Dive Brief:
- Amazon said it will restore an encryption option on its Fire OS devices following backlash from consumers and privacy experts over the weekend.
- Though the company removed the option last fall, the change wasn't widely known until Thursday.
- The option to fully encrypt Fire devices will return to users this spring, according to the company.
Dive Insight:
Encryption has become a household word in recent weeks because of Apple’s high-profile battle with the FBI over access to the iPhone used by one of the gunmen in December’s terrorist attack in San Bernardino.Given the broad support of Apple in its ongoing fight for data privacy and encryption, Amazon quickly reversed its decision.
Once users upgrade to Fire OS 5 data stored on their devices would no longer be encrypted, according to GeekWire. Removal of the encryption option makes the devices less secure than before. The change impacts devices like Amazon Fire HD, Amazon Fire TV, Kindle Fire and Fire phone.
Amazon managers reportedly decided to stop encrypting data on the devices because few owners were using it. But some critics say the decision was more about squeezing better performance out of the Fire devices.
