iPhone 8/Plus Can Apple track your location?

[AMSOS]

I've switched off all location tracking options in Privacy on iOS 12.

This includes cell tower info too.

The only option I've left on is "Find my iPhone".

What happens if I switch it off too? Obviously, I won't be able to track the phone, but are there any other issues I could face?

In general, if you switch off all the options in Privacy, is there some way for Apple to still track your location?

 

[Bballrob]

The answer to this question depends on who you believe - the conspiracy theorists, or Apple??

 

[Banglazed]

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT207056

By enabling Location Services for your devices, you agree and consent to the transmission, collection, maintenance, processing, and use of your location data and location search queries by Apple and its partners and licensees to provide and improve location-based and road traffic-based products and services.

The crowd-sourced location data gathered by Apple does not personally identify you

 

[now i see it]

Your cellular provider can track you if your phone is connected to any cellular network. The only way to not be tracked is turn on airplane mode or don't turn on your phone.

If you're really paranoid about being tracked, you shouldn't be using a cell phone of any kind.

 

[CTHarrryH]

There is a difference between can and doing. Maybe I'm too much of a believer but I don't think Apple tracks you but almost everyone else does.
I live in Maine and apparently the state is buying information from some company (which provides to a whole bunch of states, etc to figure out traffic patterns.

Make sure you have turned off Significant locations also.

 

[squizzler]

They can if they’re asked too.

 

[Lee_Bo]

Apple, NSA, FBI, CIA, etc.

 

[Shirasaki]

Of course they can. Whether Apple will do it or not is another matter. But technically they can track any device and know their exact location.

 

[NoBoMac]

Will echo, if paranoid about being tracked, need to get rid of phone, tablet, desktop/laptop.

In addition to GPS, you also have databases that track general location of IP addresses. For example:

https://www.ip2location.com/

(Not sure what service Apple uses for things like 2FA to get the "someone is accessing at <location name>")

And you have wifi location, where if you connect to a known AP, it's on the grid:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wi-Fi_positioning_system

The Wi-Fi hotspot database gets filled by correlating mobile device GPS location data with Wi-Fi hotspot MAC addresses.

Oh and: things like iBeacons

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBeacon

 

[jpn]

I've switched off all location tracking options in Privacy on iOS 12.

This includes cell tower info too.

The only option I've left on is "Find my iPhone".

What happens if I switch it off too? Obviously, I won't be able to track the phone, but are there any other issues I could face?

In general, if you switch off all the options in Privacy, is there some way for Apple to still track your location?

iPhone = iCloud = tracking.
i trust that apple understands that its #1 marketing strength in terms of brand power is to abide by its promises to not abuse this data.
i dont trust apple by itself. i do trust that apple understands it is dead if it breaches that marketing promise.

 

[internetrando]

Trust me. If someone wants to find you in today's world, they will find you.

 

[Zxxv]

Any app that has notifications on will track your location as it logs into the website for notification updates.

Anytime you open an app it will send your location to the website you are opening. Yes apps are just web portals.

So apple will always know your location as they are smart via your WiFi etc

Why they would be interested is another matter.


Are you a pedo or serial killer or drug dealer or something who needs to cover his or her tracks?

 

[Coffee_Time]

Your cellular provider can track you if your phone is connected to any cellular network. The only way to not be tracked is turn on airplane mode or don't turn on your phone.

If you're really paranoid about being tracked, you shouldn't be using a cell phone of any kind.

Wrong! The only option is to take out the sim and then factory reset your phone as you don't know what little software your carrier has installed in your phone without you even know it. Also reflash your home router stock firmware as well. Chinese and russians can modify your home router firmware. That's a real fact.

 

[haruhiko]

Wrong! The only option is to take out the sim and then factory reset your phone as you don't know what little software your carrier has installed in your phone without you even know it. Also reflash your home router stock firmware as well. Chinese and russians can modify your home router firmware. That's a real fact.

People of all races can be hackers lol.

 

[Shanghaichica]

They can but they probably don’t.

 

[AMSOS]

If you're really paranoid about being tracked, you shouldn't be using a cell phone of any kind.

I see. So, basically all this privacy talk by Apple is just a marketing tactic. From what I can see from comments here, it seems Apple will normally not track you, but they can if they want to.

Your cellular provider can track you if your phone is connected to any cellular network. The only way to not be tracked is turn on airplane mode or don't turn on your phone.

So,

Make sure you have turned off Significant locations also.

Yes, I've turned off all options that are listed in Privacy settings, except Find My iPhone.

They can if they’re asked too.

