In the modern days of the internet and mobile, people are generating an increasing amount of data. And that can be a problem.
The thing is, no one lives forever. People may do whatever they can to maintain their health and well-being. They may prolong their lives, but death will inevitably come.
And when that moment comes, friends and family members will grieve. But who will inherit the data?
This question has been asked more than numerous times. Big tech companies like Google and Facebook have ways to deal with this.
And finally, so does Apple.
Knowing that data can outlive their owners, the company has released an iOS update which, among other things, allow users to name "heirs" who can have access to their personal iCloud data when they passed away.
Calling it the 'Digital Legacy' program, first introduced through iOS 15.2 beta, it allows users to designate as many as five people as their ‘Legacy Contacts’.
Users can set up their Legacy Contacts in Settings on their Apple device.
If users use Family Sharing, they can easily choose family members from the list. Alternatively, they can add other people through their email or phone number.
When that is done, Apple will notify the people registered as the Legacy Contact, and share an access key.
If they accept, a copy of the access key will be automatically stored in their Apple ID settings. If they decline, they will then receive a notification.
It's only through this access key that Legacy Contact can get access to an account when the holder dies.
Of course, Apple is placing safeguards in place to ensure that Digital Legacy is only ever activated in the event of a death.
In this case, Apple requires those listed in the Legacy Contact to provide both a death certificate and the access key to gain access to anything stored inside the deceased person's iCloud account.
When Apple can confirm that the person is deceased, Legacy Contacts can then have access to the deceased person's photos, documents, purchase history, and other data stored inside the person's iCloud account.
It should be noted that the access is not forever.
Once Apple approves Legacy Contacts' access to the data, they are only given a limited time during which they can view or save whatever data is within.
After that, the account of the deceased will be deleted.
Previously, Apple made it essentially impossible for anyone, even family members of a deceased person, to get a hold of any data from the deceased person's iCloud account.
Apple has never given the way or method for anyone to retrieve any information regarding a deceased Apple user, and even Apple employees themselves were largely kept in the dark in that regard.
The only way to have access to one's iCloud account, is through the correct credentials, or through Apple mobile devices that don't have a lock screen. Otherwise, it's impossible to access the data inside a person's iCloud account.
But since death is inevitable and is going to happen to anyone sooner or later, there are certainly more than many deceased Apple users as days pass.
And here, Apple is finally implementing a more concrete system to allow trusted people of a deceased iCloud account holder to inherit their personal data.
This is called the "right for survivorship."
"Except as allowed under Digital Legacy and unless otherwise required by law, you agree that your Account is non-transferable and that any rights to your Apple ID or content within your Account terminate upon your death. Upon receipt of a copy of a death certificate your Account may be terminated and all content within your Account deleted," wrote Apple on its iCloud legal terms of service page.
While Legacy Contact needs to provide Apple all the necessary data before they can have access to a deceased person's account, the Digital Legacy feature is simplifying the process in a way that is much easier than ever before.
Previously, Apple required court order to confirm a right to inheritance. And even then, there was no guarantee the heirs would get access to the data.
Apple has touted itself as a company with core principles of protecting uses' privacy.
With Apple's Digital Legacy's Legacy Contacts, iOS and iPadOS users can finally build a digital checklist of whatever they store, and have them ready to be passed on safely when they die.