Maybe it’s the NSA and the government’s now-public surveillance initiative. Maybe it’s because the company just introduced and new iOS and a new payment solution that requires people to put themselves out there. Maybe it’s Jennifer Lawrence nudes. Whatever it is, Apple CEO Tim Cook has written a letter to Apple users assuring them that their privacy is at the forefront of the company’s concerns.

“Our commitment to protecting your privacy comes from a deep respect for our customers. We know that your trust doesn’t come easy. That’s why we have and always will work as hard as we can to earn and keep it,” says Cook in the letter, published on Apple’s site.

In the letter, Cook talks about two-step verification, protecting iCloud security, and more. He also takes the moment to take a shot at some other high-profile tech companies. See if you can figure out which ones…

A few years ago, users of Internet services began to realize that when an online service is free, you’re not the customer. You’re the product. But at Apple, we believe a great customer experience shouldn’t come at the expense of your privacy.

Our business model is very straightforward: We sell great products. We don’t build a profile based on your email content or web browsing habits to sell to advertisers. We don’t “monetize” the information you store on your iPhone or in iCloud. And we don’t read your email or your messages to get information to market to you. Our software and services are designed to make our devices better. Plain and simple.

Did you catch that? Subtle, right?

Lastly, Cook reiterates a point he’s been making for a while – that Apple doesn’t allow backdoor spying.

“Finally, I want to be absolutely clear that we have never worked with any government agency from any country to create a backdoor in any of our products or services. We have also never allowed access to our servers. And we never will,” he says.

This letter is really a cover letter, serving as the introduction to a new privacy site. Apple has reorganized privacy information, allowing users to view resources on the built-in privacy elements of its products, how to manage one’s own privacy, and detailed info on government requests.

Image via Apple