There is no such thing as confidentiality, as long as you let someone transfer your data, be it Google, your local network provider, or a mobile operator. The only solution is end-to-end encryption, which obviously Gmail won't allow, since they need our data for their AdWords to target ads better.
The service is not the weakest part of Apple. Instead, is the complete lack of innovation nowadays. They lost everything since the death of Steve Jobs. Unfortunately.
They are trying to put the fast growing market of freelancers under control. I don't see it as a bad move. The market is becoming bigger every year. Eventually everybody will be freelancers. You like this videos of Yegor, he is constantly speaking about this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gnDmr_H2Ks