Apple officially responds to iPhone tracking questions (Not tracking users, Bug will be fixed)

[onehandle]

Source: MSNBC

On Wednesday morning, the electronics giant put out a press release with answers to 10 frequently asked questions regarding the location data tracking issue. The information provided in the press release answers most of the questions posed by Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., who recently called for a hearing of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology and the Law in order to discuss these and other mobile privacy concerns.

Apple essentially denies that it is tracking — or that it will ever track — the location of a customer's iPhone. Instead it explains that it is simply "maintaining a database of Wi-Fi hotspots and cell towers around your current location" in order to "help your iPhone rapidly and accurately calculate its location when requested."

This means that any location-related data — which by most people's definitions would in fact include a database of nearby Wi-Fi hotspots and cell towers — should not be logged on a device, especially in an unencrypted form.

There's an explanation for that logging as well though. According to Apple, it's just a bug. The electronics giant explains that the iPhone's tendency to store location data will be reduced by an upcoming update of the iOS software. The major iOS release after that will include an encryption feature for the supposedly smaller data cache.

Read more: http://technolog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/04/27/6541918-apple-officially-responds-to-iphone-tracking-questions

[meegbear]

1. Yeah right ...

Apple Patent Reveals Extensive Stalking Plans

[onehandle]

3. Ah, yes. Gawker and their hard hitting 'journalism.' Let's look at their other headlines...

'Hippies Inch Closer to Penis Protection Vote'

'How Much Meth Can a Pair of Nikes Hold?'

'Hitler ‘Stache Graffiti Sparks Police Crackdown'

'Watch the Backstreet Boys Embarrass Themselves on Dancing with the Stars'

'Video Proves That Rats Like Starbucks, Too'

'Watch Beyoncé Fight Obesity In Electric Green Leg Warmers'

'Comment of the Day: The Vast High Heel Conspiracy'

'The Celebrity Guide To Bipolar Disorder'

[meegbear]

7. Yeah, discredit the source, fuck the facts ...

[elehhhhna]

4. Yep, an inadvertent bug we decided to patent. Riiiiiight.

[Teaser]

2. "bug"

yeah.

[arcane1]

5. Wait, didn't they file a patent for this "bug"? n/t

[originalpckelly]

6. Seriously, this Apple has been around for more than thirty years...

I think it's rotten.

[L0oniX]

8. Bug? LOL yea we are that stupid.

[hlthe2b]

9. Apple (and Android and all the others) are now on notice...

For those who criticized Franken for getting involved, the tech blogs releasing this story resulted in nothing more than stonewalling. It wasn't until the story was elevated with Senate inquiry that this is being addressed.

[ChromeFoundry]

10. Apple is tracking and storing...

my location without my authorization, and creating a massive database to be used by their marketing group to... oh, Hey!!! look at this cool new app that can be used to simulate the sound of a rocket launcher or a yo-yo hitting someone on the head! ...wait... gotta check my facebook wall ...and my twitter... what was it that we were talking about? ...hold on.. gotta read this text message. ha ha ha... look at this cute picture of ducks sitting on an alligator. What's for lunch, Chipotle?

Apply - Lather - Rinse - Repeat

[greiner3]

11. We didn't do it;

But we are sorry we did.