The data we're talking about has a strategic value even if its monetary value isn't quite so clear at this point in time. Apple may not sell this personal data

The data we're talking about has a strategic value even if its monetary value isn't quite so clear at this point in time. Apple may not sell this personal data, but it can and likely does use bhavioral insights to optimize its products to increase engagement and ultimately ecosystem lock-in. These are indirect forms of monetization that accrue into revenue over time and it's hard to gauge their success right now. So Apple like all big companies collect as much data as they can and store it because they know that the costs of doing so are trivial and the potential benefits are potentially very high.