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Apple's iPhone 18 Modem Switch Comes With a Quiet Privacy Benefit
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With all the tracking, profile building of companies and all the accusations against NSA, China, UK, EU by whistleblowers here I thought that maybe Apple had something in its hands to finally start counteracting a bit against this blatant attack on privacy going on for a decade+… but reading the comments, which are mostly grounded and legit, it feels definitely unrealistic that any sort of privacy invasion will be halted by this.
Didn’t think of this… not having your ID, or for example your passport when abroad, can be grounds for trouble. Just like driving a car without a drivers license with you.
Just a matter of time then for when it’s fully digitized.
Combined with social profile building and CBDCs for every transaction, governments will have a field day with its citizens. Fun times ahead.
In the meantime, this feature will be disabled after every iOS update and Apple harvesting this data “to improve quality and services”.
Veoronox
macrumors newbie
This is exactly what I wonder as well. Just like for instance a lot of websites already do with Adblockers. Or even worse like YouTube does.
This still doesn't tell me how it works technically. Feels like repeating PR bullet points.
i think it's available on all carriers in the EU. I'm in romania using vodafone and saw it immediately
Trusteft
macrumors 65816
I never had it for as long as I had a smartphone. Up to about last year.
Unless you are talking about Apple products, which I don't know.
apple was always playing the ball with american enforcement agencies, the rare cases where they publicly rejected some requests are a part of their marketing campaign. there is no privacy with the big brother and apple has no incentive for this kind of privacy.
probably the setting that you see is the one to prevent some apps from using precise location.
not the same as “agreeing” with carrier that he will not do it with you on their side.
racerhomie
macrumors 6502a
Google Maps with location history and Carriers have been doing this for decades. Apple can’t change that. A simple court order can reveal the information
bn-7bc
macrumors 6502a
well In areas covered by GPDR my guess would be never, ther is no need in a massageng apps main stated function (that of transmuting and reviving messages obv) to access your exact location thus I suspect regulators would have "issues" with such a requirement. In other jurestictions... I have no idea tbh, feel free to chime in
philstubbington
macrumors 6502a
I could do with improved location accuracy in maps - they all seem to have think I’ve parked in an adjacent street which would involve me driving through a brick wall to get to.
bn-7bc
macrumors 6502a
Well yea, traveling abroad requires vallid travel ID (wether passport or, nationall ID issoued by EEA member country (for travel witjin the EEA)) I see little isue with this i you for any reason ome into contact with the auto reties in the country you are visiting (or the local helthcare system) having a recognized ID which validity can be relatively easily confirms will probably ease whatever process quite a bit. Not to mention it might be e requirement to get across a border ( at least in some Airports. And this is pefore we grt to placers wich require a visa or similar to enter, I fail to see the big problem
bn-7bc
macrumors 6502a
2 frequency GNSS and /or egnos/waas will sole this issue in most cases, so the question then becomes why don't the chipsets in most mobile devices include support for those feature , my un-educated guess would be power consumption an/or die space constraints. 2 frequency GNSS (often multi contamination GPS,GALILEO etc)) will in a a lot of cases give you a 2d postion fig to below 1m which would probably solve the #one street over" issue. Note: I use GNSS instead of GPS as GPS is the actual trademark of the US run constalatrion (nothing wrong with that) but since all chip sets now include compatibility for multiple GNSS constellations I just feel that it's a bit inncorrect of me to use the trademark of one to describe the the general service, other people are ofc free to reefere to these nevigation systems in whatever way feels more natural to them
The big problem I see is that in all of your examples it is only needed on that exact moment, and that’s it. In a surveillance state, it is being used constantly 24/7, peeking at your every move.
For an exaggerated analogy: when I go to the bathroom, I expect to be completely alone and not surveilled… I’m not immigrating anywhere, not asking for any health service, or anything else, just taking a dump and a shower. Even people expect to knock the door first on many other similar instances.
I understand that many don’t see any issue with this, the “I got nothing to hide so have a it” type of approach, I used to be one of those a long time ago, until you get to see how the government starts finding ways to get you in trouble.
What we are talking here are things like getting fines because your phone was out of charge for a couple of hours, hence you were “without ID” for some time, “that’s illegal and we didn’t know where you were”, etc.
Will not help emergency services locating you when you make an emergency call.
No criminal with half a brain cell carries a mobile phone while "at work" anyway.