Apple’s latest transparency report shows a conspicuous spike in the number of iPhones and other devices that the tech giant gave the U.S. government access to during the final year of Joe Biden’s presidency.
The report, covering January through July of 2024, shows that Apple granted access to 10,377 American devices during that period — easily a record for the company and nearly double the 5,233 devices it gave access to in the sixth month period before it.
And that total is nearly triple the number of devices Apple granted the government access to during the same period in 2020, in the final year of Donald Trump’s first term.
Prior to 2024, Apple had never granted U.S. government access to more than 5,300 devices during a six month period before then, dating back to 2013.
Apple’s new report showed it approved 214% more government requests for devices during the first half of 2024 than it did during the second half of 2020 — the two most recent periods for both administrations — when it provided access to 3,304 devices.
Apple did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment on the spike in government requests that were both requested and approved during the first half of 2024.
When Apple gives access to devices like iPhones, Macs, and iPads, it is sharing data tied to the physical devices itself. If linked to the device, this can include customer information like their name, phone number, and the email associated with their Apple ID.
There was also a noticeable jump in the number of U.S. government requests for Apple account information that were granted during the first half of 2024.
Apple provided information on 11,567 accounts during that period — up 81% from the final period of Trump’s first term, and up 18% from the six month period prior.
Account information can include customer name, number, and email as mentioned above, but can also show details on how an account is linked to iCloud, the App Store, and other Apple services. It can also include photos, emails, and contacts in some cases.
Apple CEO Tim Cook has said customer privacy is a key issue for the company in recent years. In 2023, he called Apple a “privacy company” and said “privacy is a fundamental human right.”
