Here we are again with another MacRumors report. This time, one of their readers emailed Apple CEO Steve Jobs looking for a clarification of the iOS tracking hullabaloo we’ve heard so much in recent days.
Here are the purported emails quoted in their entirety:
Q: Steve,
Could you please explain the necessity of the passive location-tracking tool embedded in my iPhone? It’s kind of unnerving knowing that my exact location is being recorded at all times. Maybe you could shed some light on this for me before I switch to a Droid. They don’t track me.
A: Oh yes they do. We don’t track anyone. The info circulating around is false.
Sent from my iPhone
Well, the response is certainly terse, and blunt enough to be Jobs’, and to be honest, he really didn’t clear that much up. He is right, in saying that Android-based devices also collect tracking information. However, what Jobs manages to not mention, is that Androids list of locations stays much smaller than iOS, and is regularly dumped from memory. His email seems to imply that this is not the case, and they are actively tracking you while Apple’s slightly different implementation of the same idea, is not tracking you.
Just to clear everything up. iOS does not collect GPS data, so you cannot be tracked in any specific manor. That said, the iOS device does keep track of all of the cell towers and Wi-Fi hotspots you come in contact with, and thus, your general location. This can be spooky.
Anyway, several different government agencies, including the US Federal courts are caving in on Apple over this. They’ve got a lot of cleaning up to do.
Continue reading:
- Everything New Apple Just Announced (Septembe
- Apple Watch Pre-Order
- Apple Research Kit launches with 5 Apps
- Apple TV now only $69
TAGS:
