Privacy-focused iCloud+ includes Private Relay browsing, Hide My Email, secure HomeKit cam...

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AppleInsiderAppleInsider
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in iCloud edited June 2021
Paid iCloud subscriptions will soon have access to an enhanced iCloud+ feature, including a Private Relay VPN, a new Hide My Email capability, and support for unlimited secure HomeKit video cameras.




Apple said iCloud paid subscriptions will include iCloud+ when it launches later this year, and at no extra cost, with the same iCloud pricing today.

The new Private Relay feature essentially acts as a VPN, allowing users to browse with Safari more securely and privately. Apple noted that network providers and websites combine users' identities and browsing history to develop a profile, which Private Relay will help prevent.




Using Private Relay, traffic leaving a user's device is encrypted and sent through two internet relays. With this, no one -- including Apple -- will see who a user is or what websites they are visiting.

The new Hide My Email feature will be built into Mail, Safari, and iCloud settings, allowing users to set up as many temporary email addresses as they need and delete them at any time.




iCloud+ will also offer built-in support for HomeKit secure video cameras, allowing users to connect unlimited cameras. And any recordings saved to iCloud+ will not count against a user's iCloud storage.

Apple's iCloud service will also continue to offer photos, backup, and iCloud Drive, just as it does today for the same price. The iCloud+ add-on will be for paid subscribers at the same price.

Follow all of WWDC 2021 with comprehensive AppleInsider coverage of the week-long event from June 7 through June 11, including details on iOS 15, iPadOS 15, watchOS 8, macOS Monterey and more.

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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 20
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,712member
    Hide my email will be a useful feature I don't currently have. 
    docno42Alex_Vjony0
     3Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 2 of 20
    docno42docno42 Posts: 3,761member
    Heh - Apple just Sherlocked VPN providers - many of which are pretty sketchy in and of themselves  :p
    jas99Alex_Vwatto_cobrajony0
     4Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 3 of 20
    mubailimubaili Posts: 455member
    need to learn more details about this. would this feature be available in China? And is it limited to only safari?
    watto_cobra
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 4 of 20
    DAalsethdaalseth Posts: 3,199member
    docno42 said:
    Heh - Apple just Sherlocked VPN providers - many of which are pretty sketchy in and of themselves  :p
    True. I’ve been happy with NORD, but if I could get it as part of my iCloud subscription it’ll save me a few bucks. Plus like you said, I’d trust Apple over most any third party company with my data.
    williamlondonjas99patchythepiratewatto_cobrabaconstangjony0
     6Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 5 of 20
    lam92103lam92103 Posts: 152member
    First time in years that I am finally excited about the new things Apple is bringing. More tech leadership & cross platform apps too, which is great. 
    williamlondonpatchythepiratewatto_cobrajony0
     4Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 6 of 20
    hmlongcohmlongco Posts: 609member
    Yes and no. One common VPN feature a lot go people use is routing though other countries, and Private Relay doesn't do that.

    That said, it's doing most of what people use VPN's for... and in typical no-fuss, no-muss Apple fashion.

    I've never really trusted most VPN services anyway. There are a ton of options... and how do you know that they're doing what they say that they're doing anyway? How do you know that THEY aren't mining your data? 

    Heck, how do you know that XYZ-VPN isn't a NSA front???
    StrangeDaysjas99Alex_Vwilliamlondondocno42hcrefugeepatchythepiratewatto_cobrajony0
     9Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 7 of 20
    zimmiezimmie Posts: 651member
    docno42 said:
    Heh - Apple just Sherlocked VPN providers - many of which are pretty sketchy in and of themselves  :p
    The sketchiness of "VPN" providers is seriously underreported. In a lot of cases, you're avoiding snooping from your local telco in exchange for snooping from Moldovan telcos. The provider also has the ability to mess with your traffic, such as by inserting ads.

    I'm really looking forward to a technical analysis of how this works. If I understand it correctly from the non-technical description in the keynote, the FBI and NSA will be seriously upset, unlike their mostly-performative objections to device-level encryption.
    Alex_Vwilliamlondonhcrefugeepatchythepiratewatto_cobrajony0
     6Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 8 of 20
    michael_dmichael_d Posts: 2member
    Is Private RelayiPhone only? No other device shown in the segment demoing it. No mention of it available on the holy quinternity of OS’s. 
    watto_cobra
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 9 of 20
    auxioauxio Posts: 2,780member
    One of the biggest announcements of the day.  As people here have said, I never really trusted VPN services for privacy.  I mainly just used them to get access to TV and sports not available in my region.  Looking forward to this!
    williamlondonhcrefugeewatto_cobra
     3Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 10 of 20
    22july201322july2013 Posts: 3,794member
    hmlongco said:
    Heck, how do you know that XYZ-VPN isn't a NSA front???
    That's a valid point, but I'm more worried about some of them being CCP or CCCP fronts. Remember who has nukes pointed at you.
    docno42patchythepiratewatto_cobra
     2Likes 0Dislikes 1Informative
  • Reply 11 of 20
    Alex_Valex_v Posts: 278member
    22july2013 said:
    hmlongco said:
    Heck, how do you know that XYZ-VPN isn't a NSA front???
    That's a valid point, but I'm more worried about some of them being CCP or CCCP fronts. Remember who has nukes pointed at you.

