Apple Says iOS 8 Update Keeps Data Private, Even From the Police

Timothy D. Cook, Apple’s chief executive, announcing features in the company’s new mobile operating system, iOS 8, in June.Credit John G. Mabanglo/European Pressphoto Agency

Apple wants to make clear that it wants nobody snooping around in your device, not even the police.

The company said Wednesday night that its latest software system, iOS 8, included deep protection of the information stored on Apple mobile devices. So deep, in fact, that Apple says it has become technically impossible for it to comply with government warrants asking for customer information like photos, email, messages, contacts, call history and notes, to be extracted from devices.

The company said all this information was under the protection of a customer’s passcode, the four-digit number used to log in to the device. In the past, Apple was able to extract certain types of information from devices, even when they were locked with a passcode, in response to a valid search warrant.

The new security in iOS 8 protects information stored on the device itself, but not data stored on Apple’s cloud service. So Apple will still be able to hand over some customer information stored on iCloud in response to government requests.

Apple announced the revised privacy policy on its new privacy webpage, apple.com/privacy, which included a letter written by Timothy D. Cook, Apple’s chief.

“Unlike our competitors, Apple cannot bypass your passcode and therefore cannot access this data,” the company said on the new webpage. “So it’s not technically feasible for us to respond to government warrants for the extraction of this data from devices in their possession running iOS 8.”

Christopher Soghoian, a principal technologist for the American Civil Liberties Union, said Apple’s new privacy policy reflected the revelations of the government surveillance programs revealed in documents leaked by Edward J. Snowden. “The public has said they want companies to put their privacy first, and Apple has listened,” Mr. Soghoian said.

The new webpage includes explanations of what types of information Apple does and does not collect, and why. It also lists Apple’s latest so-called transparency reports, which break down how, when and why it handles requests from law enforcement or government agencies seeking information about customers.

In addition, the webpage teaches consumers how to turn on important security features, like two-step verification, to protect themselves from hackers.

In his letter, Mr. Cook emphasized that Apple was unlike other Internet companies that benefit from collecting customer data and sharing it with third parties, like advertisers.

“Our business model is very straightforward: We sell great products,” he said. “We don’t build a profile based on your email content or web browsing habits to sell to advertisers.”

Apple’s ability to protect customer information was openly questioned after a number of celebrities discovered that hackers broke into their Apple accounts, stole nude or provocative photos, and posted those photos on the Internet.

After that episode, Mr. Cook said the company would strengthen some security measures for iCloud, and work harder to educate consumers on protecting their accounts.

An Apple spokeswoman declined to comment beyond the statements in Mr. Cook’s letter.