5 ms·

I think phones should have location-based wifi (and maybe bluetooth). Meaning, if your location is home, turn on wifi, else turn it off. Unfortunately apple/g

by m463 2y ago

I think phones should have location-based wifi (and maybe bluetooth). Meaning, if your location is home, turn on wifi, else turn it off. Unfortunately apple/google/carriers have a vested interest in making our devices very promiscuous. (location services, advertising/surveillance, offload cellular, etc)

balderdash 2y ago
That would be a great feature the only places I use WiFi besides home/work is the airport/plane, hotels, and occasionally other offices or people’s homes. There is no need to be broadcasting driving/walking around etc.
gruez 2y ago
This paper is about surveilling locations of APs (ie. hotspots), not the devices that connect to them. Thanks to MAC address randomization the latter is basically a non-issue. >I think phones should have location-based wifi (and maybe bluetooth). >Unfortunately apple/google/carriers have a vested interest in making our devices very promiscuous. (location services, [...] You don't see the contradiction here? You want your phones to have location-aware features, but right afterwards say that you don't want it because it makes your device "very promiscuous".
- yjftsjthsd-h 2y ago
  >> Unfortunately apple/google/carriers have a vested interest in making our devices very promiscuous. (location services, [...] > You don't see the contradiction here? You want your phones to have location-aware features, but right afterwards say that you don't want it because it makes your device "very promiscuous". I don't think it's a contradiction. You can have a phone that knows its own location without telling Google/Apple where it is, and that uses that information to toggle features. (I'm kind of skipping the cell carriers because you do have to give them coarse location by virtue of how cell network work.) A device can get location by purely passive GPS without involving any external services, but that's a pretty sucky experience (slow lock, low precision)... I think you can do AGPS without telling anyone where you are, though. Anyways, my point is that there is a world of difference between you having your information/location and anyone else having it.
- m463 2y ago
  If your phone has wifi enabled, it will collect AP name+location for apple/google and upload it. The same thing happens for bluetooth + ibeacons/edison beacons, airtags, etc.
deleted 2y ago
[deleted]
fallingsquirrel 2y ago
You can set that up pretty easily with something like Automate. https://llamalab.com/automate/ https://llamalab.com/automate/
transpute 2y ago
This could likely be automated by tapping an NFC proximity tag (e.g. discarded transit card) at your door for entry/exit. NFC avoids dependency on network-based location positioning.
- KeplerBoy 2y ago
  You can also automate this by simply querying your gps coordinates and setting up geo-fences around your home. This was possible 10 years ago using tasker on android.
hnburnsy 2y ago
Samsung has this on some phones called intelligent wi-fi... https://docs.samsungknox.com/admin/knox-platform-for-enterprise/kbas/kba-360034073174/ https://docs.samsungknox.com/admin/knox-platform-for-enterpr... >Intelligent Wi-Fi provides four features that aim to improve consumers’ Wi-Fi experience: Network Bearer Switching Auto Wi-Fi Suspicious Hotspot Detection Enhanced Power Saving >Intelligent Wi-Fi is the new brand name of the existing “Adaptive Wi-Fi” which had been applied to models older than Galaxy S10 (e.g. Galaxy S9 or older models). It has been improved by adding a new feature such as Suspicious Network Detection and also enhancing existing features such as Network Bearer Switching. >Auto Wi-Fi >People use Wi-Fi differently based on their location. In places where Wi-Fi is available, we turn on Wi-Fi to avoid being charged for mobile data. On the other hand, if Wi-Fi is always on, we are subjected to frequent, unwanted connections and higher power consumption. To solve this problem, we have introduced Auto Wi-Fi, which turns Wi-Fi on and off depending on your location. Auto Wi-Fi addresses these connectivity-related pain points. >Auto Wi-Fi pays close attention to your connection patterns and remembers your favorite networks. It turns your Wi-Fi on when a favorite network is available. When you leave the area and the network becomes unavailable, Auto Wi-Fi will automatically turn off your Wi-Fi.
red369 2y ago
This can be set up in iOS using Automation in Apple's Shortcuts app, e.g: When: I arrive home Do: Set WIFI On
roelschroeven 2y ago
For that to work you need to have location enabled, so you're now leaking your location anyway. Doesn't that defeat the whole purpose?

