Apple is about to require Apps to tell users what tracking information they want to gather and get permission to do so

The move by Apple has sparked a major rift with Facebook and other tech rivals and could have major implications for data privacy and the mobile ecosystem.

Targeted ads are the lifeblood of internet giants such as Google and Facebook and are credited with paying for free online content and services.

The update will stop apps from tracking users or accessing device-identifying information without permission.