Apple Releases Apple Maps Mobility Data Trends Tool to Help Mitigate COVID-19 Spread

[Doctor Q]

Like what, it’s clear if people are forced to work from home, public transport doesn’t run and people get fined if using cars, the number of people moving around will be lower.

If officials ease these restrictions gradually, this data could help them gauge the effect and find the best point of tradeoff between being overly restrictive and being in too much of a hurry to reopen. It's going to be a balancing act to open things up again without reintroducing the rapid virus spread that sent us all into hiding in the first place. I expect to see a second bump in the curve, and the trick is to keep that bump from exceeding health services by proceeding at the right pace.

The data could also be used to compare the effectiveness of policies among cities.

 

[MacRumorUser78]

Still no cycling in Apple Maps. So a large chunk of data is missing from this.

Many apps have a hard time separating cycling from walking or slow driving. Should usually be possible, it seems to me with checking speeds. But the downhill it's easy to do 30+mph on a bike and runners go faster than many bicyclists. And is the resolution good enough to distinguish exactly where the use is: sidewalk or road and runner/cyclist could be in either.

 

[Glideslope]

China not included. How interesting.

Yea, that was a bull**** move, but not unexpected.

 

[lunarworks]

Like what, it’s clear if people are forced to work from home, public transport doesn’t run and people get fined if using cars, the number of people moving around will be lower.

Yes, but you can't just run on assumptions, you have to see numbers.

 

[mozumder]

This needs US State data.

Also, is the data normalized for demographics? Apple is known to be less popular in poorer neighborhoods - does the data account for that?

 

[Websnapx2]

When did Apple become Google?

They haven't:

Mobility data sourced from ‌Apple Maps‌ is not associated with a user's Apple ID and Apple does not keep a history of where a user has been. Data collected by Maps, such as search terms, navigation routing, and traffic information is associated with random, rotating identifiers that continually reset, which prevents a profile of movements and searches from being built.

 

[szw-mapple fan]

When did Apple become Google?

How does this make Apple Google?

 

[Airforcekid]

We totally deserve to lose our privacy and personal freedoms if this is all it takes... We are the most pathetic generation in the history of humanity

I would hate to see what happens after a real biological attack or dirty bomb we could look at 25,000 dead a day not weeks and little hope of treatment.

 

[szw-mapple fan]

This needs US State data.

Also, is the data normalized for demographics? Apple is known to be less popular in poorer neighborhoods - does the data account for that?

Obviously not, since it's de-identified data that can't be traced back to users.

 

[Websnapx2]

yes it is. Even though you don’t want to admit it.

Disagreeing without facts doesn't make a valid point. Taking both companies at face value of how they describe their process, they handle your data very differently. Especially considering Google is actively location tracking (regardless if I have asked for directions) and this that apple released is both anonymous AND based on those actively asking Maps for directions. This will probably make it less accurate due to people only those on iOS playing a role, but that doesn't seem to be the crux of your argument.

Now if you have other information rather than your gut feeling, share... I'd rather be corrected with real information rather than intuition.
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Many apps have a hard time separating cycling from walking or slow driving. Should usually be possible, it seems to me with checking speeds. But the downhill it's easy to do 30+mph on a bike and runners go faster than many bicyclists. And is the resolution good enough to distinguish exactly where the use is: sidewalk or road and runner/cyclist could be in either.

You're right, but a Cycling mode would/could also include bike trails in the directions, not just the tracking.

 

[I7guy]

I am very well aware where my data goes.
Anyway - Apple is selling iOS privacy and search date for 12 Billion USD. just this year. Last year it was around 9 Billion USD.

Unfortunately, people won't let go of this meme. Apple is selling google the chance to be first. That's where it ends, but people, don't really understand this. Everything else, is up to the user.

 

[Marekul]

Unfortunately, people won't let go of this meme. Apple is selling google the chance to be first. That's where it ends, but people, don't really understand this. Everything else, is up to the user.

It is not a meme. It is a fact.
Apple is selling google the chance to be first in what? Can you complete that sentence?
Truth is Apple is selling google valuable Data. Data so valuable google is willing to pay 12 billion dollars for it.

 

[now i see it]

Apple generates the data by counting the number of requests made to ‌Apple Maps‌ for directions.

So if I'm curious what the route is from Denver to Dallas and punch it into Apple Maps, that query gets "aggregated" and sent to apple as a route I'm taking.

 

[scuac]

Like what, it’s clear if people are forced to work from home, public transport doesn’t run and people get fined if using cars, the number of people moving around will be lower.

People are getting fined for using cars? In what state? N. Korea?

 

[anthogag]

It might be useful if we could see a 'weather-type' way to see where the virus is reported to be in a city. Those places/areas could be shown as a transparent redness on the map and can be temporarily avoided.

 

[nortonandreev]

People are getting fined for using cars? In what state? N. Korea?

