Google is about to give iPhone owners a privacy and security headache as it prepares to shut down another key service (2024)

FAQs

Does iPhone really give Privacy? ›

End-to-end encryption

With watchOS, iOS and iPadOS, your messages are encrypted on your device so they can't be accessed without your passcode. iMessage and FaceTime are designed so that there's no way for Apple to read your messages when they're in transit between devices.

With Google, your data and personal info are protected by one of the world's most advanced security systems. You can increase security for a Google Account you use on your iPhone with additional features, apps, and programs. info Features are subject to availability.

Use Sign in with Apple: You can use your Apple ID instead of creating and remembering user names and passwords for signing in to accounts. Sign in with Apple also provides the security of two-factor authentication, and it limits the information shared about you.

Mobile spyware is malware that allows hackers to steal information and watch anything within view of your phone camera. It can also enable them to access your microphone, location, calendar, and contacts. This makes it possible for hackers to record your videos and calls.

No. We regularly receive law enforcement requests for information about our customers and their Apple devices. In fact, we have a dedicated team that responds to these requests 24/7.

"Your browsing is being watched," it warns in an unsubtle poke at Google Chrome. Apple has previously called Android a "massive tracking device" in an internal presentation that surfaced during a Google antitrust trial last year.

Interestingly, the iPhone sent more server queries than Android—3,308 daily versus 2,323. Don't let the number fool you, though. While Apple sent almost 1,000 more queries, 60% of them went directly to Apple, where they're safer. On Android, only 24% went to Google, with the rest going to third-party servers worldwide.

Despite iOS's advanced security features, no device is entirely immune to remote access and spying. One notorious example of such spyware is Pegasus. This sophisticated surveillance tool can exploit vulnerabilities in iOS to gain full access to an iPhone.

How do I find hidden malware apps on my iPhone? ›

Hiding apps is a good way to prevent snoopers and iPhone sharers instantly seeing what you've got installed, but it's not foolproof and it's easy to forget where you've hidden those apps in the first place! It's also great to see that hiding apps is going to be much more secure in iOS 18.

By default, ‌iPhone‌ passcodes are six digits, but Apple includes options to create a four-digit passcode, or a longer numeric or alphanumeric passcode. The default six-digit passcode is obviously more secure than any four-digit one, while the strongest passcodes use a combination of letters and numbers.

To access Safety Check, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Safety Check. Note: If you donʼt have access to Safety Check or youʼre having trouble using the feature, you can manually adjust your sharing settings and access to your device and accounts. See How to stop sharing your iPhone or iPad content.

When Lockdown Mode is turned on, a device doesn't function the way it typically does. To reduce the attack surface that potentially could be exploited, certain apps, websites, and features are strictly limited for security, and some experiences might not be available at all.

With Private Browsing, Safari won't remember the pages you visit, your search history, or your AutoFill information. Private Browsing also blocks known trackers, removes tracking used to identify individual users from URLs, and adds protections against advanced fingerprinting techniques.

Apple closely guards its source code, while Android has made most of its operating system open-source. Apple's closed-source code makes it harder for hackers to find security flaws.

Apple has better control over the data it stores and can protect it better because it stores the encryption keys for its iCloud service on its own servers. Google stores the keys on third-party servers. Apple uses end-to-end encryption, which only allows the user access to certain sensitive data.

For more than a decade, Apple and its app developers have battled claims that they violated consumers' privacy rights by letting third-party applications collect and profit from users' personal information on Apple devices without those users' knowledge.