Why Apple Tracks You Via iPhone: It's Not Why You Think

Wondering why your iPhone and 3G-enabled iPad are storing your general location in an easily accessible database on your PC? It's simple. Apple uses this information to build a cell tower and Wi-Fi access point location database, and the company admitted as much last year. At least that's my theory. Let's take a look.

The iTracking "Scandal"

On Wednesday, two researchers released an open source application called iPhone Tracker that pulls data from a hidden location history database contained in your iOS device's backup files saved on your PC. The app then plots this location information on a map allowing you to see your phone's travels over the past year. Your iOS devices have been building this location database since iOS 4 was released in June of last year, the researchers say.

The data appears to be based on cell tower triangulation and not GPS. This means the location information is not pinpoint accurate, but only shows your general location. The researchers also discovered in the database a list of Wi-Fi access points that your device has been in range of during the past year.

The researchers don't believe this data is leaving your custody, but I disagree. My best guess is that it is leaving your device as anonymized and encrypted information that Apple then uses to build its cell tower and Wi-Fi access point database.

Here's why.

What Apple Said

In July 2010, Apple sent a letter to Reps. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Joe Barton (R-Texas) spelling out in detail what kind of location information Apple collects from device owners. Apple may "collect and transmit cell tower and Wi-Fi Access point information automatically [from your device]," the letter reads. "This information is batched and then encrypted and transmitted to Apple over a secure Wi-Fi Internet connection every twelve hours."

The letter was requested by the Congressmen after a Los Angeles Times report in late June 2010 said Apple had changed its privacy policy to allow the company to collect and share your Apple device's location information. You can find the letter to the Congressmen here.

Same File?

It's not clear if the location database the researchers found and the "batched" location information Apple takes from your device are the same file. But that seems very likely. I have sent a note to Apple about this and will update this post should the company reply.

The only troubling thing, however, is that Apple said in the letter that it encrypts your location data before sending it back to company servers. But the database on your computer is sitting there unencrypted in an easily discoverable location. This means the database is a potential target for malware or even law enforcement if the authorities should decide to seize and search your PC. Apple will need to do a better job of protecting this data in future iOS updates now that its existence has been well publicized.

What You Can Do

An important thing to note is that Apple says it will collect almost no location information from your phone if you don't have location services turned on. To adjust your preference open up your device's Settings app (the silver cog) and toggle 'Location Services' to 'Off' if you don't want to be tracked.

Even then, location information is only collected when you are using an application that requires your location such as Foursquare or Facebook Places, according to Apple. The only exception to this rule is that Apple will automatically collect cell tower information when your GPS-enabled device has location services turned on and is searching for a cellular network. Phones typically search for a network after dropping a connection or when first powering on.

Apple started building its own cell tower and Wi-Fi database after introducing iPhone OS 3.2 in April 2010. Previously, the company had used data from Skyhook Wireless and Google and still does for devices still running iOS 3.1 or older.

Your iPhone Records Your Whereabouts Secretly

Location based services are making the best of the GPS and A-GPS capabilities of modern day smartphones. The secret of those who've faking locations to win FourSquare Checkins to earn the Mayor batch using iPhones could be unleashed any time. Two Security Researchers - Pete Warden, Founder of Data Science Toolkit and Alasdair Allan, Senior Research Fellow, University of Exeter, have discovered that the Apple iOS 4.x mobile operating system keeps a log of user's location for iPhone and iPad. Even if you haven't been any using any of those location based services, the device still keeps a secret log of your locations along with timestamps on the device itself.

Nothing sounds creepier than the fact that you are being watched, secretly. According to Warden and Allan, the iPhone and iPad keeps a secret log file inside the iOS 4.X operating system with a log of user's location - latitude and longitiude co-ordinates along with the timestamp. According to both, the user's location datalog is stored in a file called consolidate.db and the entire location logging started from iOS 4.X update.

Allan wrote:
What makes this issue worse is that the file is unencrypted and unprotected, and it's on any machine you've synched with your iOS device. It can also be easily accessed on the device itself if it falls into the wrong hands. Anybody with access to this file knows where you've been over the last year, since iOS 4 was released.

As of now, both aren't openly speaking about how the device keeps a track of the location - using GPS or on cell-based triangulation.

Almost a Security Researcher Stefan Esser talked about the Address Space Layer Randomization to jailbroken iPhones and brought to light that jailbroken iOS devices were more prone to remote exploits than a non-jailbroken one. As Allan mentioned, the consolidated.db is unencrypted and unprotected so any nefarious hacker could get a copy of that file to track user location.

Apple iOS 4.3.2 did come with some security updates but as of now, there's no word on whether the consolidated.db file is encrypted/protected or not. Its not sure if Apple intends to store such data on the user's device.

It's not just Apple because even Android by default keeps the Location API for your Android turned on whenever the device is booted. Those who wish to check, can go to Settings>Applications>Services (common for most Android phones). Over there, you'll find Google's Map service active in them. Over here, premise is that the Android device supports A-GPS.

