This is entirely untrue. You can sniff the outgoing connections to see what data is being sent. Here's instructions for how to do it on a Mac: https://medium.com/@jamesmarino/monitoring-ios-https-network...
On Windows, a similar thing can be achieved through Fiddler.
Apple's biggest claim to fame in the last few years has been defending users' privacy. It is in their best interest to be as transparent about this as possible because any revelation that they are publicly saying X and privately doing the opposite is going to completely tank them as a company. They're not about to jeopardize their entire company by going so far as concealing tracking information in other information that is transmitted from the device. Especially while at the same time going so far as implementing many security and privacy features like FileVault, E2E encryption, and the Secure Enclave. Everything they have said and done, and analysis of the data that leaves their devices points to them not doing it.
Sure, it's theoretically possible. But it's about as far from probable as Pluto is from Earth.
The vast majority of Apple's buyers don't know or don't care about privacy. To assert "this is their biggest claim to fame" is ludicrous.
>It is in their best interest to be as transparent about this as possible
This is still the only argument for Apple that I've ever seen. They maybe aren't doing this, because maybe it doesn't make business sense for them, and maybe we could detect it if they were. Nothing about this is solid; for me it's just wishful thinking.
>any revelation that they are publicly saying X and privately doing the opposite is going to completely tank them as a company
Literally hundreds of companies have been caught doing the exact same thing and next to none of them have "tanked".
>Especially while at the same time going so far as implementing many security and privacy features like [...] Secure Enclave.
The Secure Enclave is an unauditable chip running god knows what software. Completely outside your control; someone else has the power to dictate what it does and doesn't do. The notion of paying money for my device and having it subject to the control of someone else is... like buying a car with my own money and having it be controlled by someone else.
The users don't care, but the media and government are going to pounce on whatever they can, especially the government after the FBI debacle and subsequent refusals to cooperate. If you don't think such a revelation isn't going to completely upheave the company, then you're the one that's being ludicrous. Just because the end user doesn't care now doesn't mean they can't be made to care with the right messaging from someone who takes advantage of such a discovery.
> This is still the only argument for Apple that I've ever seen. They maybe aren't doing this, because maybe it doesn't make business sense for them, and maybe we could detect it if they were. Nothing about this is solid; for me it's just wishful thinking.
Did you somehow miss my grandparent comment, or just decide to completely ignore it because it doesn't fit your narrative? If you don't trust them, then go do what I said to do in said comment and audit the data that is being sent by the device to their servers. This isn't rocket science, it literally takes a few minutes to set up. Just because you don't want to doesn't mean that trusting them is somehow the only option you have. And just because you don't see the source code doesn't mean you can't possibly know what data is being collected and sent. That's literally the whole reason these MitM proxies exist -- to inspect data leaving your device for various purposes.
> like buying a car with my own money and having it be controlled by someone else.
So, what already happens today and has been happening for at least a decade now?
Apple at least has that case whith FBI, anti-proprietary activists have just their doubts. Would be interesting to read some story about traffic analysis with some suspicious activities, but all I see is just compilation of doubts and talks about what is possible.
So it's pretty safe to say that yes, you can trust Apple.
I suspect we would all know if Apple were spying on us. Really think there still secrets anymore?
I'm certain that decades hence we will be shocked to discover what is going on now, under our noses.
Says you (and say them).
>I can imagine what it could be (mistrust of closed source, big corporations) but they never say so.
Yes, that's exactly it. With proprietary software I have no idea what my device is doing. Maybe they're spying on me! Maybe they aren't! Who knows!
The reasoning behind the people that say "Apple respects privacy" is always "because they say so".