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iOS 13 now shows you a map of where apps have been tracking you

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Re: iOS 13 now shows you a map of where apps have been tracking you

#141
post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

AFAIK, you don't. An iPhone will work fine without signing in to any Apple service and you can opt out of all Apple data collection right in the device. I've set up several testing iDevices for work with no Apple accounts. The only thing you can't do without an Apple account is to use the Apple services like the App Store and iCloud and other paid services. I think even software updates can be done without an account…

What good is an iPhone without access to the App Store?

Good question, and we shouldn't need an account to download free apps, just as we don't on the desktop.

Only when I download I paid app do I want to identify myself so that I can download it again.

Re: iOS 13 now shows you a map of where apps have been tracking you

#142

Good gravy this would be an abysmal report on Android. In my experience many of the free utility apps and games I downloaded required location tracking for no good reason. I’m on iOS for that (and other) reasons.

You can always choose to pay for a utility apps from reputable developers, rather then use adtech apps.

Re: iOS 13 now shows you a map of where apps have been tracking you

#143
post #127

I predict apps will spam location requests to induce decision fatigue on the 'share once' users, who will switch to 'share while using' or 'share always'

According to the WWDC video [1], this can't happen. Your app has to test for permission every time you want it, and iOS decides when to show the permission dialog.

Additionally, the 'share always' option goes away. Your app has to earn it, or petition Apple directly for that permission. The 'share while using' is also now temporary, as iOS will periodically ask the user to confirm that this is what they want. iOS does this when the user is not using the app (on the home screen), which is why you must now check to see if you have permission every single time.

[1] https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2019/708/

Re: iOS 13 now shows you a map of where apps have been tracking you

#144

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Have you ever checked https://www.google.com/maps/timeline?pb to see? In my case, google knows where my phone is during the night: at home.

“No visited places”

None that they want to show you. I'm sure they still have the data and use it silently.

Re: iOS 13 now shows you a map of where apps have been tracking you

#145
post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

AFAIK, you don't. An iPhone will work fine without signing in to any Apple service and you can opt out of all Apple data collection right in the device. I've set up several testing iDevices for work with no Apple accounts. The only thing you can't do without an Apple account is to use the Apple services like the App Store and iCloud and other paid services. I think even software updates can be done without an account…

What good is an iPhone without access to the App Store?

It's a phone, web browser, e-mail client, you can send and receive texts, use it for reminders, calendar, to play music, to stream music.

Quite a lot really.

Re: iOS 13 now shows you a map of where apps have been tracking you

#146

Does it show Apple itself? Unlike every other phone platform, iOS does not allow a user to get their GPS location without telling Apple what it was. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT207056 "By enabling Location Services for your devices, you agree and consent to the transmission, collection, maintenance, processing, and use of your location data and location search queries by Apple and its partners and licensees to…

Android has over half a dozen settings that must be disabled before the OS actually stops tracking your location and they are spread out to different menus. This is to say nothing of built-in apps like Google maps that have their own location tracking settings which, if changed, return all of the OS settings to their default activated setting. Manufacturers can have their own location services on top of Android’s. Up…

> Apple’s policy is in no way unique

Nonsense. Sending location data back to Google is opt in. Apple doesn't even let you opt out. It's amazing how many people Apple has fooled with their marketing.

Your own examples are for apps that send the same data on iOS and are subject to the same OS permissions on Android and iOS.

Re: iOS 13 now shows you a map of where apps have been tracking you

#147

Earlier quoted context omitted.

More than likely that would be rejected.

Is Apple going to know that an app is not offering a discount?

Most apps wouldn’t be subtle about it. They would say that you must have location on to receive discounts.

As far as I know. Apps can’t tell the difference between the user denied location access and the users location can’t be determined right now. There are iOS devices that don’t have GPS chips - some iPads and the iPod Touch. If the user isn’t near a mapped WiFi hotspot, they won’t have anyway of finding a location.

Re: iOS 13 now shows you a map of where apps have been tracking you

#148
post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Android has over half a dozen settings that must be disabled before the OS actually stops tracking your location and they are spread out to different menus. This is to say nothing of built-in apps like Google maps that have their own location tracking settings which, if changed, return all of the OS settings to their default activated setting. Manufacturers can have their own location services on top of Android’s. Up…

There is just one setting for location access which blocks it off for all, including OS services. Please don't spread dishonest misinformation, there's no need for that.

> The Google support page for managing and deleting your Location History says that once you turn it off, "the places you go are no longer stored. When you turn off Location History for your Google Account, it's off for all devices associated with that Google Account." The AP's investigation found that's not true. In fact, turning off your Location History only stops Google from creating a timeline of your location that you can view. Some apps will still track you and store time-stamped location data from your devices.[1]

> Google itself offers at least three support pages on location: Manage or delete your Location History, Turn location on or off for your Android device, and Manage location settings for Android apps. None of these makes any mention of Web & App Activity. [1]

1. https://www.wired.com/story/google-location-tracking-turn-of...

Re: iOS 13 now shows you a map of where apps have been tracking you

#149
post #122
post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is just one setting for location access which blocks it off for all, including OS services. Please don't spread dishonest misinformation, there's no need for that.

Dishonest may be a bit harsh, misinformed is fairer. The OP is completely disingenuous. They know what that line implies, they are choosing to convey it as sinister.

It is absolutely sinister. If I don't want to be tracked, I have no way of hiding my location from Apple aside from not using GPS on my phone. No other OS has this problem.

Re: iOS 13 now shows you a map of where apps have been tracking you

#150
post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is just one setting for location access which blocks it off for all, including OS services. Please don't spread dishonest misinformation, there's no need for that.

> The Google support page for managing and deleting your Location History says that once you turn it off, "the places you go are no longer stored. When you turn off Location History for your Google Account, it's off for all devices associated with that Google Account." The AP's investigation found that's not true. In fact, turning off your Location History only stops Google from creating a timeline of your location t…

Location history is opt-in. You can get your GPS location without enabling it. With iOS, there is no way to even opt out of sending your location to Apple.

Your article is misleading. The same apps that build a history of your location with Android Location History turned off will build a history of your location on iOS and other platforms. It is not unique to Android. The user is well aware of it — if they search, they get local results, and they know that if they have search history enabled, Google will store everything about their query and interactions with it, including where they performed it. This happens on Android and iOS, regardless of whether the user wants full Location History.

Again though, you're getting off track. We're discussing privacy provided (or in this case, not provided) by the OS, not by the apps the user installs, which are governed by OS permissions exactly the same on both platforms anyway.

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