Apple to withhold a new privacy feature in China

The latest compromise Apple makes on privacy in China, where it earns nearly 15 percent of its revenue.

Apple Inc says a new “private relay” feature designed to obscure a user’s web browsing behaviour from internet service providers and advertisers will not be available in China for regulatory reasons. The feature was one of a number of privacy protections Apple announced at its annual software developer conference on Monday, the latest in a years-long effort by the company to cut down on the tracking of its users by advertisers and other third parties. Apple’s decision to withhold the feature in China is the latest in a string of compromises the company has made on privacy in a country that accounts for nearly 15 percent of its revenue.