
Reports surfaced Monday morning that Apple CEO Steve Jobs has responded to accusations that iOS devices track user location data. Late last week, two prominent security researchers came forward saying that they have discovered that the iPhone maintains a location log that includes longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates as well as a timestamp. Each time the iPhone is synced to the computer a new log file is created.
In the wake of the report, a backlash mounted against Apple from the likes of consumer privacy watchdogs, US lawmakers, and, naturally, a great many iOS users who feel their privacy is compromised by the supposed tracking functionality of their mobile devices. Consequently, no shortage of iPhone users have dashed off terse notes to Apple seeking information. And it now appears that one such message received a personal reply from Apple's chief executive.
"Could you please explain the necessity of the passive location-tracking tool embedded in my iPhone?" the customer wrote in email. "It's kind of unnerving knowing that my exact location is being recorded at all times. Maybe you could shed some light on this for me before I switch to a Droid. They don't track me." Jobs' typically terse response: "Oh yes they do. We don't track anyone. The info circulating around is false." The reply originated via Jobs' iPhone.
But all signs clearly point to a continuation of this story in the headlines until some detailed and legitimate answers are provided by Apple.
Source: Fierce Mobile Content