Apple Insists That It Doesn't Want Your Private Data

Apple wants you to know the data it collects about nearly every aspect of your life is safe, as its products become more and more personal.

The company updated its privacy policy, publishing a long explainer on its site this week promising to let users "enjoy personalization without giving up privacy." The site details exactly how Apple handles user data within personalized apps like the Health and Fitness app and Apple News as well as Safari, Apple Pay, and others, positioning itself as the more private alternative to competitors like Google.

Maps, the Apple explained on the site, is more private than navigation services from "other companies" that build ad profiles based on user searches.

"Since our business doesn't depend on advertising, we have no interest in doing this — and we couldn't even if we wanted to," Apple wrote.

It also said all data on its Health and Fitness app is encrypted, that third party apps cannot access it without permission, and that Apple Music preferences are not used by any other services to advertise to users.

Apple reiterated iMessages and FaceTime calls are protected by end-to-end encryption and that it has never worked with government agencies to create "backdoors" on products and services.

"Apple has no way to decrypt iMessage and FaceTime data when it's in transit between devices," the company wrote. "So unlike other companies' messaging services, Apple doesn't scan your communications, and we wouldn't be able to comply with a wiretap order even if we wanted to."