple Can Track You Through The App Store
Two researchers have learned that iOS is giving the company a thorough history of how iPhone users engage with the App Store, based on a report by 9to5Mac. Specific user behavior, such as the locations that are being tapped while engaging with the app store, and more are included in the report that iOS sends.
According to the article, iOS sends Apple the data “in real-time via a JSON file.” According to the source, their recent addition of new ad placements to its mobile app store appears to be related to the recently revealed tracking capability. Since the introduction of iOS 14.6 in May 2021, some developers also think that the tech giant is keeping tabs on consumers’ App Store actions. It’s also crucial to remember that Apple released iOS 14.5 with the App Tracking Transparency feature.
The study indicates that Apple is still keeping track of consumers who visit the App Store but does not go into detail about how the corporation is using this information. Apple may assert that the information gathered is not shared with outside parties, but this shift has made it more difficult for Google and Meta’s ad networks to follow iOS users.
The research indicates that Apple seems to gather App Store data even though the Personalised Ads feature is off. New ad spots that Apple just added to the App Store allow developers to pay the firm to advertise their products on app pages and in the primary Today tab. Prior to this, the business only lets developers display their apps in the App Store’s Search category.