The Gmail app for iOS displays an outdated warning after 2 months without updates, as Google delays privacy labels [Updated]

While Google has promised to update its app package with app privacy labels to comply with the App Store rules that Apple started applying in December, many of its top apps have gone months without an update and still don’t list privacy information.

In fact, it’s been so long since Google last updated the Gmail app that Gmail now displays a warning that the latest security features are not available. As discovered by the Techmeme editor Spencer Dailey, when you sign in to a new account in the Gmail iOS app, it gives you a warning that you should upgrade and suggests that you only continue with the login “if you understand the risks.”

Unfortunately, there is no update available for the Gmail app. Version 6.0.201115 of the Gmail app is the only available version of Gmail for iPhone and iPad and has not been updated since December 1.

On January 5, Google said it would add privacy data to its application catalog “this week or next week”, but on January 20, most applications had not yet been updated with application privacy labels.

Since then, Google has been adding labels to apps like YouTube, but major apps like Gmail, Google Search, Google Photos, Google Maps and others still lack privacy details. Even in apps that won with labels, there were no features or security updates for the most part.

It’s still unclear why Google is taking so long to add app privacy labels to its iOS apps, and there’s still no word on when Gmail will receive an update. Google regularly updates its Android apps, and the latest update for the Gmail Android app was released on February 9th.

There has been speculation that Google is hesitant to provide privacy label data because of the negative feedback that other companies like Facebook have received, but there is still no confirmed explanation.

Application privacy labels have been required since iOS 14.3 and are designed to provide customers with details about what data an application collects from them so that they can make an informed choice when choosing to install an application. Application developers are required to report privacy information on their own on the ‌‌App Store‌‌, and developers must identify all data collection and use cases.

Update: Google has released a server update that removes the outdated notice when trying to sign in to a new account in the Gmail app.