Apple has issued a strong warning to iPhone users, advising them to stop using the Google Chrome browser. The company shared a clear message, saying that Safari offers much better privacy protection compared to Chrome. According to Apple, Safari prevents advertisers and websites from creating a digital fingerprint of a user’s device. The company says Safari uses a simplified system configuration so that many devices appear identical to trackers, making it harder for anyone to identify and follow a specific user.
Digital fingerprinting has become a growing concern once again, especially after Google lifted its ban on this technology. Many users are unaware of how fingerprinting works because it is a complex technique and cannot be disabled. It collects several small pieces of information from your phone, such as system details, browser settings, and hardware information, and then combines them to build a trackable profile. This profile can follow you across websites even if you block cookies or use private browsing modes.
Apple also highlighted that it is not the only company trying to block this type of tracking. Mozilla Firefox has offered tools to fight fingerprinting in the past. However, Apple says Safari now adds even stronger protection through AI-based tracking prevention. It also includes defenses against location harvesting and improves privacy in private browsing mode. Apple claims Chrome does not offer these protections.
In what seemed like a direct jab at Google, Apple also said that Safari works smoothly with Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Google Slides. The company added that its warning is not limited to Chrome alone but covers other Google apps as well.
Each time you browse the internet, small bits of your device information leak out—your browser type, installed fonts, operating system, time zone, screen size, and many other details. When combined, these bits create a unique digital signature known as a fingerprint. Websites and advertisers can use this fingerprint to track you across the web even if you try to block cookies or browse in incognito mode.
Shivam Verma is a journalist with over three years of experience in digital newsrooms. He currently works at NewsX, having previously worked for Firstpost and DNA India. A postgraduate diploma holder in Integrated Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, Shivam focuses on international affairs, diplomacy, defence, and politics. Beyond the newsroom, he is passionate about football—both playing and watching—and enjoys travelling to explore new places and cuisines.