    Remember who collects taxes from you, and has people in congress representing you? That’s where you have a say. 
    watto_cobra
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 12 of 20
    22july201322july2013 Posts: 3,794member
    Alex_V said:
    22july2013 said:
    hmlongco said:
    Heck, how do you know that XYZ-VPN isn't a NSA front???
    That's a valid point, but I'm more worried about some of them being CCP or CCCP fronts. Remember who has nukes pointed at you.
    Remember who collects taxes from you, and has people in congress representing you? That’s where you have a say. 
    I'm one of the 50% of readers who are not from America. Also, I'm not sure what you're trying to imply.
    watto_cobra
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 13 of 20
    entropysentropys Posts: 4,384member
    Does it still reveal country you reside in?
    How is subscription services geosyncing still enabled?

    also the temporary iCloud extension when upgrading your device is a nice feature, but why not just generally increase storage across the board too, especially for those that pay? Seems a bit Scrooge like, negating the good press about the temporary storage increase.

    anyway, 5GB in the free tier seems a bit too small these days.
    edited June 2021
    williamlondon
     0Likes 0Dislikes 1Informative
  • Reply 14 of 20
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,712member
    mubaili said:
    need to learn more details about this. would this feature be available in China? And is it limited to only safari?
    Apple says it will not be available in China, nor will it be offered in several others including Colombia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkmenistan, Uganda, and the Philippines.
    jony0
     0Likes 0Dislikes 1Informative
  • Reply 15 of 20
    hammeroftruthhammeroftruth Posts: 1,369member
    22july2013 said:
    Alex_V said:
    22july2013 said:
    hmlongco said:
    Heck, how do you know that XYZ-VPN isn't a NSA front???
    That's a valid point, but I'm more worried about some of them being CCP or CCCP fronts. Remember who has nukes pointed at you.
    Remember who collects taxes from you, and has people in congress representing you? That’s where you have a say. 
    I'm one of the 50% of readers who are not from America. Also, I'm not sure what you're trying to imply.
    Maybe subtly implying those things are related. 
    Alex_Vwatto_cobra
     2Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 16 of 20
    hammeroftruthhammeroftruth Posts: 1,369member
    entropys said:
    Does it still reveal country you reside in?
    How is subscription services geosyncing still enabled?

    also the temporary iCloud extension when upgrading your device is a nice feature, but why not just generally increase storage across the board too, especially for those that pay? Seems a bit Scrooge like, negating the good press about the temporary storage increase.

    anyway, 5GB in the free tier seems a bit too small these days.
    You can always get free google photos right? /s
    williamlondonwatto_cobra
     2Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 17 of 20
    beowulfschmidtbeowulfschmidt Posts: 2,390member
    docno42 said:
    Heh - Apple just Sherlocked VPN providers - many of which are pretty sketchy in and of themselves  :p
    Maybe, maybe not.

    First, researching VPN providers' reliability and security is important.  Yes, that evaluation can be hard.  It's your security though, so attend to that as your needs dictate.

    Second, most of the other VPN products on the market allow changing one's region, which the Apple product apparently does not.  The others are also cross platform, allowing use across all of a user's devices, regardless of whether they are Apple, Android, Windows, or *nix.  I'm reasonably certain Apple won't be doing that at any point in the near future.

    So there's still a market for other VPN products.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 18 of 20
    hmlongcohmlongco Posts: 609member
    hmlongco said:
    Heck, how do you know that XYZ-VPN isn't a NSA front???
    That's a valid point, but I'm more worried about some of them being CCP or CCCP fronts. Remember who has nukes pointed at you.
    Related: https://gizmodo.com/encrypted-messaging-app-run-by-the-fbi-leads-to-arrest-1847051248
    watto_cobra
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 19 of 20
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,712member
    hmlongco said:
    hmlongco said:
    Heck, how do you know that XYZ-VPN isn't a NSA front???
    That's a valid point, but I'm more worried about some of them being CCP or CCCP fronts. Remember who has nukes pointed at you.
    Related: https://gizmodo.com/encrypted-messaging-app-run-by-the-fbi-leads-to-arrest-1847051248
    Huh, the FBI was doing a targeted criminal investigation. No doubt the Chinese restrict, control, and monitor for the same reason.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 20 of 20
    nicholfdnicholfd Posts: 828member
    michael_d said:
    Is Private RelayiPhone only? No other device shown in the segment demoing it. No mention of it available on the holy quinternity of OS’s. 
    It is iCloud+ subscription only (buying more iCloud storage), not device dependent.  I fully expect macOS, iOS & iPadOS to fully support it.
    watto_cobra
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
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