Apple devices get a privacy boost and Siri speeds up

Apple WWDC 2021 announces more privacy updates with iOS 15, including hidden IP addresses and a new App Privacy Report.

Apple Siri update

by William Austin-Lobley |
Updated on

Apple has announced new privacy features for Mail, Safari and Siri. App Privacy Report is a new feature that details how installed apps use user information.

Apple’s email app, Mail, will now allow users to hide their IP address, hide their location and block senders seeing when an email has been opened. Similarly, the Apple internet browser, Safari, will now allow users to prevent cross-site tracking and block IP tracking.

Apple iOS 15 privacy
©Apple

To provide users with more oversight of their information and how it is being accessed, Apple is introducing App Privacy Report. The App Privacy Report lets users see how often installed applications are accessing personal information and features, what information is being accessed (contacts, location, camera, etc) and what third-party sites this information is shared with.

Siri, the smart voice-controlled assistant, is no longer reliant on internet connectivity. Using the onboard neural network, Siri no longer needs to record voice commands for analysis elsewhere - it all happens on the device. Additionally, as Siri is now processed on-board, local functions such as setting alarms, opening apps, and checking the weather all happen faster.

The new privacy updates follow recent updates to Apple products' privacy and security, which are also aimed at increasing transparency.

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William Lobley is a Content Writer and reviewer for WhatsTheBest, specialising in technology, gaming and outdoors. He also writes for Empire Online.

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