In case you didn’t know, Apple released its iOS 14 update on September 16th. Have you noticed some changes on your phone? We are going to dive into three of the security and privacy changes Apple implemented in this update and what is to come.
Apple has really cracked down on its security and privacy starting with the launch of iOS 13 last year. Seeing how much user data Google and Facebook were taking is what prompted them to make these changes for the iPhone user. With iOS 14, Apple wanted to stop tracking and let the user take control of who gets their data. So now, let’s see what these big changes are!
Precise Location Controls
Tech allows users to give apps your approximate location, not exactly where you are. You will see a toggle button called, “Precise Location” where you can control it (when updated, the toggle button will default to “on” so you will need to go through each app and turn it off to not know your exact location). An example is the weather app will get enough info to know where you’re at and give you the weather for your location, without giving too much away. You can also control precise location by going to Settings -> Privacy -> Location Services.
Ability To Change Default Browser
This is more of the update users were waiting to get for customization. While Safari is good for privacy, you can now choose whatever browser you prefer (Microsoft’s Edge, Firefox, Google Chrome, etc.). DuckDuckGo also offers a Privacy Browser that will keep browsing private, block traders, and force encrypted connections plus it will run faster than other browsers.
Indicator Light If App Is Accessing Your Camera Or Microphone
While already available on the Mac, this new feature will let you know if an app is recording you via microphone or camera by an indicator light in the status bar. This will come in handy during this video chat society we are currently in. It also tells you when an app is reading your iPhone clipboard. This system was in beta when it revealed what TikTok and LinkedIn were taking from their users.
In the works is the ability to opt in-only to tracking across apps and services. Think about when you’re on Facebook and see all those ads for things you’ve searched, with this feature you can opt-in to “allow to track” or opt-out to “ask app not to track.” Facebook and other companies went into a frenzy when hearing about this game-changing feature, the delay in rolling it out came from Apple giving those companies more time to get ready for it.
If you are an iPhone user and didn’t get the iOS 14 update yet, don’t worry it will get to you soon!
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