Apple seeks to clarify the controversy on account of our position on the iPhone

The has been busy around our iPhone file found in numerous data related to our position!

To calm things a bit, Apple is releasing a document marked questions and answers in trying to clarify what has happened and ensure that they are already working on a firmware update will arrive within a few weeks ("iOS 4.3.3 sight?) to solve this problem.

This firmware update will reduce the size of the database of WiFi access points and wireless repeater stored in the iPhone and delete this data when the location service is off.

If you want to know all the details related to the tracking data from our iPhone I recommend you read all the questions and answers that Apple has released and you have after the jump:

1 .- Why is Apple following the location of my iPhone?

Apple is not following the location of your iPhone. Apple has never done and has no plans to do so.

2 .- Then, why everybody is worried about this?

Provide mobile users fast and accurate information about their location, while preserving their security and privacy, raises some very complex technical issues. Users do not understand in part because the creators of this new technology have not provided sufficient data to date.

3 .- Why the iPhone register my location?

The iPhone does not record your location. Maintains a database of WiFi hotspot and mobile repeaters around your current location, some of which are more than a hundred miles away. The goal is to quickly calculate the location when prompted. Calculate the location of a mobile phone using only GPS data can take up to several minutes. The iPhone reduces this time to several seconds by using WiFi access points and wireless repeaters, which is also used in basements or indoors where GPS is unavailable. These calculations are performed in vivo using the database of many WiFi access points and wireless repeaters generated by tens of millions of iPhones to send geo-tagged sites in an anonymous and encrypted Apple.

4 .- Does this database stores a multitude of sources on the iPhone?

This database is too large to be stored on an iPhone so it only downloads a part of each iPhone. This cache is protected but not encrypted and is backed up in iTunes every time you connect to the iPhone. The backup is encrypted or not depending on user settings in iTunes. The location data that have been found in the iPhone are neither current nor the last location, refer to the location of WiFi access points and wireless repeaters surrounding the location of the iPhone, has already been said can be more than a hundred miles away.

5 .- Can Apple locate where I am based on WiFi access points and wireless repeaters?

No, they are sent to Apple on an anonymous and encrypted. Apple can not identify the source of these data.

6 .- have been identified up to a year of locations stored in the iPhone. Why the iPhone needs much data to help find where I am?

These figures do not refer to the location of the iPhone, are WiFi access points and wireless repeaters. The reason that so much data is stored for an error that had not been discovered and to be arranged shortly. Do not think the iPhone needs to store more than seven days of such data.

7 .- When I turn off location services, why sometimes my iPhone continues to update data from WiFi access points and wireless repeaters?

This must be a mistake we will fix shortly.

8 .- What other location data are collected by Apple, as wellof WiFi access points and wireless repeaters?

Apple is now collecting anonymous traffic data to build a database of user traffic that can help improve the service given to the iPhone in the coming years.

9 .- Apple provides some type of information collected on the iPhone to outside parties?

Fault logs anonymous offer to the developers to debug their apps. Iad Our advertising system may use a user's location as a factor in the orientation of the ads served. The location is not shared with third parties unless the user approves.

10 .- Apple Cree safety information and privacy is important?

Yes, of course. For example, the iPhone was the first that asked users for an application permission to use his location. Apple will remain committed to strengthening security and private information on their products.
Source: MuyMac