Apple: Don't use Google Chrome

Apple recently chose to launch a "total attack" on its rival from Google. Photo: MacRumors .

In a surprising move, Apple has issued a warning to all iPhone users, calling out rival Google by name. The company has outlined the privacy risks associated with Google's popular browser, and is actively promoting Safari as a safer option.

“Switch to a browser that protects your privacy. Safari has modern features that help you fight tracking and hide your IP address from trackers. Unlike Chrome, Safari actually helps protect your privacy,” Apple asserts.

On its homepage, Apple goes even further, publishing a detailed comparison chart between Safari and Chrome. It focuses on issues like cookie tracking, URL tracking, IP address masking, malicious extension protection, and tracker blocking.

Apple calls out Google Chrome on its home page. Photo: Apple.

Similarly, Microsoft is also warning Windows users about Chrome. The company even includes ads for its Edge browser during installation, promoting Edge as a "safe browsing" solution with "the same technology as Chrome, but more trusted by Microsoft."

According to the results released by Apple, Safari met all the safety criteria, while Chrome did not score any points. This is considered a similar strategy to Microsoft, which also released its own comparison chart between Edge and Chrome browsers.

One thing Apple doesn’t mention in its comparison chart, however, is digital fingerprinting. This covert form of device tracking was revived by Google in 2025, after previously being banned due to privacy concerns.

This form of silent tracking combines multiple device characteristics to create a unique “fingerprint” that follows users across websites, and there's currently no way to turn it off.

Apple has found a way to prevent this, however. Safari's "Enhanced Tracking and Fingerprinting Protection" has been enabled by default for private browsing for a while. With iOS 26, it's now enabled by default for all browsing.

Microsoft also warned about Chrome on its own Edge browser. Photo: Cryptonomist.

When it detects fingerprint trackers, it throws out a bunch of junk data, making it difficult to identify a user's device. This works well on Safari, but if you use Chrome on your iPhone, you won't be protected in the same way.

Last year, Apple mocked Google in an ad campaign called "Flock." The video demonstrated how Safari protects users from other browsers tracking their phones.

At the time, Apple didn't mention Chrome at all, only hinting at "other browsers." This time, however, Apple has pointed the finger at Chrome on its website, in a merciless attack.

Despite warnings from both Microsoft and Apple, Google Chrome continues to grow strongly, suggesting that users seem unaffected by these campaigns.

This is seen as a problem for Apple, especially when the browser market is preparing to face disruption from AI technology. However, Apple has continued to raise the warning level, although the effectiveness is not clear.

Source: https://znews.vn/apple-dung-dung-google-chrome-post1587158.html