At WWDC 2021, Apple announced a new privacy feature that would better protect the users’ data when browsing on the internet. However, the Privacy Relay feature will not be available in China, which is a major market for the company.
For those unaware, the Cupertino based giant has just held its Worldwide Developers Conference on Monday (7th June 2021) where it revealed “Privacy Relay.” This feature lets one browse the internet through Safari while their data being sent through two separate servers to better hide the users’ identity and prevent tracking of their online activity like which sites they are visiting. In other words, even the iPhone maker or the users’ network provider cannot see that data.
Essentially, this feature is a bit similar in function to a VPN (virtual private network), which is something used quite often in China to get around the Great Firewall in the region that lets the government block various websites from being accessed. But now, an Apple spokesperson told CNBC that the Private Relay feature will not be arriving in users in China. Furthermore, the feature will also skip certain other regions like Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Belarus, and even Uganda.
The company stated that the reason it is not launching the feature in the aforementioned countries is due to local laws. At the moment, the use of VPN to access blocked websites in China is illegal. Since the new Privacy Relay feature works in a similar manner, the brand could face trouble with the local authorities. Back in 2017, Apple even removed a number of VPN apps from its App Store to comply with the laws in the region.
RELATED:
- Apple watchOS 8 brings support for Ultra wideband technology & several new features
- Apple announces iOS 15 with improvements to Facetime, Apple Maps, and a few other tweaks
- Apple MagSafe in iPhones might pose a risk for people with pacemakers