UK

 

[I7guy]

It is not a meme. It is a fact.
Apple is selling google the chance to be first in what? Can you complete that sentence?
Truth is Apple is selling google valuable Data. Data so valuable google is willing to pay 12 billion dollars for it.

The fact is there is a fee involved. The meme is that with the $9B (or whatever) Apple magically funnels user information to google, bypassing all controls and privacy policy. Truth is, users are giving their data to google voluntary, and since you are wise to the scheme, you probably don't use google with a sign-in or sign-in consecutively from the same ip addresses? Right?

The only truth in what is quoted above, is that it is absolutely false and repeating it doesn't make it true.

 

[Dave-Z]

It's not really the same. Google collects complete location histories and ties them to the user account by default, Apple only anonymized routing requests that you explicitly send to them in Apple Maps.

Uh huh... Just to clarify:

Apple does not keep a history of where a user has been.

The exact same could be said of Google. Seriously. For real. You can log in to your Google account and set a limit of when the data is purged or you may delete it all then and there.

Based on the dislikes of my comment you can have a sense of how innocent the average Apple fan is, our beloved company can do no wrong on their eyes... Deal with it, I am a fan too, but I can recognize their bulls**t.

I agree with you. I think in the coming years leaks and what not will reveal that Apple is not as privacy focused as they have appeared to be. I know this is conjecture right now, but things like those Siri recordings last year should be red flags that Apple is not being forth-coming with how they handle user data.

 

[jonblatho]

The same way students voluntarily agree to predatory college loans... No ones thinking anymore and this lack of responsibility is almost socially enforced

Not that this is on-topic, because it’s not, how do you propose that students attend college (speaking mainly about students seeking a bachelor’s degree or higher) without taking on “predatory” student loans? I had to, and as part of that I’ve made an aggressive plan to pay them off very early. Whether others decide to just pay the minimum payment for 15 years is honestly up to them; it’s not like they didn’t learn the requisite math.

Similar story for online data, though. Just like how banks give you an absurdly low minimum payment in hopes that that’s all you’ll pay and they’ll make big money on interest, Google, Facebook, et al. bury their privacy controls in hopes that you’ll never think to turn their data collection off.
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The exact same could be said of Google. Seriously. For real. You can log in to your Google account and set a limit of when the data is purged or you may delete it all then and there.

Where’s the switch to turn off and delete the location history that Apple doesn’t collect about me in the first place?

 

[Neepman]

There will be no such thing as freedom and liberty when this situation abates. We are being led to the slaughterhouse and yet no one seems to notice or speak up about it.

 

[jonblatho]

I agree with you. I think in the coming years leaks and what not will reveal that Apple is not as privacy focused as they have appeared to be. I know this is conjecture right now, but things like those Siri recordings last year should be red flags that Apple is not being forth-coming with how they handle user data.

Well, at least you admit that you’re talking out of your rear end. This is nonsense.

 

[Dave-Z]

Google, Facebook, et al. bury their privacy controls in hopes that you’ll never think to turn their data collection off.

Facebook, maybe. But last time I was perusing a Google account it seemed pretty straight-forward where I should go. I log in and select the option that says "Data & Personalization". From there I can set limits or delete the data.

I can't actually say the same for Apple. When I log in I don't see those options. I think I can remove some data but I have to have an Apple device and dig through various settings individually. I haven't seen any option where I can login with a web browser, see all the settings on a single page, and set the limit or purge specific data (other than to delete my whole account).

 

[Rigby]

The exact same could be said of Google. Seriously. For real. You can log in to your Google account and set a limit of when the data is purged or you may delete it all then and there.

Google logs your location history by default. You can opt out, but many Android users don't even know that the tracking exists, and have no idea how to turn it off.

Apple has no comparable function, you can't even opt in.

 

[Dave-Z]

Well, at least you admit that you’re talking out of your rear end. This is nonsense.

Conjecture: a proposition before it has been proved or disproved

things like those Siri should be red flags

I'm simply stating points of facts. Eventually they will be proven or disproven. Apple mishandling the Siri situation is a point of fact. It should raise concern; it did with Apple themselves, so it should with us. If people want to blindly ignore that, so be it. But should enough of these mishandlings occur, that would certainly move the needle more towards "proved" than "disproved". Conversely, if enough of these mishandlings do not occur, it would move the needle the other way.
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Google logs your location history by default. You can opt out, but many Android users don't even know that the tracking exists, and have no idea how to turn it off.

Apple has no comparable function, you can't even opt in.

Apple collects a lot of data even if you don't opt in. I've proxied their devices and they really do gather a lot.

 

[Rigby]

Apple collects a lot of data even if you don't opt in. I've proxied their devices and they really do gather a lot.

Like what exaclty? Did you use a MitM proxy to decrypt the HTTPS? If not, the traffic you saw can just as well be normal stuff like syncing your iCloud information, or some app activity.