Apple has a Google Chrome warning for iPhone users

Apple is asking iPhone users to delete Google Chrome. The Cupertino-based tech giant claims that the popular browser threatens users’ digital privacy in its new “Privacy on iPhone: Flock” video. The short film, without explicitly naming Chrome, parodies Alfred Hitchcock’s 1963 thriller The Birds to illustrate how browser activity remains visible to trackers when you surf the web with Chrome. In the clip, iPhone users can be seen tailed by surveillance cameras as they browse; the cameras only stop—and ultimately burst—once the users switch to Safari. “Flock” is a clear nod to Google’s now-abandoned FLoC (Federated Learning of Cohorts) tracking technology, which was designed to serve relevant ads without monitoring individuals. Apple’s video highlights that even “privacy-focused” browsers can leak your data to trackers. By suggesting Safari, which is the only browser fully sandboxed within iOS, Apple reinforces its stance that true privacy requires sticking with its built-in tools rather than third-party alternatives.



Why Apple is warning iPhone users against Google Chrome

Apple’s video gained attention after Google announced that it will keep third-party cookies in Chrome, despite earlier promises to phase them out. This development has prompted Apple to promote Safari as “a browser that’s private.”

By allowing third-party cookies, Chrome enables websites and advertisers to track user activity for personalised ads—a major source of revenue for Google. Google had initially intended to eliminate these cookies and create a new, privacy-preserving ad system, but after the plan unravelled, the company chose to “maintain our current approach to offering users third-party cookie choice in Chrome.”

However, tracking cookies aren’t always harmful for users, they can introduce privacy risks and increase the likelihood of data leaks. As a result, iPhone users on Chrome will continue to be tracked unless they switch to Incognito Mode or manually clear their cookies.