Apple surprises every year at WWDC by bringing out something new and unexpected. This year was also no different. Apple introduced new versions of iOS, macOS, and iPadOS and some new inventive features. But the talk of the town this year was Apple VPN or Private relay because Apple relay could replace the everyday VPN. So, we decided to dig a little deeper to understand the basic difference between them. Let’s go on a ride together in understanding private relay and how it differs from regular VPNs.
Let’s first understand what Private Relay is?
If you understand the basic concepts of VPN, then you will understand what private relay is. At this year’s WWDC, Apple released a private relay with the launch of iOS 15. Private Relay will encrypt your browsing traffic and then relay it through different servers to keep your data traffic hidden. This will keep your data away from the prying eyes of the ISPs.
Private Relay vs. VPN: Similarities
You can hide your True IP address:
VPN and private relay can both help you mask your IP address and can hide your digital identity from other trackers and internet service providers. Let us give you an example. If you visit the site What’s my IP address without your VPN turned on, You will see many different IP addresses. But if you visit the site with your VPN turned on, there will be no IP address.
Unblocking different websites:
If certain websites are blocked by your ISP but still don’t worry as both VPN and Private Relay will grant you easy access. However, this could all change quickly after the public release of iOS15. You will get an update as soon as the update hits the floor.
Private Relay vs. VPN: Differences
Both VPN and Private Relay are similar in more than one way, as you can see above. And you might consider letting go of your VPN. But there are some differences and let’s take a look at some of them.
Private Relay only works on Safari:
You can run VPN apps on any browser or ecosystem you want. But private relay only works on Safari. So, as you can see, the private relay is restricted to one browser, i.e., Safari. But VPN is still a better option if you are using a desktop, Smart TVs, Chrome, and Firefox.
Private Relay cannot unblock Geo-Restricted content for you
Now even if you access some of the ISP blocked sites with Private relay. This will not mean that you will also be able to unblock geo-restricted content.
Private Relay helps you make your identity and location but still keeps it within your country. There is no option where you can change your location to the country of your choice. For example, if you are living in Australia, you can’t access Netflix US or BBC UK.
Private Relay costs less
Note: Private relay feature isn’t free. But if you are already paying for iCloud storage, which costs only $1. The private relay feature will be added to your safari for free of cost. Most VPN’s monthly subscription starts from $3 per month. However, there are free few private relays in the market that you can but those not reliable, offer limited bandwidth and are insecure. We recommend you use paid VPNs for better service and bandwidth.
Conclusion:
As you can see, both VPN and Private relay have few similarities, like masking your identity or unblocking contents blocked by ISP. But also, there are some major differences between them, like Apple’s private relay is more private and specializes more in terms of privacy. Whereas VPN is not that oriented towards your privacy and security. Hope you find this information useful.
Comments