Since the data sent to Apple is anonymous it's of no use for tracking you.

The data which is transmitted to Apple is not stored anywhere.

Apple just receive it and then throw it away? I don't believe you.

In reply to a post by AEP:

That's fair enough. But different people have different concerns. Some are concerned about the amount of data that is collected about their location by various means.

That's fair enough too.

So it's reassuring that no data is collected about your location.


edit- unless you explicitly authorise it, of course.

Edited by billford (Thu 28-Apr-11 12:55:20)

The maps that I have seen produced from this data seem to be highly specific. There are some outliers but they are easily discarded.

If the information is useless then why do US law enforcement officers make use of it?

Currently, data is collected on an iPhone that shows locations that a user has visited to a fair degree of accuracy. Not to a building level perhaps, but certainly information that could be useful to a malevolent third party.

You can play semantics and say that this doesn't constitute "data collected about your location" if you like.

Edit - The situation about authorisation will, presumably, change when the software update is released.

But the data stored on the iPhone, and associated computer, is useful for tracking you.

In reply to a post by AEP:

The maps that I have seen produced from this data seem to be highly specific.

Of course it is, Apple knows the location of the various base stations to a high degree of accuracy, I would imagine.

What does that have to do with where the phone was at the time?

why do US law enforcement officers make use of it?

I imagine it can be a useful guide at times, if the data says a suspect was in Texas on some particular date when he claimed to be in Alaska, for example.

But if you want more detail you'll have to ask them.

In reply to a post by AEP:

You can play semantics

Well, credit where it's due, that's something you excel at.

I imagine it can be a useful guide at times, if the data says a suspect was in Texas on some particular date when he claimed to be in Alaska, for example.

I'm glad that you can appreciate how this information can be of use to a third party.

It's just another facet of the creeping infringement upon us by various surveillance systems, some obvious some less so. Apple are by no means the only offender, but every little bit adds up.

You are deltathenads in disguise, and I claim my £5.