The tiff between iOS and Android is known to the world, but it seems like it has gone to the next level. According to the documents disclosed by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) from the ongoing Google antitrust trial, Apple has condemned Google for its privacy policies and called Android a ‘massive tracking device'.
The presentation highlights how Apple used Google's privacy woes early to lure consumers and make them switch from Google to iOS. The presentation in which Apple has called Android a massive tracking device is titled ‘Competing on Privacy' and was emailed from Apple SVP for Services Eddy Cue to CEO Tim Cook. In contrast to criticizing Google about its privacy and security, Apple explains that its policies are better than those of Google.
According to the document (via The Verge), Apple combines data only when it elevates the user experience. On the other hand, Google combines data across services, apparently without any reason. Another example that Apple quoted is that Google Voice Search's data is tied to the Google account, whereas Siri's user data is tied to the digital assistant.
The internal documents reveal how Apple is taking cues from the privacy woes of its competitor and heavily investing in the privacy angle of iOS devices. Of course, all mobile devices track you, be they Android or iOS. However, the security features on iOS devices are much better for the fact that with iOS 14.5, Apple introduced system permission to track ads, which considerably brought down tracking cases on iPhones.
