IOS 13 API Change Questioned by VoIP App Developers

As iOS 13, Apple introduced a change that limits the practice of collecting data from VoIP, which has consequences for messaging apps like Facebook's Messenger and WhatsApp.

As we explained, as of iOS 13 the background processes of these apps will be restricted to work only with the calls themselves, preventing them from capturing user data or performing other tasks. This will be possible by limiting the framework Pushkit, which was being used for data collection purposes.

However, the changes affect not only the software giant of Menlo Park, but also the products of other developers who are striving to revise their apps to protect the key features of their software that may be compromised by the changes, as disclosed by The information.

Among the apps that are running out of time to fit Apple's new privacy guidelines are Signal, Wickr, Threema and Wire, a spokeswoman for Threema said, for example, that changes announced by Apple may result "in the opposite objective that they should achieve".

Similarly, Wickr Vice President Tom Leavy said the changes could be made, but that this requires "a significant unexpected engineering effort." He says developers of encrypted messaging apps are “exploring alternative tools on iOS,” but none even offer as many options as PushKit.

Apple will give until April 2020 for developers to comply with PushKit API changes; however, those who want to upgrade their apps to iOS 13 and take advantage of Ma's new mobile operating system features should embrace PushKit restrictions as soon as possible.

via MacRumors