
Steve Jobs Responds to iOS Location-Tracking Controversy - domino
http://mashable.com/2011/04/25/steve-jobs-iphone-location-tracking/
======
runjake
_Allegedly_ responds. This supposed response came from an anonymous
MacRumors.com reader:

[http://www.macrumors.com/2011/04/25/steve-jobs-on-ios-
locati...](http://www.macrumors.com/2011/04/25/steve-jobs-on-ios-location-
issue-we-dont-track-anyone/)

------
Cherian_Abraham
Correct me if I am wrong. Jobs is technically correct. Apple does not track
anyone's location. Your iphone does. And in their infinite wisdom, Apple
decided to store these footprints in the phone, rather unsecurely. Stupid?
Yes.

And a one line response from Steve does not maketh the problem go away. This
adds more fuel to the fire, if you ask me.

But I am hoping that with more awareness being brought on by these screw ups
(intentional or otherwise) may finally be the reason for the frog to leap out
of the tepid water. I don't believe we will give up the benefits of sharing
our location completely for the sake of privacy.

The least desirable route in my opinion would be the regulatory route, where
"Prescient" Uncle Sam dictates the rules. Which is why today's technology
companies must collaborate in protecting the privacy of their customers, and
build that in today. For them, an empty boiling pot or a dead frog, both are
compelling reasons to change their ways today.

------
daimyoyo
I'm not sure a glib one sentence reply, basically saying "does not!" qualifies
as an effective response. I'm reminded of antennagate.

"Steve, my phone loses signal."

"Does not."

"Yes. It does. I have video."

"Well then don't hold it that way."

"What?!?!?!!"

"Well, since ALL phones do this, I guess we'll fix it. Sort of."

~~~
tzs
It worked for Antennagate. The issue basically went away as people starting
using the phones and noticed that they in fact worked fine.

edit: how the heck does a simple statement of fact get downvoted? iPhone 4 is
prevalent enough that even if the near complete lack of ongoing complaints in
the press and blogosphere doesn't convince you, you should be able to actually
ask a bunch of iPhone 4 owners. You will find that in fact the "problem" is
largely a non-issue.

------
oxtopus
That your cell phone reports on your location is old news -- you do have to
connect to a geographically dispersed network of cell towers, after all.

Assuming Apple (and other vendors) aren't using the data for evil (if at all),
might it be possible that they could use that info for QA purposes? i.e. to
correlate complaints and return rates to signal-related "problem areas" that
they could use as leverage with the phone companies.

Are we sure location info is all that is stored?

------
oemera
I don't know what Apple has but people and the media are making out of
_everything_ a big thing when it has something to do with Apple.

Stop it.

------
Ratufa
That apple collects "non-personal" location data isn't a secret. Look at their
privacy policy:

<http://www.apple.com/privacy/>

Some details as to what and why they collect data was provided by Apple to
Congress last year:

<http://markey.house.gov/docs/applemarkeybarton7-12-10.pdf>

[http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Web-Services-Web-20-and-
SOA/Apple-T...](http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Web-Services-Web-20-and-SOA/Apple-
Tells-Congressmen-it-Batches-Encrypts-Location-Data-411968/)

Some additional information as to what's going on is at:

[http://alexlevinson.wordpress.com/2011/04/23/3-new-
thoughts-...](http://alexlevinson.wordpress.com/2011/04/23/3-new-thoughts-on-
mobile-location/)

Note the emphasis in all of this on "non-personal". As somebody else pointed
out, Steve Jobs is technically correct in the statement he (supposedly) made.

------
podperson
If you're using Android then you're logged into your Google account all the
time. Whenever you make a Google search your location is logged as part of the
search data (I'm in Tuscaloosa, AL; I Google "Birmingham" and it points me to
"Birmingham, AL" not "Birmingham, UK"). Google routinely logs all search query
data. Google loves data.

So [alleged] Jobs is right about Google and Android. As for the other stuff,
who knows.

Now it's important to know that if you're going to commit a crime or something
that your iPhone may retain information to trip up your alibi, but that's very
different from being routinely tracked by the vendor of your phone's OS. (But
we all use Google and it tracks all of us, so learn to love it.)

~~~
colanderman
_If you're using Android then you're logged into your Google account all the
time._

False. Google's homepage on my Android device has a "Sign In" link at the
bottom.

 _Whenever you make a Google search your location is logged as part of the
search data_

False. Just did it on my Android phone. It sent me to
[http://www.google.com/m?hl=en&gl=us&client=ms-
androi...](http://www.google.com/m?hl=en&gl=us&client=ms-android-tmobile-
us&source=android-browser-goto&q=birmingham). Oh crap, Google knows I'm in the
US.

 _(I'm in Tuscaloosa, AL; I Google "Birmingham" and it points me to
"Birmingham, AL" not "Birmingham, UK")._

…because you're querying from a US IP? …because your language is set to
American English instead of British English? …because Google sends your
country location but nothing else?

 _Google routinely logs all search query data._

Irrelevant: since your first point is false, the logged data is anonymous.

~~~
kelnos
>>If you're using Android then you're logged into your Google account all the
time. >False. Google's homepage on my Android device has a "Sign In" link at
the bottom.

The phone's account services, however, are indeed logged in to your Google
Account at all times, assuming you associated one with your phone when you set
it up. The fact that the browser app isn't logged in using the same
credentials isn't relevant.

I agree with your other points, though. But if Google wanted to, they could
surely track your location and associate it with your Google Account. Not sure
how easily they could hide that from people if that were the case, though.
(I've been a happy Nexus One owner for over a year now, and I kinda just don't
care either way, to be honest.)

------
pablasso
I could understand the usefulness of this data to improve their designs, it's
justified. But I just don't get why would they keep this data indefinitely?

I don't believe they couldn't foresee that this could be a marketing disaster,
people is already paranoid enough.

