A source within Google has reported that the internet giant is speeding up work to limit how app developers can track the 2.5 billion people who use Android-powered phones.
However, the publication further reveals that Google is facing internal problems about releasing an Android version of Apple’s App Tracking Transparency feature. It will offer the same ability to opt-out of tracking across apps and websites, for iOS and iPadOS users as well, but implementing such a feature would hurt its more than $130 billion annual spending budget for ads.
Google struggling internally to match Apple’s new ATT features
Each year, Google introduces new versions of its operating software and systems, like new privacy features and protection for users. The internet giant will be hosting Google I/O tomorrow, where a new version of Android and other various new technologies will be previewed. According to the report:
Pressured by Apple’s recent iPhone privacy initiative, Google is accelerating work to limit how app developers can track the 2.5 billion people who use phones powered by its Android software. The efforts are still in flux and have been delayed by internal concerns that such moves will diminish the $130 billion a year spent on U.S. mobile ads, an industry dominated by Google, said people who are involved with the work.
Google will take a baby step regarding phone privacy this week during its annual developer conference. There it plans to preview coming privacy controls that will make it easier for smartphone users to reach a settings screen where they can restrict apps’ abilities to access the phone’s camera, location and other permissions, according to a person who has seen the planned presentation.
The internet giant’s resistance towards its own privacy features could be credited to voiced concerns created over Apple’s ATT features. Apple unveiled the features last year and have now just arrived on iOS and iPadOS. Though companies like Facebook have raised their concerns and have also filed lawsuits against the Cupertino tech giant. Amidst all the chaos, Apple has stood steadfastly repeating that it firmly believes that giving users a choice to opt-out of tracking is the right thing to do.
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