Rather than assume malice, a more charitable and entirely plausible interpretation is that the Google Maps team simply does not test this configuration. A recen

Rather than assume malice, a more charitable and entirely plausible interpretation is that the Google Maps team simply does not test this configuration. A recent change to Google Maps or Android unknowingly broke it, akin to genetic drift. All phones collect MAC addresses from nearby WiFi devices to speed up the initial GPS satellite fix. Apple does this too.