Google to add privacy labels to iOS applications as early as this week

Google has refuted reports that it is delaying updates to its iOS apps on the Apple App Store because it was not ready to be transparent about the data it collects from its users. According to a report on Tuesday, Google is preparing to roll out privacy labels across its iOS app catalog 'as soon as this week or the next'.

A Google spokesperson confirmed the company has a plan to add privacy labels across its app catalog. Google said it is not the case that it is delaying iOS app updates because it doesn't want to comply with Apple's recently announced App Store Privacy Labels policy. The new Apple policy requires developers to disclose how data is collected from App Store users and used to track them. "Google also isn't the only major app publisher that delayed an immediate embrace of app privacy labels. Amazon and Pinterest haven't yet updated with privacy labels as of the time of writing, for example".

According to an earlier Fast Company report, not a single one of Google's iOS apps have been updated in almost a month. "After reviewing the latest release dates for all of Google's iOS apps, one reason for this lack of updates seems more likely than others: It could be related to Apple's new App Store privacy labels," the report had claimed. The last time any Google iOS app was updated was on December 7.

This includes updates to major Google apps like Google Drive, YouTube, Google Docs, Google Sheets, YouTube Music, Google Duo, Google Authenticator, and Gboard.