In the iPhone ecosystem, users can choose from several browsers, although Chrome and Safari are the most popular. This competition has increased tension in the already complicated relationship between Apple and Google.
Apple has launched a new ad campaign that doesn’t directly mention moving away from Chrome, but does clearly criticize Google’s browser for its heavy use of tracking cookies. Apple is promoting Safari as “a truly private browser,” in an attempt to highlight its focus on privacy.
Because right now?
According to a report by The Information30% of iPhone users use Chrome as their default browser, and Google aims to increase this figure to 50%. This would represent around 300 million additional iOS devices. In an era where maintaining user loyalty to apps is crucial to revenue, Apple is determined not to give up its majority of browser usage on iPhone.
Apple appears to be taking advantage of two key problems with the use of Chrome:
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Tracking Cookies in Chrome: It’s common to see pop-ups on the web asking if you accept third-party cookies. When checking your Chrome privacy settings, you might be surprised by the number of sites that track your internet activity. And according to Google’s Privacy Sandbox report, these cookies will be around until 2025.
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Incognito Mode Privacy: Although Google claims its Incognito Mode offers security, a $5 billion class action lawsuit has revealed that this mode is not as private as advertised.
Safari addresses these issues from the start, preventing cross-site tracking and hiding your IP address (with an iCloud+ account). This gives Apple fertile ground for its ads and to raise concerns about its main competition.
This has been Google’s response
We reached out to Google for its reaction to Apple’s ad campaign. A Google spokesperson told Tom’s Guide: “Chrome is built with the goal of keeping your data safe by default and ensuring that users can control when and how their data is used in Chrome to personalize their web browsing experience. We believe users should always be in control, so we’ve built easy-to-use privacy and security settings right into Chrome.”
Will Chrome lose users?
The battle for iPhone browsers is more about Apple holding its ground than Google gaining it. The Cupertino team is strongly attacking Chrome’s weak point, and this advertising strategy is quite effective in getting the message across.
Current Chrome users may be aware of these cookies and accept the associated risks. However, new iPhone users and those unfamiliar with the amount of information collected by Chrome may be inclined to switch browsers.
We will continue to reach out to Google for further comment and consult with security experts for additional context.