“In effect, privacy itself is now a key product — and a key marketing point — for Apple, as much as the Apple Watch or the skinny new MacBook,” Walt Mossberg writes for Re/code. “Apple CEO Tim Cook has led the charge, in speeches, TV appearances, and in an unusual personal message to Apple customers that tops a detailed privacy website that the company now hosts.”

“That’s contrary to the race to the cloud embraced by much of the tech industry,” Mossberg writes. “For instance, Google computers scan your Gmail to better target ads at you. And the search giant urges people to sign in to all its cloud-based services — even on Apple devices — so each can learn more about you, both to improve the information they serve up and to better target ads.”

“Cook and Apple also deserve credit for publicly and repeatedly rebuffing government calls for policies that would make it easier for spy agencies to probe encrypted Apple hardware,” Mossberg writes. “It will be up to consumers whether Apple’s privacy crusade becomes a hit product or only elicits shrugs. They will decide whether they prefer the benefits they get from trading privacy in the cloud to those they get from Apple’s approach.”

Read more in the full article here.

MacDailyNews Take: It’s tough to reconcile Apple’s privacy push with Google as Safari’s default search enigne and Facebook integrated into Apple’s operating systems’ sharing services.

SEE ALSO:

Apple looks to be building an alternative to the Google-branded, hand-over-your-privacy ‘Internet Experience’ – June 11, 2015
Understanding Apple and privacy – June 8, 2015
Edward Snowden: Apple is a privacy pioneer – June 5, 2015
Apple CEO Tim Cook ups privacy to new level, takes direct swipe at Google – September 18, 2014
A message from Tim Cook about Apple’s commitment to your privacy – September 18, 2014
Apple will no longer unlock most iPhones, iPads for police, even with search warrants – September 18, 2014

Analyst: Google faces ‘significant’ blow if Apple dumps them from Safari – February 5, 2015
Yahoo gains further US search share; Google falls below 75% for first time – February 3, 2015
Microsoft, Yahoo vie to become Apple Safari’s default search option – November 26, 2014
Firefox dumps Google for default U.S. search, switches to Yahoo/Bing – November 20, 2014