The big news today is all about how Apple has apparently been busy secretly squirreling away data about your movements on your iPhone 4 or GPS-equipped iPad, and storing it in a file on your computer via syncing. Is this a big deal, or business as usual, just a giant tech company doing its thing?
[polldaddy poll=4946757]
When he was eight, Eli Milchman came home from frolicking in the Veld one day and was given an Atari 400. Since then, his fascination with technology has made him an intrepid early adopter of whatever charming new contraption crosses his path. He calls San Francisco home, where he works as a journalist and photographer. Eli has contributed to the pages of Wired.com and BIKE Magazine, among others. Hang with him on Twitter.
36 responses to “How Evil is Apple’s Secret Tracking Software on the iPhone 4? [Poll]”
re: “Kinda Evil, I just wish they had told me they were tracking me.”
Apple isn’t actually tracking anyone, unless the info is being sent to them (it’s not). You are actually tracking yourself in this case. The info is collected by you, stored on *your* phone and *your* computer, and sent back to you when you need it.
How is this “Apple tracking you?”
How about a choice like ‘this is a non-issue’?
“Not an issue at all”– first check box.
Saw that – thought the ‘cool new feature’ part made light of the issue which might be fair.
I think the crux hinges on whether or not the user is aware they’re being tracked. The data may be collected by the user, but without the user’s knowledge this is being done, it’s really Apple tracking you — even if the data never makes it back to Apple.
Yep, I second that. The poll should include a choice for “I couldn’t care less, I’m not a paranoid lawyer-driven american”.
Yes, but it’s a non-issue regardless of any cool new upcoming feature on iOS5. This is irrelevant, period.
This information is not broadcasted anywhere, and if you don’t want anybody to know where you are, then you probably shouldn’t be there.
Besides… who cares! Apple clearly does, and 1) I’m sure this is de-identified data; and 2) they probably have a good reason to research or experiment with it.
Change the title to ‘iOS’ rather than iPhone 4. My iPad was being tracked too :)
I installed the app and looked. According to the data from my phone I’ve never actually been to my house, just a few blocks away, I don’t know that “tracking” is a good word to describe what’s going on here.
My data certianly places me in Atlanta but looking at it there would be no way to guess where I live, work, or hang out. It’s a very broad, scattered picture mainly indicating I have used all the major interstate highways in the area.
We should still be told though. Say you sell your mac or phone.. then it’s not just you who have access to it. (Especially that this is no so public, people now realize it is possible to find out and soon will able to dig it out). Here we go with the Big Brother analogy again…
how the hell did i get to Gizmodo?
you were. read your TOS.
So much for personal privacy, remember the good old days when people and especially companies minded their own @%#%en business. Why the hell is Apple now trying to imitate the Great Evil Empire aka Google?
I’m out. Already started using an Android tablet (and the multi-tasking is pretty cool). This latest revelation will just make it easier for me to switch to an Android phone when my AT&T contract is up in a few months.
Later Steve.
Sure, like the Android platform will safely and securely protect your privacy… hahahahaha!
Oh my God!!!! Aren’t you scared??????
Hahahahahaha!
@Me///, apparently this is more than a non-issue for you, since you feel the need to pick on anyone who disagrees with you. Please post your real name, your current location, your home address, your family’s location, your phone number and your vehicle license plate number. You should be willing to share this information with us, since you really don’t care. Clearly if you don’t share it with us, then you have something to hide. Also, please post your employer, I’m starting to think it’s Apple or some company that is working for Apple.
You are caught on CCTV dozens, if not hundreds of times per day, especially here in the UK where I live. I don’t see this as an issue and never have done. Is it unsettling that I am ‘tracked’? No, not in the slightest. The innocent have nothing to hide. Even if the data was being sent to Apple, what would it matter? It’s usage data. Look at Google Chrome or anything Google or even Facebook and you will see that there are greater things to worry about.
Your cellular carrier keeps logs of where your phone is and of course the police can use this. If you truly had something to hide then you should be more worried about using a cellphone than Apple possibly or not possibly getting your location log as there are people already out there that have it.