iPhone and iPad: New privacy functions with iOS 14 and iPadOS 14

Together with the new one iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 Apple has given the iPhone and iPad numerous new privacy functions. For example, there is a new indicator that shows whether an app is currently using the microphone.
Apple attaches great importance to privacy - this was mentioned again today at WWDC 2020. It is important for Apple to leave the data mainly on the respective device and to calculate it there rather than sending it to a server. But not just empty promises - some exciting privacy functions have been put on the table today.
Jump to section
Indicator when using the microphone
With the new iOS 14 and iPadOS 14, the iPhone and iPad will in future show even more clearly whether an app is currently using the microphone. If an app accesses it, you will find a small yellow dot at the top right of the screen, which should discreetly indicate this. There was probably not enough space for a microphone symbol on the status bar.
Share approximate location
Almost every app now wants access to the user's location. this ProApple is also aware of the problem - last year they only introduced functions that allow you to give an app a one-time permission for the location. Now it goes one step further and introduces the sharing of approximate locations. With an app, you cannot share the location to the meter, but only share a certain radius. For a weather app, which usually only needs access to the location rather than the exact location, that would be enough.
Cross-app tracking
Some developers track users with their apps completely across all apps - a good example of this is Facebook. If you have installed the Facebook app, for example, it is often sufficient to do things in the browser and the Facebook app knows about them. Now you can prohibit an app from precisely this tracking without having any disadvantage. With iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 you will be asked automatically when the time comes.
Information on authorizations directly with the download
In the future, Apple will display a short pop-up directly in the store before the download, in which the developer must precisely define which data is collected about the user. So you can decide against a data-hungry app before the installation.