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I've installed google Hangouts, and then installed google Meet (two separate apps). I logged in on Hangouts, and when I opened Meet, it asked whether I want to sign in with the same account. Same happens on Youtube, Gmail and other google apps.

I don't see this entered google account on "Accounts" tab in iOS Settings, so I suppose they use some reliable device tracking mechanism across all their apps. So the questions I have are:

  1. Which mechanism/APIs are they using?
  2. Does the same account show up to google when I visit google services from Safari and other WebKit browsers?
  3. Although convenient for the end user, wouldn't it be a breach of user's privacy and iOS privacy policies?

Thanks

O.W.Grant
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  • https://developer.apple.com/documentation/bundleresources/entitlements/com_apple_security_application-groups. It isn't a privacy issue since all of the apps are from Google. – Paulw11 May 15 '21 at 18:49
  • Is there any way to view/control this "group app data" from iOS or Mac (with connected iOS device)? – O.W.Grant May 15 '21 at 20:24

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Apps from the same developer can share files, user defaults, and keychain items. You have to add the right entitlements to the apps and you have to be quite careful as a developer with keychain items, but it’s not difficult.

I don’t think end users can’t see this in any way. Apple could reject the apps if they think the use of this feature is inappropriate but in your case I’d expect no problem.

The feature is also often needed when you add any extensions to your app.

gnasher729
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  • Thanks @gnasher729, I suppose there is no way to view what info apps store and share between each other, unless the device is jailbroken? Also, I suppose This info is not removed from the device, not even if all the apps from this developer were uninstalled, unless the device is reset to factory defaults? – O.W.Grant May 18 '21 at 13:26