Three months after its first preview at the company's Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple released its fourteenth and most current version of the iOS operating system last Thursday, the iOS 14. The new and updated OS features compact, redesigned screen layouts, 'App Clips', a host of newly introduced applications and many other offerings. One of these, in particular, are the enhanced transparency and privacy controls that the iOS 14 has brought about with its new 'opt-in' policy, whereby users can now choose to be tracked or not, and whether their data can be collected for mobile ad purposes, thus improving user privacy.
Commenting on this, Acquia’s chief marketing officer, Lynne Capozzi, said, "When iOS 14’s permissions features come into force, it will be a game-changing moment in terms of transparency, and will likely be welcomed by Apple’s user base."
"However, the impact of its ‘opt-in’ policy for tracking ads will hinge on how the user experience is designed. If the tracking message is strong and disabling personalised ads is the default, fewer than 15% of people are likely to enable targeted marketing."
"While this will set off alarm bells for marketers, the increased emphasis on transparency should be seized as an opportunity rather than feared as a threat. For too long, brands have misused consumer data leading to an erosion of trust - some 55% of consumers have no idea how brands are using their data. The onus is now on marketers to follow Apple’s lead and regain that trust by showing consumers exactly how their data is being used, and finding personalised ways to engage with their audience without going too far."
"With Android likely to follow Apple by adopting similar features, it’s clear we’re at a turning point for transparency and trust. The sooner brands recognise that giving consumers back control of their data benefits both the business and its users, the sooner trust can be restored."
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