Apple has severely upped its game in the user privacy stakes, stating that with iOS 8 its users’ data will be firmly protected through their passcodes.
In a page titled “Government Information Requests” on Apple.com, the company stated that it was going to be more transparent with its customers regarding the safety of their privacy in the wake of the NSA leaks, which revealed that a large number of companies had been forced to hand over private information to the government agency.
Related: iOS 8 is Out Now: Here’s Everything You Need to Know
Apple writes: “Government information requests are a consequence of doing business in the digital age. We believe in being as transparent as the law allows about what information is requested from us. In addition, Apple has never worked with any government agency from any country to create a “back door” in any of our products or services. We have also never allowed any government access to our servers. And we never will.”
With iOS 8 releasing yesterday, Apple has stated that the new operating system will provide users with a guarantee of privacy that they cannot get with competitors of the hardware and software manufacturer. “On devices running iOS 8, your personal data such as photos, messages (including attachments), email, contacts, call history, iTunes content, notes, and reminders is placed under the protection of your passcode,” Apple stated. “Unlike our competitors, Apple cannot bypass your passcode and therefore cannot access this data. So it’s not technically feasible for us to respond to government warrants for the extraction of this data from devices in their possession running iOS 8.”
Apple also stated that a “tiny percentage” of its millions of accounts were affected by national security-related requests, though the number couldn’t be specified by law. The public announcement also stated that Apple is working with the White House to impose new laws that will allow for greater transparency when it comes to public disclosure of government activity.
Though Apple is obviously held back by the restrictions placed upon them by law, this is a great step in the right direction and iOS 8 should serve to make users more comfortable with the information they store on their devices.
