Apple To Let Users Opt In To Share iCloud Data

Apple’s next version of its mobile platform will enable users of its iOS to opt in to a program in which their iCloud data is shared so Apple can enhance its software products.

According to a report by TechCrunch, Apple is behind its rivals in using data to develop machine-learning technologies and incorporating them into its software and services. That data mining is becoming important so that Apple can offer users a more personalized experience in which it can predict things based on their data. One of the reasons Apple has lagged behind the likes of Google in data mining is because it has been a champion of user privacy. While that has served as a differentiator, it is now facing competitive pressures to get into machine learning and artificial intelligence in a bigger way and thus the new program. Its particularly true right now with hardware growth starting to slow. Apple is facing more pressure to innovate in services, noted the report.

With iOS 10.3, TechCrunch reported Apple will expand its access to user data through iCloud to gain insights that can be used to improve Siri, its virtual voice assistant. Apple is hoping the iCloud data will enable it to enhance the voice recognition abilities of Siri and improve the results Siri delivers. Apple was early in the voice assistant market, launching Siri well before Amazon’s Alexa splashed on the scene. Now, most of the leading technology players have a voice assistant with more coming to market this year. By being able to access user data, the idea is the technology companies — in this case, Apple — can improve their AI offerings. Users in Apple’s program can choose to opt out of sharing their iCloud data whenever they want.