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Apple promotes privacy in giant building ad at CES 2019

Apple is rallying behind its stance on privacy, as this enormous building ad at CES 2019 demonstrates.

Brittany Vincent

January 7, 2019 3:15 PM

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Apple is touting the security benefits of owning an iPhone as journalists descend on CES 2019.

The company, who isn't known for making appearances at the tech show, put up an enormous ad talking about iPhone privacy on the side of a SpringHill Suites by Marriott hotel. Just in time for CES, it's positioned so everyone can see it, as the hotel is right by the Las Vegas Convention Center. Apple knows what it's doing. 

Engadget's Chris Velazco snapped a photo of the banner, which says "What happens on your iPhone, stays on your iPhone." This is an obvious, joking nod to the adage you've likely heard about Las Vegas: "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas." There's also an image of an iPhone XS to drive the point home.

Apple never shows up at CES, so I can’t say I saw this coming. pic.twitter.com/8jjiBSEu7z

— Chris Velazco (@chrisvelazco) January 4, 2019

Apple is obviously providing commentary on some of the devices with less strict policies on privacy and information sharing that are on display at CES 2019. It's hard not to think that, at least, when it's placed exactly where it is. Apple also usually refrains from joining the conversation around CES in an official manner, so this is a new and interesting move for the company.

The tongue-in-cheek ad obviously refers to Apple's privacy-minded business focus, including its proprietary messaging system, ecosystem, and operating system overall. Apple has, time and time again, looked to make itself stand out from the rest of the crowd in terms of smart devices and companies like Google and Facebook, using its selective techniques and technology.

Google, on the other hand, has been faced with several questions regarding privacy and security, as has Facebook in the past. Despite this, Google and Apple do work closely together, and Google is the default search engine on iPhones. It remains to be seen what Apple's end goal for this ad is, but one thing's for sure: Apple is causing a lot of commotion at CES for not actually being there.

Brittany Vincent

Senior Editor

Fueled by horror, rainbow-sugar-pixel-rushes, and video games, Brittany is a Senior Editor at Shacknews who thrives on surrealism and ultraviolence. Follow her on Twitter @MolotovCupcake and check out her portfolio for more. Like a fabulous shooter once said, get psyched!