iOS 18 underrated privacy upgrades apart from Apple Intelligence- Details

Know about these two underrated iOS 18 privacy features that protect user data on a greater level.

Apple introduced one of the biggest software upgrades with iOS 18 last year, bringing a new UI experience, privacy enhancements, Apple Intelligence, and much more. While AI took the centre stage, iOS 18 included some underrated privacy features which are worth bringing to attention. While Apple is currently lagging in the AI race, the company is popularly known for its strict privacy policies, which differentiate the devices from other competitors. Therefore, if you are an iPhone user with iOS 18 compatibility, you may want to know about these two crucial iOS 18 privacy features, which showcase how Apple strictly emphasises protecting user data.

Know how Apple smartly prioritises user privacy with iOS 18. (Aishwarya Panda-HT)

By Aishwarya Panda

Aishwarya Panda is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times Digital Stream with nearly 4 years of experience in tech content writing. She is passionate about writing and exploring her interests in the ever-evolving world of technology. She loves to get her hands on new tech products and gadgets, especially in the space of smartphones.

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iOS 18 underrated privacy features

With iOS 18, Apple introduced contact sharing overview which restricted third-party apps from accessing users’ contacts. When signing up for new apps, users are now provided with a pop-up from which they will have to approve or deny permission to accesscontacts. Furthermore, users will also have control over which contacts they want to share with the third-party app.

This is one underrated privacy which, as the data can be used by companies in several different ways. The Washington Post said that the “information can be used to target ads or leaked online, revealing sensitive information about your network to people who might use it in scams.”

Alongside contacts, Apple also restrict third-party access to the iPhone’s Photo Library. This will enable users to maintain their privacy, without sharing unwanted information or data with any app or service without prior permission. With iOS 18, users can control what they want third-party apps to see and access. Therefore, next time you see a pop-up or permission on your screen, then you want to pay utmost attention to protect your privacy.

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Apple plans for iOS 19

While iOS 18 was a big hit for the Apple ecosystem, the Cupertino-based giant is now launching iOS 19 in a few weeks. With Apple intelligence gaining more attention with Siri upgrades, we expect to see further UI improvements as well. Additionally, with Google and OpenAI coming to iPhones, there is a greater requirement for user security as well. Therefore, Apple may introduce greater security features similar to contact sharing overview, photos app restrictions, and others.