Apple to Require Explicit Permission for iOS Apps Accessing Address Book Data

[MacRumors]

Just hours after a pair of U.S. Congressmen sent a letter to Apple requesting information on privacy practices, specifically as they relate to address book data being collected and stored by the apps' developers, Apple has issued a statement to AllThingsD indicating that the issue will be addressed in a forthcoming iOS software update.

"Apps that collect or transmit a user's contact data without their prior permission are in violation of our guidelines," Apple spokesman Tom Neumayr told AllThingsD. "We're working to make this even better for our customers, and as we have done with location services, any app wishing to access contact data will require explicit user approval in a future software release."

Apple has been testing iOS 5.1 for some time, but appears to have slowed development as the company is assumed to be waiting to release it to the public alongside the iPad 3 early next month. The company has not, however, specified whether the new address book permission feature will be included as part of iOS 5.1 or if it will arrive in the form of a separate update, perhaps as an iOS 5.0.2 update to enable a faster turnaround on the fix.

Article Link: Apple to Require Explicit Permission for iOS Apps Accessing Address Book Data

 

[ChazUK]

Problem solved.

 

[jasonxneo]

It's all about the matter of protecting our privacy

 

[Kapangas]

They could have done that before...

 

[lilo777]

Problem solved.

But only partially (until the next scandal). They copied Android's approach partially. It's not enough. Apple have to admit the superiority of Android's approach and copy it entirely.

 

[troop231]

 

[Jmacman78]

LOL.......what, I, dont, even...

 

[Skika]

Thats Android.

 

[lilo777]

Thats Android.

You do realize that Apple is going to copy Android's approach to solve this problem, right?

 

[dethmaShine]

They could have done that before...

It should have been like that from the very beginning. It's non-sensical to have that sensitive data left out for scavenger apps. Even calendar data is accessible without permission to a number of apps.

As for --- viewing what services a particular app can access (during purchase) -> it may be feasible OR may be not. Don't know but that extra check for the user doesn't make the cut.

Apple can easily implement that - there maybe just a reason why they didn't in the past.

 

[Yvan256]

 

[Shrink]

One more up vote for this move on Apple's part.

And to pre-empt the "Apple caved to the government" crowd...even a stopped (12 hour) clock is right twice a day

 

[chowder]

So What Are Mr. Butterfield and Mr. Waxman Hiding?

Taking bets on Mr. Butterfield and Mr. Waxman having iPhones and are worried about their own address books from their iPhones being seen.

 

[KPOM]

This is a good response from Apple, and yet another instance where Tim Cook is managing a potential PR issue a lot differently (and more effectively, IMO) than Steve Jobs. It's obvious from moves like this, to the non-announcement announcement at the Goldman Sachs call yesterday, that Tim Cook believes in a slightly more transparent Apple. It makes sense, and is good business.

 

[writingdevil]

This is the same poster who said Android's approach probably isn't ideal, then this shows up. Go figure.

 

[lilo777]

Yeah, omg for sure. And this is the same poster who said Android's approach probably isn't ideal, then this shows up. Go figure.

I said this: "Android's way may not be ideal but it's probably the only possible one." Apple seemingly agreed.

 

[Stratus Fear]

Wirelessly posted (iPhone: Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9B5141a Safari/7534.48.3)

Thats Android.

You do realize that Apple is going to copy Android's approach to solve this problem, right?

I'm pretty sure some phones before the iPhone or any Android phones have had this feature. In fact, I'm pretty sure my SE K800i had this... So, copying Android? Probably just copying common sense, really.

 

[PlaceofDis]

the way they should do this is the same way location services are handled. and it should have been there from the start, but it was in the guidelines, you just can't expect people to follow the rules so things like this have to be built in.

i just don't want more pop ups

 

[lilo777]

Wirelessly posted (iPhone: Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9B5141a Safari/7534.48.3)



I'm pretty sure some phones before the iPhone or any Android phones have had this feature. In fact, I'm pretty sure my SE K800i had this... So, copying Android? Probably just copying common sense, really.

Are you implying that iOS is lacking common sense?

 

[Stratus Fear]

Are you implying that iOS is lacking common sense?

I might prefer iOS to Android, but I don't have any qualms with that implication. It's something that should have been done previously.

 

[lilo777]

I might prefer iOS to Android, but I don't have any qualms with that implication. It's something that should have been done previously.

And I agree with you.

 

[Amazing Iceman]

So, let's see if I understood.
Let's say I develop an App that gathers information from the Address Book. Let's say my App prepares a form which a user can send to a list of people in his/her Address Book.
In the future, when this change becomes implemented....

1) ... will I need to present the user with a prompt to allow me to access his/her Address Book to collect the information?

Or

2) ... will I need to request Apple's permission to use this feature when I submit my App?

Note that in neither case my App would be transmitting any Address Book data over the internet. Actually, I don't see a real reason to do so, unless the reason falls into the dubious category

 

[Northgrove]

Sounds good. Apple are free to "copy Android" if they want, if that would lead to good user experience. I don't even know what that means since I'm no Android user, and I definitely don't care. If some Android fan needs a pat on their back for doing something right the first time, sure, I can pat your back if that makes you feel better.

 

[Rodimus Prime]

What gets me is the fact that Apple took this long to fix this problem.

They really should copy Android and WP in listing permission when the Apple is installed. Auto updating is allow providing no permissions are changed.
I know when I install Apps if I see some permission that does not make sense it raises a lot of red flags.

 

[Tarzanman]

I know a lot of people on this board like to talk badly about google sharing your information, but google has a pretty good track record about informing you about which of your data they have and what is being disclosed.

I'm glad that Apple is fixing the issue, but think that iOS users should be concerned about the decision to structure it badly in the first place and the fact it took so long for this behavior to come to light.

Its not as if Apple didn't know what was going on. Apple fans should insist that the company hold itself to a higher standard, imo.