Apple’s iPhone privacy changes signal desire to enter advertising 

Apple’s  recent privacy changes for iPhones are signs it may look to tap into an internet advertising market dominated by Facebook and Google, an analyst at RBC Capital Markets said.

Since an April software update, most iPhones have allowed users to decide which apps can track user activity - crucial information that helps companies like Facebook deliver tailored ads to users and measure their impact.

The feature, which Apple calls App Tracking Transparency (ATT), has worried many digital advertising and mobile gaming companies including Facebook, which says it has made it more expensive and difficult for brands to advertise on its platforms. 

“We view (the privacy changes) as a sign that Apple may want to compete in global advertising,” RBC analyst Brad Erickson said in a client note late Thursday, while starting coverage of Facebook, Amazon and Alphabet with “outperform” ratings.