With the release of iOS 18, Apple has made significant changes to the operating system, and more updates are expected in the upcoming weeks with iOS 18.1 and beyond. These changes focus on the visual aspects of iOS, including a revamped Control Center and the introduction of Apple Intelligence.
A less talked about change in iOS 18 highlighted by The New York Times is the modification to the Contact Sync feature.
Contact Sync plays a crucial role in maintaining a consistent contacts list across all Apple devices, especially for essential apps like social networks.
When granting permission for apps to access your contacts list, iOS 18 now prompts a second message asking which contacts you wish to share. This provides users with more control over their contact privacy, aligning with Apple’s focus on user privacy.
While Apple sees this change as a privacy enhancement, developers express concerns about its potential impact on launching new apps, with some fearing it could hinder the success of friend-based social apps.
Despite criticisms, some believe that the change might benefit developers by encouraging users to selectively share contact information. This flexibility gives users more control over which contacts are shared with app developers.
Users now have the option to limit the contacts shared with apps, offering more privacy control. This change may pose challenges for new app developers trying to compete with established social platforms that already have extensive user data.
In conclusion, Apple’s update provides users with greater flexibility in managing their private information, marking a positive development in user privacy controls.
