Most of our readers have probably been following the recent news regarding consumer fears that iPhones and other smartphones are tracking users’ location information. It was recently discovered that phones operating on iOS and Google’s Android platform transmit the devices’ locations back to the respective companies.
Apple has defended the need for location data to provide optimum service and provided clarification by explaining an individual cannot be located using the data. The Wall Street Journal reports that Apple defends its process, but nonetheless announced a planned software update that will reduce the size of the database cached on the phone and hopefully alleviate user concern.
According to WSJ: “Apple said it maintains a database of Wi-Fi hot spots and cell towers around users’ locations, a process that helps the phone calculate its location. The information is used to quickly find global-positioning-system satellites, a process that otherwise could take several minutes, the company said.”
Related CNNMoney article: “LocationGate was a ‘bug,’ says Apple” (4/27/11)
Related Wall Street Journal article: “Q&A: Jobs and Apple Execs on Tracking Down the Facts About iPhones and Location” (4/27/11)
Related Macworld article: “How the iPhone knows where you are” (4/28/11)
4 Comments
Apple explains need for location data and will issue software update that should reduce people’s fear of Big Brother.
Apple explains need for location data and will issue software update that should reduce people’s fear of Big Brother.
Crowdsourcing data is a wave of the future, and it’s actually a good thing. It should not surprise us that our apps and devices track our locations…it will make for better real-time traffic info, and lots else. The big question here is…are they communicating personally identifiable info or just the data without any ID that ties it to a particular person? This should be a good lesson to everyone to do more of the latter and to be up front about what you’re doing!
Crowdsourcing data is a wave of the future, and it’s actually a good thing. It should not surprise us that our apps and devices track our locations…it will make for better real-time traffic info, and lots else. The big question here is…are they communicating personally identifiable info or just the data without any ID that ties it to a particular person? This should be a good lesson to everyone to do more of the latter and to be up front about what you’re doing!
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