Apple will publish privacy labels for preinstalled iOS apps on its website

One of the changes with iOS 14 is privacy labels, or “nutrition labels”, for apps available in the App Store. These are designed to give users a quick glance at what kind of data is collected/monitored by each app.

But some developers have taken umbrage with Apple over a perceived double-standard. For instance, the folks behind the mega-popular messaging app WhatsApp were worried that the broad information in the privacy labels would lead some customers not to download the app. And the double-standard comes in with Apple not having to promote the same nutrition labels for its own apps — including the perceived competitor Messages app.

However, it looks like Apple wants to make sure that developers know it’s putting the same magnifying glass over its own first-party apps as well. As noted today by MacRumors, Apple has confirmed it will be following the same requirements and guidelines for apps and privacy labels moving forward. So with apps that are available to download from the App Store, like Numbers, Podcasts, Apple Books, and others, those apps will have privacy nutrition labels on their landing pages just like all third-party apps.

And for preinstalled apps like Messages, Apple says it will put the nutrition labels for those apps on its website. What’s more, the privacy labels for those apps will be presented in the same way they are on the App Store, both for first- and third-party apps, so there shouldn’t be any confusion in that regard.

As of December 8, 2020, Apple now required all app developers to submit the new privacy information for their apps when they are submitted to the App Store. However, while this requirement is now enforced, there is no word from Apple when the privacy labels will make an appearance in the digital storefront.

You can find out more about privacy labels from Apple’s own resource.