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iPhone Records User Locations: What’s the Big Deal?

iPhone record users activity


Secret files on Apple iPhone record


user's movements


A couple of researchers have discovered that Apple iPhone or 3G connected iPad has been tracking user location. A file called "Consolidated.db" was introduced in the Apple iOS 4 update 10 months ago, and all wireless data enabled iOS devices have been keeping record of their travels ever since.

The researchers also found out that the information about the times and dates is unencrypted nevertheless they've managed to develop a piece of software that can extract location data stored inside an iPhone and display it on a map to show an individual's movements.
The announcement has caused a considerable fuss as most people did not know Apple was storing this type of information, although hints about it have been around for a few months.
"Ever since iOS 4 arrived, your device has been storing a long list of locations and time stamps," reads a blog post from the researchers. "We're not sure why Apple is gathering this data, but it's clearly intentional, as the database is being restored across backups, and even device migrations."
The researchers also pointed out that a list of wireless hotspots that the iPhone or iPad have connected to has also showed up in the database. The researchers said that iPhone user's best protection until Apple responds is to choose the "Encrypt iPhone Backup" option while syncing your device in iTunes.
We all know Apple is no stranger to privacy issues: it was sued last year for giving consumer data to advertising companies. Plaintiffs alleged that Apple assigns a unique identifier to each device, enabling apps to link that with a user's location, income, and age, and share the data with third-party companies.