Apple recently acknowledged that the Apple iPhone 11 Pro is still gathering the user's location data despite that the user has already asked it not to. If the locations services for every individual app and service is allowed even if it is already toggled off, Apple will continue to collect the data. The discrepancy was first discovered by Security Expert Brian Krebs, which, some iPhone 11 Pro users confirmed.
Apple has been making privacy its battle cry, but it appears that the recently discovered location services data issue is a major blow to this marketing campaign of the Cupertino-based tech giant. The recent discovery reveals that users' data on Apple devices may not, after all, as private as what most users think and what Apple claims. Several days earlier, Krebs pointed out that the iPhone 11 Pro, in particular, periodically gathers location data despite that users already restrict individual apps to do so.
But, while it appears that the practice still falls within the privacy policy of Apple, according to the security expert, Apple's emphasis on privacy seems misleading, given this recent discrepancy in location data. A spokesperson from Apple recently responded to this issue and claimed that the concern raised by the security expert is an expected behavior. The company does not see any security implications about the discrepancy, the spokesperson noted.
For those who are worried about this recent issue with location services, particularly with iPhone 11 Pro, it is easy to disable location services completely. Just toggle the button on the Settings app of the device. The problem usually arises when the location services are allowed, but each individual app location services are switched off.
On Apple's privacy page, the Cupertino company empathized that Privacy is a core value and a fundamental human right. The company further states that Apple products are designed to protect the user's privacy and to give them control over their personal information. Although it may not always be easy, it is the kind of innovation Apple believes in, the company's privacy page states.
If we take a look at the policy of the Cupertino-based tech giant, if the location services are turned on, the iPhone will periodically send the geo-tagged locations of proximate cell towers and WiFi hotspots in an anonymous and encrypted form to the company. This will be used for augmenting the crowd-sourced database of the WiFi hotspot as well as the locations of cell towers.