Take a look at the video where Warden and Allan talk about the iPhone's location logging.

MIT Turns Pile of Phones into a Big Display Screen

Imagine creating a large screen out of a collection of randomly scattered mobile phones - and that is what a team at MIT's Center for Future Civic Media has managed to achieve.

MT's Rick Borovoy released the Junkyard ­Jumbotron project, which allows laptops or phones in close proximity to be ganged together to form a large display.

The Junkyard Jumbotron requires no special software; it is simply a web page that receives real-time updates from their server, allowing scrolling, zooming, and soon video.

Rick developed the project as part of a larger suite of tools that he calls the Brown Bag Toolkit, all oriented around making technology work better with face-to-face interactions, like meetings, canvasing, or chance encounters.

The software is in a Beta stage, and released as an Open Source project.

New Technology Would Dramatically Extend Battery Life for Mobile Devices

Technophiles who have been dreaming of mobile devices that run longer on lighter, slimmer batteries may soon find their wish has been granted.

University of Illinois engineers have developed a form of ultra-low-power digital memory that is faster and uses 100 times less energy than similar available memory. The technology could give future portable devices much longer battery life between charges.

Led by electrical and computer engineering professor Eric Pop, the team will publish its results in an upcoming issue of Science magazine and online in the March 10 Science Express.

"I think anyone who is dealing with a lot of chargers and plugging things in every night can relate to wanting a cell phone or laptop whose batteries can last for weeks or months," said Pop, who is also affiliated with the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology at Illinois.

The flash memory used in mobile devices today stores bits as charge, which requires high programming voltages and is relatively slow. Industry has been exploring faster, but higher power phase-change materials (PCM) as an alternative. In PCM memory a bit is stored in the resistance of the material, which is switchable.

Pop's group lowered the power per bit to 100 times less than existing PCM memory by focusing on one simple, yet key factor: size.

Rather than the metal wires standard in industry, the group used carbon nanotubes, tiny tubes only a few nanometers in diameter - 10,000 times smaller than a human hair.

"The energy consumption is essentially scaled with the volume of the memory bit," said graduate student Feng Xiong, the first author of the paper. "By using nanoscale contacts, we are able to achieve much smaller power consumption."

To create a bit, the researchers place a small amount of PCM in a nanoscale gap formed in the middle of a carbon nanotube. They can switch the bit "on" and "off" by passing small currents through the nanotube.

"Carbon nanotubes are the smallest known electronic conductors," Pop said. "They are better than any metal at delivering a little jolt of electricity to zap the PCM bit."

Nanotubes also boast an extraordinary stability, as they are not susceptible to the degradation that can plague metal wires. In addition, the PCM that functions as the actual bit is immune to accidental erasure from a passing scanner or magnet.

The low-power PCM bits could be used in existing devices with a significant increase in battery life. Right now, a smart phone uses about a watt of energy and a laptop runs on more than 25 watts. Some of that energy goes to the display, but an increasing percentage is dedicated to memory.

"Anytime you're running an app, or storing MP3s, or streaming videos, it's draining the battery," said Albert Liao, a graduate student and co-author. "The memory and the processor are working hard retrieving data. As people use their phones to place calls less and use them for computing more, improving the data storage and retrieval operations is important."

Pop believes that, along with improvements in display technology, the nanotube PCM memory could increase an iPhone's energy efficiency so it could run for a longer time on a smaller battery, or even to the point where it could run simply by harvesting its own thermal, mechanical or solar energy - no battery required.

And device junkies will not be the only beneficiaries.

"We're not just talking about lightening our pockets or purses," Pop said. "This is also important for anything that has to operate on a battery, such as satellites, telecommunications equipment in remote locations, or any number of scientific and military applications."

In addition, ultra-low-power memory could cut the energy consumption - and thus the expense - of data storage or supercomputing centers by a large percentage. The low-power memory could also enable three-dimensional integration, a stacking of chips that has eluded researchers because of fabrication and heat problems.

The team has made and tested a few hundred bits so far, and they want to scale up production to create arrays of memory bits that operate together. They also hope to achieve greater data density through clever programming such that each physical PCM bit can program two data bits, called multibit memory.

The team is continuing to work to reduce power consumption and increase energy efficiency even beyond the groundbreaking savings they've already demonstrated.

"Even though we've taken one technology and shown that it can be improved by a factor of 100, we have not yet reached what is physically possible. We have not even tested the limits yet. I think we could lower power by at least another factor of 10," Pop said

As Smartphone Usage Rises, India SMBs Are Set to Spend US$173M In 2011

With the world spending more on smart phones, India SMBs are as well. With 54% of India medium businesses (MBs, companies with 100-999 employees) currently using these devices and a clutch of innovations on the horizon, smartphone penetration and spending are poised for growth. In 2011, India SMBs (companies with less than 1000 employees) are set to grow that spending to $173M, according to New York-based Access Markets International (AMI) Partners.

