ESET on the iOS 9 privacy update
Apple will reportedly introduce a new privacy update for the iPhone that will prevent iOS apps from seeing which other apps have been downloaded to the device, reports The Information.
The new update is said to have been revealed during a private session at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference, coming in to effect when the company rolls out iOS 9 later this year. As it is, major apps like Facebook and Twitter are able to monitor the user's downloaded apps, using the the data to tailor their advertisements.
As Apple Insider writes, this would be the latest in a string of changes made by the company with user privacy in mind. The website cites a letter published by company CEO Tim Cook last fall that positioned Apple as a seller of consumer products, not a harvester of data.
"Security and privacy are fundamental to the design of all our hardware, software, and services, including iCloud and new services like Apple Pay," said the letter.
Apple was recently awarded a perfect score in the Electronic Frontier Foundation's annual "Who has your back?" report, which rates tech companies on their efforts to secure their customers' data against government snooping. Facebook, meanwhile, received four stars, while Amazon and Google were both awarded three.
It's not all smooth sailing for Apple where security is concerned, though. Just last week a vulnerability was found in the company's iOS and OS X devices that would allow an attacker to upload malware and steal passwords from apps including iCloud and Mail.
Business Insider notes that Apple is yet to comment on the alleged privacy update said to affect iOS 9.
By Kyle Ellison, ESET
