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I currently use an iPhone and it too isn't a good privacy solution either. For example my pet peeve is that apps like Waze or Uber are allowed to only request

I currently use an iPhone and it too isn't a good privacy solution either. For example my pet peeve is that apps like Waze or Uber are allowed to only request full location tracking, even while running in the background. As a user you cannot restrict location tracking to happen only when the app is running. This is an either-or proposition. Either the user allows location tracking while in the background, or you cannot use the app. And surely you can manually enable and disable location tracking per app, but that's way too cumbersome. Just imagine trying to start navigation while at a red light. Whereas with Android I used to be able to enable/disable location tracking globally, since you get a global shortcut that you can access in a swipe and tap. I also use 1Password as a password manager. Well, iOS has the same problem as Android where apps can read the contents of your clipboard, including copied passwords. And compared with Android it's not common to see password managers use third-party keyboards or accessibility features to side-step copy/pasting passwords. And sure, apps have an API to integrate managers like 1Password or Lastpass, which is nice when it's there and it's surely nice when it works in Safari, but too few apps use it. In other words, even though the privacy/security story is currently better for iOS, IMO it's not that good either and I hope that Apple and Google will work on improving this situation because I'm seriously thinking of going back to a dumb phone.

cgb_ 10y ago
To be fair, those are app choices to require 'Always' for location tracking. You can most definitely restrict an app to use location only while using - you can't fault Apple or IOS for apps that (unnecessarily [1]) demand more. One thing I really like about IOS is the reminder that an app has been using your location in the background for a while [2] [1] http://www.theverge.com/2016/11/30/13763714/uber-location-data-tracking-app-privacy-ios-android http://www.theverge.com/2016/11/30/13763714/uber-location-da... [2] https://support.apple.com/library/content/dam/edam/applecare/images/en_US/iOS/iphone6-ios9-weather-app-using-location.jpg https://support.apple.com/library/content/dam/edam/applecare...
- zymhan 10y ago
  But Apple makes (seemingly) no effort to encourage developers to allow limited location access. Why can't iOS be in charge of when an app uses my location when the app is backgrounded? The reminder only appears once per app, as far as I've noticed. I restored my phone recently for the first time in over a year, and had totally forgotten about the reminder feature.
- bad_user 10y ago
  No, allowing apps to require "Always" isn't fair at all and that's not a reasonable explanation or apology. And yes, I can surely fault Apple and iOS for that.
mratzloff 10y ago
And surely you can manually enable and disable location tracking per app, but that's way too cumbersome. Just imagine trying to start navigation while at a red light. I do this with apps like Uber and Waze. It's really not that cumbersome. When the app starts up, it will prompt you to enable location tracking, and if you say OK, it will bring you right to the setting. Then, when you're done, close out the app and find the setting again. Only set up map instructions while parked before you leave. To be honest, background location tracking on iOS is far, far worse than Android. It's really spotty, it requires the app be visibly running in the app list, and it also prompts the user to turn it off if your app uses it too much.
orbitur 10y ago
> apps like Waze or Uber are allowed to only request full location tracking, even while running in the background That's their choice, iOS allows the app developer to request location access restricted to the app being in the foreground. There was a round of articles about the privacy issues a month or two ago, and Uber just insisted they need to do it.
StavrosK 10y ago
> As a user you cannot restrict location tracking to happen only when the app is running. I'm pretty sure you can? I saw a friend do that exact thing yesterday, for the Foursquare app. I don't think it was in the Foursquare settings, it was in the OS settings.
- kevindong 10y ago
  You most certainly can indeed do that. It's just a bit buried (Settings -> Privacy -> Location Services -> [App] -> While Using).
  - bad_user 10y ago
    Guys, that's not true ;-) please install Uber and Waze and check for yourself.

cgb_ 10y ago

To be fair, those are app choices to require 'Always' for location tracking. You can most definitely restrict an app to use location only while using - you can't fault Apple or IOS for apps that (unnecessarily [1]) demand more. One thing I really like about IOS is the reminder that an app has been using your location in the background for a while [2] [1] http://www.theverge.com/2016/11/30/13763714/uber-location-data-tracking-app-privacy-ios-android http://www.theverge.com/2016/11/30/13763714/uber-location-da... [2] https://support.apple.com/library/content/dam/edam/applecare/images/en_US/iOS/iphone6-ios9-weather-app-using-location.jpg https://support.apple.com/library/content/dam/edam/applecare...

zymhan 10y ago
But Apple makes (seemingly) no effort to encourage developers to allow limited location access. Why can't iOS be in charge of when an app uses my location when the app is backgrounded? The reminder only appears once per app, as far as I've noticed. I restored my phone recently for the first time in over a year, and had totally forgotten about the reminder feature.
bad_user 10y ago
No, allowing apps to require "Always" isn't fair at all and that's not a reasonable explanation or apology. And yes, I can surely fault Apple and iOS for that.

mratzloff 10y ago

And surely you can manually enable and disable location tracking per app, but that's way too cumbersome. Just imagine trying to start navigation while at a red light. I do this with apps like Uber and Waze. It's really not that cumbersome. When the app starts up, it will prompt you to enable location tracking, and if you say OK, it will bring you right to the setting. Then, when you're done, close out the app and find the setting again. Only set up map instructions while parked before you leave. To be honest, background location tracking on iOS is far, far worse than Android. It's really spotty, it requires the app be visibly running in the app list, and it also prompts the user to turn it off if your app uses it too much.

orbitur 10y ago

> apps like Waze or Uber are allowed to only request full location tracking, even while running in the background That's their choice, iOS allows the app developer to request location access restricted to the app being in the foreground. There was a round of articles about the privacy issues a month or two ago, and Uber just insisted they need to do it.

StavrosK 10y ago

> As a user you cannot restrict location tracking to happen only when the app is running. I'm pretty sure you can? I saw a friend do that exact thing yesterday, for the Foursquare app. I don't think it was in the Foursquare settings, it was in the OS settings.

kevindong 10y ago
You most certainly can indeed do that. It's just a bit buried (Settings -> Privacy -> Location Services -> [App] -> While Using).
- bad_user 10y ago
  Guys, that's not true ;-) please install Uber and Waze and check for yourself.