The latest version of Apple's mobile software, iOS 10.3, is out now in public beta, and while some incoming features like a lost AirPods locator are easy to pick out, other additions may not be so obvious.
A new feature in iOS 10.3 lets users send Apple data gathered from iCloud, giving the tech giant the resources to improve its products and services, according to TechCrunch.
iCloud Analytics aims to securely gather information from users' iCloud data using what Apple calls differential privacy to ensure the information isn't traceable back to a person.
The feature's description also explicitly names Apple's digital assistant Siri as one of the services that would directly benefit from iCloud Analytics.
One of the most interesting changes in 10.3 – Apple will use differential privacy on iCloud user data to improve services (opt-in) pic.twitter.com/NKqrTee8FqJanuary 24, 2017
This feature is coming to light right after it was revealed Apple is a founding member of the Partnership on AI, a consortium of businesses including Microsoft, Google, and Amazon that collaborate on advancing and advocating artificial intelligence technology.
The partnership - combined with the data potentially available to Apple following the full release of iOS 10.3 - could greatly bolster the iPhone maker's AI development and help Siri stay competitive against the likes of Microsoft's Cortana or Amazon's Alexa.
For those worried about giving their information to Apple, the iCloud Analytics feature is opt-in, and users who change their mind are able to opt back out whenever they want by opening up their device's Settings, tapping "Privacy," then "Analytics," and finally turning off "Share iCloud Analytics."
