Did Apple Just Tell You to Delete Chrome? Not Really — But Here’s Why It Still Matters

26 Apr

Written By Steve Barrett

Over the past week, you might’ve seen headlines across the web like:

“Apple tells iPhone users to delete Chrome.”

Sounds serious, right?

Except… that’s not exactly what happened.

Let’s break it down — and more importantly, explain why this is still worth your attention, even if you don’t follow tech news.

So, did Apple say that?

No. Not recently, and not directly.

The buzz comes from a 9-month-old Apple ad that just resurfaced. It’s called “Privacy on iPhone — Flock”, and it shows people being followed by cameras that look like birds as they are browsing online — a metaphor for third-party tracking.

At the end, Apple says:

“Privacy. That’s iPhone.”

But because Google recently delayed its plan to phase out third-party cookies in Chrome, (those tiny trackers advertisers use to follow you across different websites) the old ad is making rounds again. Some headlines are framing it like Apple just declared war on Chrome.

They didn’t. But…

Here’s what actually matters

Chrome (Google’s browser)

Tracks a lot. It builds a profile on you based on what you read, watch, buy, search, and scroll through. That data feeds ads — and a lot more.

Safari (Apple’s browser)

Blocks most of that tracking by default. It stops sites from following you around, hides your IP address, and doesn’t build a personal data profile.

Why this matters to you (even if you don’t care about browser wars)

Every time you use the internet — especially on your phone — you’re leaving a trail.

Chrome collects that trail. Safari quietly protects it.

It’s not just about privacy. It’s about:

Seeing fewer creepy ads
Not being followed around by things you almost bought
Reducing the amount of personal info floating around online
Making your digital life a little less noise

You don’t have to be “into tech” to care about that.

So, what should you do?

If you’re on an iPhone, Safari is already installed.

You don’t have to set anything up.

You don’t have to install anything.

You just start using it — and a lot of the tracking simply stops.

It’s not a massive change. But it is a smarter one.

The bottom line

No, Apple didn’t just say to delete Chrome.

But the idea behind the headlines?

Protecting your privacy is still a really good move.

Steve Barrett