Apple has announced an expansion to its end-to-end encryption to several new sensitive data categories for users who enable a new Advanced Data Protection setting coming to users in the US by the end of the year, offering end-to-end encryption for iCloud Backup, Notes, Photos, and more.
Coming to all users around the world early next year, Advanced Data Protection will take the total number of sensitive data categories using end-to-end encryption to 23, up from 17 currently, leaving the only major iCloud data categories not covered being iCloud Mail, Contacts, and Calendar because of the need to interoperate with the global email, contacts, and calendar systems.
“Apple makes the most secure mobile devices on the market. And now, we are building on that powerful foundation,” said Ivan Krstić, Apple’s head of Security Engineering and Architecture. “Advanced Data Protection is Apple’s highest level of cloud data security, giving users the choice to protect the vast majority of their most sensitive iCloud data with end-to-end encryption so that it can only be decrypted on their trusted devices.”
With the new Advanced Data Protection feature, Apple will additionally offer end-to-end encryption for Device Backups and Messages Backups, iCloud Drive, Notes, Photos, Reminders, Voice Memos, Safari Bookmarks, Siri Shortcuts, and Wallet Passes.
An official release date for the initial roll out of the Advanced Data Protection setting hasn’t been confirmed, but it is likely the feature will be included with the release of iOS 16.2, which is slated to arrive before the end of the year.