> Shouldn't users also give consent to what they share with Apple?
You give consent to share data with a company when you share it with that company. This straightforward relationship isn't an issue so long as the company's use of your data is in line with your expectations.
When you want to know what a company's incentives are, look at their financials. Money is the great truth teller. Does Apple have sources of revenue which rely upon use of customers' private data? I'm not aware of any.
Now ask the opposite question. Does Apple have a financial incentive to be a good steward of their customers' data? This is a very clear yes, as evidenced by their highlighting of privacy as a distinguishing feature. While it's stupid to trust a company's marketing, it's important to appreciate that Apple have wilfully staked a large part of their reputation on customer privacy. That would have been a monumentally stupid move if they weren't intending to live up to it.
> they put Apple first above everything else
A weird accusation. Setting aside immutable truths about the motivations of any corporation, Apple has famously placed their customers ahead of many other external concerns. Case in point—where they have actively defied the wishes of the FBI (and similar arms of many world governments) in the implementation of robust on-device encryption and cryptographic security.
> I only see them getting an exclusive view of user behavior on their devices.
Yes, and? Tell me, who are these other people that should have access to my data? Damn right it should be exclusive to Apple—people are paying them good money to be a trustworthy steward of their data.
You give consent to share data with a company when you share it with that company. This straightforward relationship isn't an issue so long as the company's use of your data is in line with your expectations.
When you want to know what a company's incentives are, look at their financials. Money is the great truth teller. Does Apple have sources of revenue which rely upon use of customers' private data? I'm not aware of any.
Now ask the opposite question. Does Apple have a financial incentive to be a good steward of their customers' data? This is a very clear yes, as evidenced by their highlighting of privacy as a distinguishing feature. While it's stupid to trust a company's marketing, it's important to appreciate that Apple have wilfully staked a large part of their reputation on customer privacy. That would have been a monumentally stupid move if they weren't intending to live up to it.
> they put Apple first above everything else
A weird accusation. Setting aside immutable truths about the motivations of any corporation, Apple has famously placed their customers ahead of many other external concerns. Case in point—where they have actively defied the wishes of the FBI (and similar arms of many world governments) in the implementation of robust on-device encryption and cryptographic security.
> I only see them getting an exclusive view of user behavior on their devices.
Yes, and? Tell me, who are these other people that should have access to my data? Damn right it should be exclusive to Apple—people are paying them good money to be a trustworthy steward of their data.