Apple: We respect your privacy so much we've revealed a little about what we can track when you use Maps
- Reference: 1586931852
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2020/04/15/apple_reveals_mobility_trends_reports_tracking_data/
- Source link:
The data measures walking, driving and public transport use. And as you'd expect and as depicted in the image atop this story, human movement dropped off markedly as national coronavirus lockdowns came into effect.
Apple has [1]explained the source of the data as follows:
This data is generated by counting the number of requests made to Apple Maps for directions in select countries/regions and cities. Data that is sent from users' devices to the Maps service is associated with random, rotating identifiers so Apple doesn't have a profile of your movements and searches. Data availability in a particular country/region or city is subject to a number of factors, including minimum thresholds for direction requests made per day.
Apple [2]justified the release by saying it thinks it'll help governments understand what its citizens are up to in these viral times. The company has also said this is a limited offer – it won't be sharing this kind of analysis once the crisis passes.
But the data is also a peek at what Apple is capable of. And presumably also what Google, Microsoft, Waze, Mapquest and other spatial services providers can do too. Let's not even imagine what Facebook could produce. ®
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[1] https://www.apple.com/covid19/mobility
[2] https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2020/04/apple-makes-mobility-data-available-to-aid-covid-19-efforts/
[3] https://go.theregister.co.uk/tl/1936/-8552/how-to-accelerate-brilliant-digital-experiences-with-low-code?td=wptl1936
Re: Shocking
Yes they do. You see Apple did what any reasonably large company releasing a bad product would do when that product was criticised. They spent an awful lot of money improving it. As Google did with Google Maps..
As such, Apple maps is actually a good product now..
The Telcos can provide similar info
Is being used in Switzerland to assess how well the recommendations are being followed. No need for Apple
Not New?
Google uses it's "anonymised" location info to build the traffic layer on it's maps - either that or it's fitted a lot of sheep with traffic cams around here...
Re: Not New?
recently read on this good site that there was a German "artist" that was walking around the city with 99 phones to cause traffic jams
https://www.theregister.co.uk/2020/02/03/google_maps_hack_cartful_phones/
If this worries you...
...I suggest you don't look into how Google Traffic gets its data!
Re: If this worries you...
Seem to recall an iPhone user saying that Apple maps shows moving dots for a car that has a iphone in it. Presumably only if location services are turned on. This was before GDPR so it may have changed now.
Re: If this worries you...
Only those who have chosen to share their location with you personally, and not in real time. It's also only active when someone in your permitted friends list is actively requesting it You can get an idea of where your friends are, but not a precise fix.
Re: If this worries you...
You can get a pretty good one using 'find my friend' (or whatever it is called nowadays. Used that to synch up with friends when meeting and moving.
Re: If this worries you...
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-04/man-creates-fake-traffic-jam-on-google-maps-by-carting-99-phones/11929136
Week days
It looks to me like there used to be peaks associated with weekends, but now there are troughs at the weekend. That implies that it is now being used for work related travel more than leisure, which is a good thing.
Well, kind of. I mean how many people are going to get lost on their way to work, or [1]end up on an airport runway ?
[1] https://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/09/26/apple_maps_directed_drivers_onto_alaskan_airport_taxiways/
But the data also shows a little of what Apple is capable of.
What, counting requests made to direction servers is somehow an unexpected, amazing and worrying capability? Surely this is mundane info for any data service provider, of any data service.
Where's the needless hyperboly icon?
Re: But the data also shows a little of what Apple is capable of.
I'm surprised people seem surprised they can do this. First, it is perfectly possible to count up requests for destinations without needing to store any personal data
Second, how do people think the likes of Google, Apple et al get traffic data? Yes, they get it from Traffic master for major roads, but they add that data to the location data transmitted by phones in any jams..
If you don't like it...
Turn the bloody things off (or put them in Flight Mode until you actually need the dammed thing).
I have hardly used Google Maps and the last time I used the Apple Version was to get to an El Reg lecture in London (being from out in the sticks...)
Location data is almost always disabled on every app apart from the ones I actually use a lot, such as Zap-Map.
You can control the data leaving your phone... effing well do it. Make it hard for the likes of Google to track your every movement so that they can sling adverts back at you. This is almost irrelevant to me since I hardly use the web browser on my phone. YMMV naturally.
Shocking
People use Apple Maps????????