Apple's recent privacy changes for iPhones are signs it may look to tap into an internet advertising market dominated by Facebook and Google, an analyst at RBC Capital Markets said.
A 3D printed Apple logo is pictured on a keyboard in front of binary code in this illustration taken September 24, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustrationrecent privacy changes for iPhones are signs it may look to tap into an internet advertising market dominated by Facebook and Google, an analyst at RBC Capital Markets said.
The feature, which Apple calls App Tracking Transparency , has worried many digital advertising and mobile gaming companies including Facebook, which says it has made it more expensive and difficult for brands to advertise on its platforms."We view as a sign that Apple may want to compete in global advertising," RBC analyst Brad Erickson said in a client note late Thursday, while starting coverage of Facebook, Amazon and Alphabet with "outperform" ratings.
" can use data privacy as cover while it invests in a search algorithm behind the scenes," Erickson said, referring to potential advertising revenue from a Google-like search engine.