iPhone keeps record of everywhere you go

Quote:

---

With the right software, it can be used to map exactly where a person has been.

Apple has yet to comment on the revelation, however there is no suggestion that it has been uploading or using the information.

---

BBC news: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-13145562

Quote:

---

We may collect information such as occupation, language, zip code, area code, unique device identifier, location, and the time zone where an Apple product is used so that we can better understand customer behavior and improve our products, services, and advertising.

---

From iTUNES STORE - TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by maniac

Or just forget smartphones all together and get yourself a basic phone that just does what it needs to do, i.e make phone calls and send text messages.

Mike.

---

Not sure I could ever go back to those dark days. If Apple demanded a stool sample from me once a week I'd probably consider it :P

Already a thread about it. ;)
http://www.edugeek.net/forums/genera...re-you-go.html

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by maniac

Or just forget smartphones all together and get yourself a basic phone that just does what it needs to do, i.e make phone calls and send text messages.

Mike.

---

But I am sad, I am enjoying FF3 on the Iphone :)

@webman - that is a disturbing thought if your stuff are stolen, some one will know where you live as a result of the IPhone data, as for the others I am never fussed about :).

Despite all the reasons for concern, I'm not bothered at all by this. I'll still use my iPhone. I'll still like my iPhone.
If someone gets hold of my phone/laptop and gets this data, it's my fault for being so careless to let them get to the items in the first place.
Other reasons I've seen include a "jealous partner" taking a look because they suspect you've been up to no good. In that case, don't worry about your phone security, I'd take a close look at your relationship. Lol.

Nah, not worried or concerned at all.

I'm looking forward to the fanboi slag-fest in the comments page on the Reg article about it!

ETA: ooh its already started! http://forums.theregister.co.uk/foru...tion_tracking/

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by nephilim

or even android land?

---

Think I am considering going android land for the phone side and selling my iphone and swapping it for an ipod touch - not sure if the ipod touch does the same as the iphone though, the above being one of the reasons and the other is that its a lot of money just for a phone that can play music / videos and for checking emails.

Android based phones ( give or take a bit ) is aprox £30 a month where as for my iphone I had to pay X up front which is more then £100 plus £50 or even £40 a month, where as if I sell my iphone I could buy an ipod touch and get an android phone.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by WithoutMotive

If someone gets hold of my phone/laptop and gets this data, it's my fault for being so careless to let them get to the items in the first place.

Nah, not worried or concerned at all.

---

So on that basis you would be quite happy for your home insurance to not pay out if your house was robbed after accidentally losing your house keys as it was your own carelessness for losing them?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Disease

So on that basis you would be quite happy for your home insurance to not pay out if your house was robbed after accidentally losing your house keys as it was your own carelessness for losing them?

---

Not at all. Of course I'd want them to pay out but it would still be a rap on the knuckles for me for being an idiot.

I'm not entirely surprised by this at all. I'd be pretty sure to find a similar file on Android/RIM/Windows Phone devices as well as I'd be sure the same or similar T&C's are there across the board. I'd love to know why it's there though. This article is great for anti-apple people though. Anything against them like this a huge bomb to them to reiterate their hate.

If you were a criminal, you'd know this information already or wouldn't use an iPhone to start off with. I know I haven't done anything wrong or been anywhere I shouldn't of been, so I'm not that worried.

Haha I was too slow with the news update wasn't I! :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Tunster

I'm not entirely surprised by this at all. I'd be pretty sure to find a similar file on Android/RIM/Windows Phone devices as well as I'd be sure the same or similar T&C's are there across the board. I'd love to know why it's there though. This article is great for anti-apple people though. Anything against them like this a huge bomb to them to reiterate their hate.

If you were a criminal, you'd know this information already or wouldn't use an iPhone to start off with. I know I haven't done anything wrong or been anywhere I shouldn't of been, so I'm not that worried.

---

If its in other devices then why has it not been picked up already, the average Android device is practically x-rayed by the Android dev/od community and there is very little to stop them, RIM maybe but it does not seem likely and at least on the older Windows Mobile ones no such thing was discovered. Again all of these platforms are way more open than the iPhone and so it is not as easy to skulk around in the background doing shady things.

I am not supprised that the die hard apple fans have no issue with this as many have already handed over their free will to Steve, whats location data after that.

Its always funny hearing the justifications though, its not a problem until its a problem. I don't do anything wrong etc.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SYNACK

I am not supprised that the die hard apple fans have no issue with this as many have already handed over their free will to Steve, whats location data after that.

Its always funny hearing the justifications though, its not a problem until its a problem. I don't do anything wrong etc.

---

I never made any arguements lol, still waiting on a reply ref ipod touch if it does the same or not ??

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mac_shinobi

I never made any arguements lol, still waiting on a reply ref ipod touch if it does the same or not ??

---

I was just making generalisations as I have a tendancy to do on occasion, its very much like statistics, throwing away the most information possible then comming to conclusions based on whats left :)

As to the iPod touch it is unlikely that it could pose the same kind of privacy dangers as it has no cell radio it has no source for that data and no GPS as far as I know. The best it could do would be to log WiFi points in range which can if WiFi was left on b used for rudimentary location but it is far less of a concern than 24/7 tracking.

I hate to imagine the world that could result if that kind of stuff went unchecked, voiding your warrenty if you went outside when the weather forcast was for rain or charging a lack of loyalty fee if you visited a store that sold MS or Android phones. Its all a bit Minority Report to me and not in a good way.

Having had a look at the file I think, as some one else suggested elsewhere, that it is a cache file. My local cell to my house and the one local to work only appears once, very recently. If it was tracking then it would appear lots.

So the theory goes that to speed up GPS fixes if a phone knows roughly where it is it can look for the correct GPS satellites rather than just look for all of them. Other phones apparently get the cell tower id and then query a master database back at home (Phone OS manufacturer?). iPhones do the same but to then speed this up caches the data. So one entry per tower.

I've got 9500 lines in my database. Don't think that could be my location every 15 seconds as some have said or even every tower I have ever connected to. Probably should be encrypted if they had thought about it.

Does mean that other companies could be storing this information local at their servers.