Overview
- Researchers from Mysk shared screenshots and data on June 17 showing the App Store records separate, timestamped entries for each character a user types, which can reveal typing speed.
- The logged records come from Apple's official App Store Click Activity export available at privacy.apple.com, meaning the data is stored and tied to user accounts.
- Apple introduced the Personalized Collections feature at WWDC to surface tailored app recommendations that evolve from a user's downloads and activity, and the company says interaction logs help measure feature performance and integrity.
- Reporting across multiple outlets finds there is currently no user-facing setting in the App Store to disable capture of these detailed search and tap analytics.
- Privacy experts say retaining intermediate keystrokes and precise timings raises control and transparency concerns for users, especially in markets without alternative app stores, and could prompt calls for clearer limits or opt-out options.