iOS 16 could expand iCloud Private Relay to hide even more data

As part of its new iCloud+ subscription service unveiled at WWDC 2021, Apple launched iCloud Private Relay. The iCloud Private Relay feature allows users to send requests to two different internet relays, to hide user data.

The feature is currently available to iCloud+ subscribers as an opt-in “beta” feature, but a new report suggests that may change with iOS 16 this year…

A new report from Digiday this week cites “several sources” in saying that Apple is planning a handful of new features for iOS 16 this year to further crack down on tracking of user data. One of the industry sources cited in the article is Charles Manning, CEO of mobile analytics measurement company, Kochava.

Manning stated that Apple would increase its privacy focus through expanding Private Relay:

The logistical implications of policy enforcement combined with Apple’s legacy of creating technical guardrails indicates that they’ll be relying on Private Relay as the (or partial) technical enforcement mechanism.

I believe Apple will say that Private Relay is a hit with customers and will make it an in-app feature.

As it stands today, iCloud Private Relay primarily works for iCloud+ subscribers for Safari traffic. It doesn’t work for most other in-app traffic outside of Safari and certain features in Mail. If the sources quoted in this report are correct, however, Apple could expand Private Relay as an always-on feature for other in-app traffic.

Another important thing to remember is that Apple already does some IP routing for Safari users when they visit HTTP websites. All users are affected regardless of whether they have iCloud+ subscriptions with iCloud Privacy Relay enabled.

Although the details are not clear, it isn’t surprising that industry sources claim Apple plans to make further privacy-preserving improvements. One possibility that some sources have suggested is that Apple could eliminate app fingerprinting altogether with iOS 16, but details on implementation of such a change are unclear.