Some Android apps are using ultrasonic beacons to track users
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Some Android apps are using ultrasonic beacons to track users
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Re: Some Android apps are using ultrasonic beacons to track users
#2Does anyone have the link to the actual list? Neither the article nor the original paper seem to list the tracking apps, they just mention McDonald’s and Krispy Kreme.
Re: Some Android apps are using ultrasonic beacons to track users
#3Is it really ultrasound? Microphones on phones may be able to pick this but what speakers are able to play even 20 kHz?
And these apps should always listen, that will drain battery quickly, so these apps will be listed in top power-consuming apps and user will notice it.
Re: Some Android apps are using ultrasonic beacons to track users
#4Is it really ultrasound? Microphones on phones may be able to pick this but what speakers are able to play even 20 kHz? And these apps should always listen, that will drain battery quickly, so these apps will be listed in top power-consuming apps and user will notice it.
18-19 kHz is usually high enough; smartphone speakers can play that fine from my experience.
Yes, battery drain is an issue. Most apps use a background service that wakes up at a fixed interval. The longer the interval, the longer the broadcast has to be though, so it's basically a trial and error kind of thing.
Re: Some Android apps are using ultrasonic beacons to track users
#5This is why apps that shouldn't need the mic or speaker but still require it should not be installed.
Permissions on an app should be checked carefully by a user, and users should be educated in this!
Re: Some Android apps are using ultrasonic beacons to track users
#6Is it really ultrasound? Microphones on phones may be able to pick this but what speakers are able to play even 20 kHz? And these apps should always listen, that will drain battery quickly, so these apps will be listed in top power-consuming apps and user will notice it.
I wouldn't be so sure about users knowing, unless they are told. Plenty of users use apps that drain a lot of battery.
Re: Some Android apps are using ultrasonic beacons to track users
#7Is it really ultrasound? Microphones on phones may be able to pick this but what speakers are able to play even 20 kHz? And these apps should always listen, that will drain battery quickly, so these apps will be listed in top power-consuming apps and user will notice it.
18-19 kHz is usually high enough; smartphone speakers can play that fine from my experience. Yes, battery drain is an issue. Most apps use a background service that wakes up at a fixed interval. The longer the interval, the longer the broadcast has to be though, so it's basically a trial and error kind of thing.
Another issue (besides the privacy issue) is that it may be annoying for pets. Dogs and cats can hear these sounds.
Also the apps on the phone have access to the microphone (even though they probably do not need this permission for any other purpose), so these apps are all potential listening devices.
Re: Some Android apps are using ultrasonic beacons to track users
#8how is this not illegal?
Re: Some Android apps are using ultrasonic beacons to track users
#9It is these kind of "behind your back" shenanigans that will quickly force governments to move to regulating the industry, giving rise to a whinging chorus of "leave us alone" from the industry. An industry that has shown itself to be utterly untrustworthy, sneaky and aggressively invasive.
I see a need for a good, simple, slick and solid interface that allows you to select what functions an app can and cannot do on your device, be it laptop, tablet, smartphone, car, whatever.
Re: Some Android apps are using ultrasonic beacons to track users
#10Sounds a little like one of Powa Technologies ideas before they went boom.
Embed inaudible tones in tv content to sell you stuff. Never saw the appeal.
But as we know the appetite for tracking is endless, foe some reason.