So, I am intrigued. If all location related options are turned off, how exactly will they track you? I can understand that the phone company can do that through the IMEI, but how can Apple track you? A comment mentioned iCloud, but I am not sure how that allows Apple to track you.
I am interested in the clarifying the technical side of it.

 

[mrochester]

I see. So, basically all this privacy talk by Apple is just a marketing tactic. From what I can see from comments here, it seems Apple will normally not track you, but they can if they want to.

So,

Yes, I've turned off all options that are listed in Privacy settings, except Find My iPhone.

So, I am intrigued. If all location related options are turned off, how exactly will they track you? I can understand that the phone company can do that through the IMEI, but how can Apple track you? A comment mentioned iCloud, but I am not sure how that allows Apple to track you.
I am interested in the clarifying the technical side of it.

Apple's privacy stance isn't about not tracking you entirely, it's about not using that data to generate an advertising profile to monetise you and your behaviour.

 

[NoBoMac]

This^^^^.

Here are some relevant links to bone up on. Apple does not care about one's pr0n habits or if going to a pirating website.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202303
https://www.apple.com/privacy/approach-to-privacy/

And it's not just Apple, it's everything. Send an email, ip address sending from is recorded, as well as sender & receiver email address, and probably on the mail severs unencrypted. Do a Google search, ip address is recorded. If doing this over cellular, triangulation can pinpoint you. Use Google maps, that will send back to Google your location. Etc etc.

And as I mentioned earlier, ip address can be mapped, in some cases, to a physical address.

And this does not even cover cookies in the browser allow places like Amazon know you have been searching for products and present you ads for said products on the other sites you visit.

So unless you toss out your electronics, someone somewhere is tracking you. Your cell provider, your ISP, someone else's ISP, every service/website out there.

ADD: want to really get into the nitty gritty, can read this.

https://www.apple.com/business/site/docs/iOS_Security_Guide.pdf

Or get a dumb phone, all that will track is cell tower pings (assuming GPS is off), as Android phones are not any more privacy friendly (probably worse).

 

[Apple_Robert]

I've switched off all location tracking options in Privacy on iOS 12.

This includes cell tower info too.

The only option I've left on is "Find my iPhone".

What happens if I switch it off too? Obviously, I won't be able to track the phone, but are there any other issues I could face?

In general, if you switch off all the options in Privacy, is there some way for Apple to still track your location?

If you are leery of Apple and are concerned they (singularly or en masse) may be abusing inherent privileges for some unknown reason, you should stop using your iPhone, iPad, or any other Apple device that connects to the internet.

In a real life, day to day scenario, the best the average consumer can do is limit his or her electronic footprint. In my opinion, you should be more concerned with the various apps you are using, in addition to what your cellular provider is collecting and keeping.

 

[AMSOS]

Here are some relevant links to bone up on. Apple does not care about one's pr0n habits or if going to a pirating website.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202303
https://www.apple.com/privacy/approach-to-privacy/

And it's not just Apple, it's everything. Send an email, ip address sending from is recorded, as well as sender & receiver email address, and probably on the mail severs unencrypted. Do a Google search, ip address is recorded. If doing this over cellular, triangulation can pinpoint you. Use Google maps, that will send back to Google your location. Etc etc.

And as I mentioned earlier, ip address can be mapped, in some cases, to a physical address.

And this does not even cover cookies in the browser allow places like Amazon know you have been searching for products and present you ads for said products on the other sites you visit.

Thanks for this. Yes, I am sure Amazon and the likes are perpetually in that mode.
So, here is what I understand from the informative responses here - Apple is tracking every user even when they switch off all relevant settings in privacy. But they: a) don't monetise this data, b) don't uniquely identify a user, unless given explicit permission.
The ISP and phone provider (Cricket for me) is of course a different matter altogether. There is obviously no way to have them not know your location etc. And I wonder if even shifting to basic phones will help there.
I almost always use Duckduckgo and Google maps is set to know location only while in use.
I understand that Amazon will keep a track when I browse the website. But, on iPhone at least, surely they have no way of knowing what else I am browsing when I am not on the Amazon site?

In a real life, day to day scenario, the best the average consumer can do is limit his or her electronic footprint. In my opinion, you should be more concerned with the various apps you are using, in addition to what your cellular provider is collecting and keeping.

Yes, of course. And I am doing that by switching off all those privacy settings for which Apple gives me options.
This will sound naive, but if Apple and Google already know everything about, with the monetising your profile being the only difference, why is it still important to limit one's digital footprint?
Thanks!

 

[omgitsbees]

Tim Cook personally tracks all of my movements.