[*Scotty*]

Apple tracks your every move in an unprotected and unencrypted file concurrent with the adoption of iOS4 in Apple mobile devices.
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/apple-tracks-location-iphone-ipad-data-researchers/story?id=13420041
http://online.wsj.com/article
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/apr/20/iphone-tracking-prompts-privacy-fears
/SB10001424052748703983704576277101723453610.html?mod=WSJ_hp_LEFTTopStories
http://radar.oreilly.com/2011/04/apple-location-tracking.html
Application to view the file which shows where you have been.
http://petewarden.github.com/iPhoneTracker/
Scotty
By visiting https://oo.apple.com/ you can opt out  of all data for iAds (Apple’s mobile advertising service)

[JohnR]

Cool app, I'm bummed that I can't run it because I only have an iPhone 3

Cell companies have always been able to track your location. In theory, I believe. I'm not sure what they actually do, but what is the specific concern here? Is it that the data is on the phone itself? Or that Apple gets it (assuming they do) but they aren't a cellphone company?

[jtwrace]

I only have an iPhone 3

Time to upgrade!

btw-I have the old Droid.   

[*Scotty*]

John,the data is on the iPhone or iPad and is downloaded to any device the iPhone or iPad is synced with.
If your computer is hacked or your phone is lost or stolen this data is readily available to anyone who has your phone.
Detailed data of your movements used to require a court order to be accessed and was only available from cellular providers.
Scotty

[Crimson]

Non-issue, AFAIC.

If anyone feels this is a problem, they should not use a cell phone. Any cell phone.

[WGH]

Reading a few articles it seems location finder is not very specific (yet), here is just one: http://www.willclarke.net/?p=247. Android does the same thing. It will be a while before we get targeted ads based on location data.

Like any computer your phone stores everything and there are tools to retrieve that info. Just for fun Google Cellebrite UFED.

[jqp]

The main problem seems to be that all the information of where you have been since you loaded iOS4 is stored on the iPhone or iPad, at Apple, and on your iTunes computer.

Also apparently information about all the wireless access points you have been around is also being stored.

And further this information is not stored securely when someone wants to get at it - the "criminals" and the "authorities" - "records show that you frequent the area where all these crimes have committed, etc"

So at the very least it is considered to be a security violation.

[Pez]

Youve to be downright braindead to believe that this is anything more than media hype. Here's a great article that outlines why this is all bs.

http://www.roughlydrafted.com/2011/04/25/why-the-phony-locationgate-scandal-targets-fear-of-apples-ios-more-than-android/

[JohnR]

I couldn't get too far into that before going into iGlaze (TM nathanm) but the point made about email etc is well taken - I'd be a fair bit more worried about someone who broke into my phone using my email account(s) than I would about them knowing where I've been.

[chrisby]

Youve to be downright braindead to believe that this is anything more than media hype. Here's a great article that outlines why this is all bs.

http://www.roughlydrafted.com/2011/04/25/why-the-phony-locationgate-scandal-targets-fear-of-apples-ios-more-than-android/

brilliant piece  - "Googlism"  indeed

[thunderbrick]

Big deal.  My wife has been doing that for years.   

[Pez]

What's more frightening is my ability to use my computer to track your current location and activity. Check it out;

You're at your computer reading this right now!!!!
 

Scary huh?

[jqp]

Hmm...well this is an interesting article from the people that bought the stolen iPhone 4 prototype

http://gizmodo.com/#!5796140/ispy-apple-admits-iphone-tracking-and-promises-software-fix

bottom line is they are doing something that law enforcement needs a warrant for here in the U.S., so they are fixing it

[jqp]

And there should be no surprise at Locationgate, Antennagate, Call-dropgate, or any other of the controversy that the media has taken a liking to. After all, Apple spends Billions upon Billions with a B on all that Advertising, Blogging coverage, Product Placement on TV and Movies (ever notice how every computer on TV and in the movies is an Apple Mac?), Product Placements on Blogs, etc.

When you live by the sword, you die by the sword

[chrisby]

And there should be no surprise at Locationgate, Antennagate, Call-dropgate, or any other of the controversy that the media has taken a liking to. After all, Apple spends Billions upon Billions with a B on all that Advertising, Blogging coverage, Product Placement on TV and Movies (ever notice how every computer on TV and in the movies is an Apple Mac?), Product Placements on Blogs, etc.

When you live by the sword, you die by the sword

all software / hardware from the Redmond based corporation are free of security issues?

you know for sure about Apple's advertising budget - wouldn't that be private information?  Billions, really?   

every computer ?  I see as many Vaios, Dells, and countless other brands and no-name types 


say what you will about Apple,  within the past decade they've resurrected yet again from near death to currently the third 2nd most highly market capitalized company in the world - now behind only Exxon, and posting profit margins and dividends on sales of products/services that somebody's buying / udpdating

we should all be so effective

 

[jqp]

all software / hardware from the Redmond based corporation are free of security issues?

you know for sure about Apple's advertising budget - wouldn't that be private information?  Billions, really?   

every computer ?  I see as many Vaios, Dells, and countless other brands and no-name types 


say what you will about Apple,  within the past decade they've resurrected yet again from near death to currently the third 2nd most highly market capitalized company in the world - now behind only Exxon, and posting profit margins and dividends on sales of products/services that somebody's buying / udpdating

we should all be so effective

 

This is not about Microsoft, this is about Locationgate. No one has an iPhone from anyone but Apple.

Yes about 2 Billion in marketing since the iPhone came out, plus all the other money that does not count in the marketing budget. And all the money before the iPhone came out...

You seem to be saying "Leave Apple alone!" Not exactly a rational argument about mobile phone security. Nor is the amount of money they are making an argument for being excused for what they have done or are about to do...

[Crimson]

you know for sure about Apple's advertising budget - wouldn't that be private information?

No. Per SEC requirements, all public companies must file form 10-k which includes advertising expenses. The last I saw, Apple spent over half a billion in advertising in 2009.

[jqp]

No. Per SEC requirements, all public companies must file form 10-k which includes advertising expenses. The last I saw, Apple spent over half a billion in advertising in 2009.

but the iPhone came out in 2007. 500 million x 4 years = 2 Billion

[Crimson]

Was the 'but' directed at me? I was agreeing with your statement.

As an aside, here's Apple's latest response.

[cujobob]

I've read articles stating that Android does this more than Apple.  There's a lot of back and forth out there right now (patent suits and such)... I think this is just stemming from that..