Apple Digital Legacy Program allows iPhone users to add one or more contacts to access and download certain data in iCloud after their death.
The program was first announced at the Apple WWDC event earlier this year and is now launched with the latest IOS 15.2 beta update.
At present, iCloud data people have died with them even with death certificates.
With new iOS updates, Apple users can assign up to five people as ‘legacy contacts’ on devices such as iPhone, iPad and Mac.
This ‘legacy contact’ after providing evidence of death and the access key will automatically get access to certain data stored in iCloud.
“If your appointed contact provides evidence of death to Apple and has the required key, they will automatically gain access to account data and certain activation it will be removed from all your devices,” according to Apple iCloud webpage.
Thus a user responsibility to keep their digital heritage contacts today, the company further said.
How Apple users can arrange legacy contacts to settings> [your name]> Password & Security on your iPhone.
Mac users can go to System Preferences> Apple ID> Password & Security.
Look for inheritance contacts here and follow the instructions to add legacy contacts.
If you have used a family sharing, you can choose family members from the list.
Or, you can add people to use their email or telephone numbers.
Next, tell your inheritance contacts and share the access key via message.
If they accept, a copy of the access key is automatically stored in Apple ID settings.
If they refuse, you will get a notification.
Rivals like Google and Facebook have offered the right to survive their users.
Twitter, on the other hand, works with someone who is authorized to act on behalf of the plantation, or with a direct family member verified from the deceased to have an account that is deactivated if a user’s death occurs.
However, it does not provide account access to anyone “regardless of their relationship with the deceased”.