Joe Rossignol (Hacker News):

Apple has agreed to make changes to its App Tracking Transparency feature in Germany, according to the country’s competition regulator.

[…]

In Germany, Apple has agreed to remove “possibly discouraging symbols and wording” from the App Tracking Transparency prompt, the regulator said. Apps will also be “given more scope to explain to users what significance personalized advertising has for their offering and their business model,” and the “freedom to combine the consent request required by Apple with the consent requests required under data protection law.”

Ben Lovejoy:

The FCO’s objection appears to be that Apple’s existing prompt is making app tracking sound scarier than it really is. The iPhone maker will make eight changes in order to address this – including removal of the word “track.”

Nick Heer:

The regulator helpfully offers an illustration of the differences between these prompts on the fourth page of its FAQs (PDF) about the case. There are many things they say could be deterrents in the App Tracking Transparency dialog, and I do not think Apple would deny that they are suggesting that users opt out of tracking. The definition of “tracking” Apple uses is self-serving, which would not matter so much if it did not also have a parallel desire to grow its advertising business.

[…]

A particularly damning finding in that comparison, to my eyes, is the way Apple puts “Ask App Not to Track” as the topmost button in the App Tracking Transparency dialog, but puts the option to “Turn Off Personalised Ads” at the bottom of it its own advertising prompt.

Previously:

• UK App Tracking Transparency Lawsuit
• Italy Fines Apple Over App Tracking Transparency
• Europe vs. App Tracking Transparency
• France Fines Apple Over App Tracking Transparency

Update (2026-09-18): Nick Heer:

Apple did not even bother to link to the specific section in its documentation. It is a shame because these changes are, for the most part, very good. There is a new prompt screen that addresses a complaint I have with App Tracking Transparency. Instead of being a small dialog box with almost no information, it is now a whole-screen sheet that describes the mechanism of tracking, and permits developers an option to link out to a page with a developer-provided explanation.

Developers are also now allowed to ask again for permission on an annual basis. Apple says this is “regardless of whether that choice was to accept or reject”, but I doubt many developers who got a green light the first time will ask again. This could be irritating, but Apple itself provides precedent for reminding users of their privacy preferences: iOS occasionally — perhaps every few months — reminds me that an app has access to my location or my photo library and asks me to confirm my choice.

And, of course, iOS and macOS themselves repeatedly prompt you to share information with Apple.

Antitrust App Tracking Transparency Apple iOS iOS 26 Legal