by m463 2y ago

balderdash 2y ago

That would be a great feature the only places I use WiFi besides home/work is the airport/plane, hotels, and occasionally other offices or people’s homes. There is no need to be broadcasting driving/walking around etc.

gruez 2y ago

This paper is about surveilling locations of APs (ie. hotspots), not the devices that connect to them. Thanks to MAC address randomization the latter is basically a non-issue. >I think phones should have location-based wifi (and maybe bluetooth). >Unfortunately apple/google/carriers have a vested interest in making our devices very promiscuous. (location services, [...] You don't see the contradiction here? You want your phones to have location-aware features, but right afterwards say that you don't want it because it makes your device "very promiscuous".

yjftsjthsd-h 2y ago
>> Unfortunately apple/google/carriers have a vested interest in making our devices very promiscuous. (location services, [...] > You don't see the contradiction here? You want your phones to have location-aware features, but right afterwards say that you don't want it because it makes your device "very promiscuous". I don't think it's a contradiction. You can have a phone that knows its own location without telling Google/Apple where it is, and that uses that information to toggle features. (I'm kind of skipping the cell carriers because you do have to give them coarse location by virtue of how cell network work.) A device can get location by purely passive GPS without involving any external services, but that's a pretty sucky experience (slow lock, low precision)... I think you can do AGPS without telling anyone where you are, though. Anyways, my point is that there is a world of difference between you having your information/location and anyone else having it.
m463 2y ago
If your phone has wifi enabled, it will collect AP name+location for apple/google and upload it. The same thing happens for bluetooth + ibeacons/edison beacons, airtags, etc.

deleted 2y ago

[deleted]

fallingsquirrel 2y ago

You can set that up pretty easily with something like Automate. https://llamalab.com/automate/ https://llamalab.com/automate/

transpute 2y ago

This could likely be automated by tapping an NFC proximity tag (e.g. discarded transit card) at your door for entry/exit. NFC avoids dependency on network-based location positioning.

KeplerBoy 2y ago
You can also automate this by simply querying your gps coordinates and setting up geo-fences around your home. This was possible 10 years ago using tasker on android.

hnburnsy 2y ago

Samsung has this on some phones called intelligent wi-fi... https://docs.samsungknox.com/admin/knox-platform-for-enterprise/kbas/kba-360034073174/ https://docs.samsungknox.com/admin/knox-platform-for-enterpr... >Intelligent Wi-Fi provides four features that aim to improve consumers’ Wi-Fi experience: Network Bearer Switching Auto Wi-Fi Suspicious Hotspot Detection Enhanced Power Saving >Intelligent Wi-Fi is the new brand name of the existing “Adaptive Wi-Fi” which had been applied to models older than Galaxy S10 (e.g. Galaxy S9 or older models). It has been improved by adding a new feature such as Suspicious Network Detection and also enhancing existing features such as Network Bearer Switching. >Auto Wi-Fi >People use Wi-Fi differently based on their location. In places where Wi-Fi is available, we turn on Wi-Fi to avoid being charged for mobile data. On the other hand, if Wi-Fi is always on, we are subjected to frequent, unwanted connections and higher power consumption. To solve this problem, we have introduced Auto Wi-Fi, which turns Wi-Fi on and off depending on your location. Auto Wi-Fi addresses these connectivity-related pain points. >Auto Wi-Fi pays close attention to your connection patterns and remembers your favorite networks. It turns your Wi-Fi on when a favorite network is available. When you leave the area and the network becomes unavailable, Auto Wi-Fi will automatically turn off your Wi-Fi.

red369 2y ago

This can be set up in iOS using Automation in Apple's Shortcuts app, e.g: When: I arrive home Do: Set WIFI On

roelschroeven 2y ago

For that to work you need to have location enabled, so you're now leaking your location anyway. Doesn't that defeat the whole purpose?