Recently, during an ongoing antitrust trial against Google, a new piece of information has come to light. It has been revealed that Apple had conducted an internal presentation where they referred to Android as a “massive tracking device.” This statement sheds light on Apple’s perception of Android’s data collection practices. It suggests that Apple considers Android to be a platform that extensively tracks users’ activities. This revelation is critical in the ongoing debate around privacy concerns and data collection practices in the tech industry.

The presentation, dating back to January 2013, focused on Apple’s push to “Compete on Privacy.” It delved into how privacy and user data were handled by Apple’s major competitors, including Google, Facebook, Amazon, and Microsoft. The presentation featured a “privacy timeline” highlighting significant privacy-related events from the 2000s and 2010s, such as Google’s Street View cars inadvertently collecting private Wi-Fi network data, Instagram’s plans to use user photos in advertisements, and Google’s controversial privacy policy changes, which involved merging user data across its services. Apple used these events to draw comparisons between how its products handled privacy in contrast to its competitors.

The presentation concluded with a striking full-page statement, in which Apple boldly declared that “Android is a massive tracking device.” However, due to redactions and abridgments in the slides, the context surrounding this statement remains unclear.

It’s worth noting that tracking is a common practice in the mobile device industry, irrespective of whether it’s Android or iOS.

Nonetheless, Apple seems to have carried forward this sentiment from a decade ago. In iOS 14.5, the company reinforced its commitment to privacy by introducing system permission for tracking in advertising, leading to a significant reduction in tracking on iPhones. Android, on the other hand, has yet to implement a similar feature, although reports suggest that the company has explored the possibility.

This development sheds light on Apple’s ongoing efforts to prioritize user privacy and positions it as a company that takes a strong stance against data tracking and privacy infringements.