> Apple Watch Mail privacy issue found

Watch app bypasses iOS 15 privacy features

MAIL ON THE Apple Watch does not use the new privacy features in iOS 15, a security researcher has found.

Mail Privacy Protection, introduced with much fanfare in iOS 15, hides your location, prevents tracking, and stops senders using techniques such as hidden pixels to learn when you open an email. You need to switch this feature on, but even after you have done so, it turns out it does not operate if you view emails — or just preview them — on your Apple Watch.

Developer and security researcher Mysk found that both the Mail app and the notification preview on Apple Watch will download remote content embedded in an email using the device’s IP address, which allows tracking to occur.

What’s more, Apple Watch does not use iCloud Private Relay either. Mysk found that if you open links sent to you via iMessage on the Apple Watch, your real IP address will be exposed.

As we go to press, Apple has not yet commented, but it seems unlikely that it intended watchOS to undermine privacy features it is promoting as major upgrades in iOS and iPadOS.