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By Dan Moren for Macworld
How Apple’s hardline privacy policy limits key features in Photos and Siri
Over the last several years, Apple has taken a number of opportunities to present itself in stark contrast against one of its chief rivals, Google, but nowhere more in the firm position Cupertino takes against collecting any more data than it needs to about its customers.
Privacy is obviously a major concern in the digital age, and Apple’s stance is largely applauded–and with good reason. But at the same time, that choice doesn’t come without its costs, both to Apple and to its users. By taking such a hardline stance, the company has hindered the development of some of its features, and perhaps even negated some of the advantages of its ecosystem.
There are places, it seems, where a balance is not only desirable but necessary. This isn’t to say Apple should sacrifice security and privacy in favor of capabilities, but that the company should be able to make use of its immense talent to find a middle ground that maintains users’ privacy and provides the features that people want.