Apple warns of 'massive' issue that may affect more than 1 billion of its iPhone users

Tech heads think that Apple is issuing a big warning to a load of its users after its new billboard popped up in major cities across the globe.

While the tech giant has several competitors, many think this latest advert is taking aim at Google specifically.

Why? Because the billboard says that Safari - Apple's browser - is 'a browser that is actually private.'

Even though it didn’t mention Google by name and is not a direct attack on the company, many believe that the implication is there.

The billboard also adds: "Privacy. That's iPhone."

The ad comes after Google revealed this year that it collects user data - something that many people are a little shaky about in an era where third-party cookies are frowned upon.

Apple's new billboard has caused a stir (Getty Stock Images)

From San Francisco to London and Paris, the ad has been seen far and wide. They're on busses, public buildings and whatever else you can stick one on.

One person commented on San Francisco's billboard and wrote: “Seeing how Google settles a lawsuit for its incognito not being so incognito, there’s literally no doubt that this is playing off of that.”

Jake Moore, a global security advisor for cybersecurity company ESET told Forbes: “Google revealed earlier this year that it collects your data if you use Google Chrome, even if you use Incognito Mode.

“Personal data is so valuable to companies and when terms and conditions are so difficult to understand, it can be easy for users to simply allow companies to collect data at their will.”

A spokesperson for Google told DailyMail.com that the company is trying to keep 'data safe by default and ensuring users can control when and how their data is used in Chrome to personalise their web browsing experience.’

They said: “We believe users should always be in control, which is why we've built easy to use privacy and security settings directly into Chrome.”

The billboard gained massive attention. (X/PrivacyMatters)

In 2020, a class-action lawsuit claimed that Google was tracking users' web-browsing habits when they thought they were using a private browser setting.

Google managed to settle in April, but it had to delete billions of records which showed users’ private browsing activities.

David Boies, the attorney in the lawsuit, told ABC News at the time: “The settlement requires Google to delete and remediate, in unprecedented scope and scale, the data it improperly collected in the past.”

LADbible Group reached out to Apple and Google for comment.