>Apple is a gatekeeper for them, not the other way around.

Given that Android has a 75% share[0] of the mobile OS market, that isn't really true. Apple is a gatekeeper for the 23% or so of mobile devices.

I think that giving end users control over what data about them is exfiltrated from their devices is a good thing. And assuming that applies to Apple apps as well, it sounds like a win for IOS users.

N.B.: I do not currently, nor have I ever owned an Apple device. Even the Apple ][ I built from a kit in high school was a clone and not Apple hardware.

[0] https://www.statista.com/statistics/272698/global-market-sha...

However, hasn't this happened just because they themselves wanted to be mobile first - mostly due to the fact that it was (and partially still is) a "virgin territory" in which abusing users privacy is easer? Sounds like they should only blame themselves...

Are you of the opinion that Apple increasing security and anonymity for the end user is a bad thing?