But its new patent says otherwise.
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Apple could use the technology to compare those user profiles “based on the amount of pre-paid credit available to each user”.
According to USA patent number 20150199725, filed by Apple in March 2015, the advertising system would stay on your phone and track the status of your debit and credit cards.
Basically, if you can’t afford it, you don’t see the ad. The upside of the approach is obvious: Better targeting, a holy grail for marketers which are constantly searching to make their ads more relevant to consumers.
Tim Cook is famously outspoken on data privacy, having fired shots at Silicon Valley rival Google only last month about its tendency to monetise on personal information. “An advantage of such targeted advertising is that advertisements for goods and services which particular users cannot afford are not delivered to these users”.
Apple wants to tap into your bank account for ads. “We think that’s wrong”.
Apple has always maintained that it is not in the business of selling customer data to advertising and marketing companies. Alternatively, … [the new system could arrange products on your screen] such that affordable items are shown on one side of the mobile terminal’s display screen, e.g., at a top of the screen, and others are shown on the opposite side, e.g., at a bottom of the screen. With this patent, Apple can guide the advertiser.
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I am seeing a lot of praise on social networks recently for the introduction of Apple Pay across Apple’s mobile devices because it’s so convenient not having to take your wallet out to pay, especially if you own the Apple Watch. But the documents do serve as instructive signals of where is Apple focusing its research and development might.