"At present many smartphone users in India do not use the data services that these phones offer," says Priti Verma, Research Analyst at AMI-Partners, Bangalore. "Insufficient data bandwidth is hindering usage of these services. With the advent of 3G spectrum we are observing an increase in the coverage that phone companies are able to offer and in turn smartphone penetration levels and data plan usage are on the rise," continues Verma.

Smartphone vendors can improve demand for smart phones by continuing to reduce prices as well as offering more and varied plan options. "Users prefer using only one device for presentations, email or downloading information," adds Verma. "This eliminates the need to have multiple devices such as a projector, computer and a phone when conducting normal business and personal transactions."

The landscape of mobile internet usage has changed to such an extent that in some cases the first internet experience is now through a mobile phone rather than a PC. "Search, financial services, sports, online trading and entertainment get a big share of smartphone usage," says Verma, "and people spend more time on smartphone entertainment than talking or sending messages."

Currently India SMBs' installed base of smartphones is less than one million with the maximum penetration of these devices understandably in the professional services vertical. Data show that India SMBs are planning increased spending on smartphone data plan services. With many more companies recognizing the advantages of using social networking, podcasting and micro-blogging, it seems natural that the adoption of the smart phone is on the rise throughout India.

As India continues to move towards a more mobile workforce, the smart phone will become an essential tool that all employees will require. With the improvement in the quality of navigation maps and simplification of licensing terms, phones with GPS capabilities are expected to become more in demand. And the emergence of open source operating systems and 2GHz processors will also help also boost smart phones. Looking forward, all of these changes together will forge a new paradigm of a true collaborative ecosystem.

More Than 1 Billion Devices to Have Embedded Wireless Networking Capability in 2011

Shipments of electronic products with embedded wireless local area networking technology (WLAN) will surpass one billion units for the first time ever in 2011 and then rise to more than two billion in 2015, as ubiquitous connectivity increasingly becomes a standard feature, new IHS iSuppli research indicates.

Shipments of consumer electronics, computer, communications and automotive products with built-in WLAN capability such as Wi-Fi will amount to 1.2 billion units in 2011, up 35.8 percent from 880.4 billion units in 2010. In 2015, shipments will nearly double from the 2011 level to reach 2.2 billion.

"In today's world of connected electronics, consumers expect seamless access to Internet communications, services and content in any place and at any time," said Dr. Jagdish Rebello, senior director and principal analyst for communications and consumer electronics at IHS. "From sharing Facebook news on their iPads, to viewing Hulu programs on their flat-panel TVs, to streaming audio and Video in cars with their automotive infotainment systems, consumers depend on built-in WLAN technology to get the most out of their electronic products. Because of this, embedded WLAN is becoming the norm for all kinds of devices."

In 2011, 19.7 percent of suitable devices shipped worldwide will have some form of embedded WLAN, up from 15.6 percent in 2010. By 2015, that percentage will rise to 28.1 percent.

The penetration of embedded WLAN has risen dramatically in recent years, expanding from just 1 percent of these devices in 2002.
IHS iSuppli research tracks 28 major categories of electronic products that are adopting WLAN technology. These devices include PCs, cell phones, digital cameras and camcorders, home and handheld video game consoles, televisions, set-top boxes and portable navigation devices.

Early adopters

Several product categories in 2011 already are expected to have 100 percent penetration for embedded WLAN, including media tablets, access point/routers and handheld video game consoles. Others are near 100 percent, such as mobile PCs and home video game consoles.

In terms of shipments, cell phones represent the largest category for embedded WLAN, with 512.8 million units set to ship this year. Mobile PCs will come in second at 230.1 million units.

Fast growers

During the next few years, the fastest growth in embedded WLAN will be generated by other categories of devices.

Leading the way will be automotive electronics head units, whose embedded WLAN penetration will rise at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 98.2 percent from 2010 to 2015. The penetration of embedded WLAN technology in liquid crystal display televisions (LCD TVs) will rise at a Cagr of 77.8 percent from 2010 to 2015. By the end of 2015, a significant majority of LCD TVs will include embedded WLAN, up from 2 percent in 2010 and 9 percent in 2011.

Other fast-growing segments in the coming years will be digital camcorders and still cameras, DVD players and recorders, and e-book readers.

Click on images to enlarge

Global Unit Shipments and Penetration of WLAN Capability

MegaFon Selects Juniper Networks for Mobile Infrastructure

Russia's MegaFon has implemented Juniper Networks SRX Services Gateways and MX Series 3D Universal Edge Routers to deliver mobile Internet services. MegaFon's aim was to upgrade its NAT Gateways that provide access to the Internet for mobile subscribers and ensure a high number of simultaneous sessions in the main regions can be supported.

Running on the Junos operating system, the SRX Series can handle up to 10 million concurrent sessions and up to 120 Gbps of firewall throughput.

Deployment of Juniper Networks MX Series 3d Universal Edge Routers also enabled Megafon to simplify its core and edge network.

Juniper Networks' local partner on the MegaFon deployment was Inline, a specialized provider in mobile telecom services nationwide.