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This issue reminds me of a key permission iOS gives control over while Android (even post-Nougat) doesn't: The distinction between allowing an app to use locat

This issue reminds me of a key permission iOS gives control over while Android (even post-Nougat) doesn't: The distinction between allowing an app to use location while the app is open versus anytime. Android makes no distinction between these two states, which opens up the ability for many apps (not just Google's) to enable automatic stalking mode. Take Yelp, for example. I do want it to be able to access my location so I can easily lookup restaurants nearby. However, on Android, once you give Yelp the location permission, it'll start popping up notifications about things near your current location, which is just creepy. On iOS, you can restrict it to only be able to see your location when using the app, which is what I want for most apps.

abawany 9y ago
And Maps gets very annoying when I refuse to enable full location permissions for Google Play; the random prompts to enable it, hoping I would agree when not paying attention, are super sleazy. I uninstalled it last night after trialing a combination of HERE and OsmAnd. It is a lot more inconvenient but the idea of location tracking when the app in question is not in use is creepy and wasteful.
adregan 9y ago
Yes! And the newest version of iOS grants you the ability to say "while using the app" for any app rather than just the apps where the developer gave the user that option.
- duskwuff 9y ago
  And if an iOS app does request access to the user's location while in the background, it's required to have a specific explanation of why it needs that: https://developer.apple.com/library/content/documentation/General/Reference/InfoPlistKeyReference/Articles/CocoaKeys.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40009251-SW18 https://developer.apple.com/library/content/documentation/Ge...
  - mrguyorama 9y ago
    I really wish I didn't dislike apple and hate their UI and design
robbyt 9y ago
I assumed disallowing background activity in Android prevents this, does anyone know more about this?

abawany 9y ago

And Maps gets very annoying when I refuse to enable full location permissions for Google Play; the random prompts to enable it, hoping I would agree when not paying attention, are super sleazy. I uninstalled it last night after trialing a combination of HERE and OsmAnd. It is a lot more inconvenient but the idea of location tracking when the app in question is not in use is creepy and wasteful.

adregan 9y ago

Yes! And the newest version of iOS grants you the ability to say "while using the app" for any app rather than just the apps where the developer gave the user that option.

duskwuff 9y ago
And if an iOS app does request access to the user's location while in the background, it's required to have a specific explanation of why it needs that: https://developer.apple.com/library/content/documentation/General/Reference/InfoPlistKeyReference/Articles/CocoaKeys.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40009251-SW18 https://developer.apple.com/library/content/documentation/Ge...
- mrguyorama 9y ago
  I really wish I didn't dislike apple and hate their UI and design

robbyt 9y ago

I assumed disallowing background activity in Android prevents this, does anyone know more about this?