Get ad-blockers and grains of salt ready before clicking on News Limited Daily Tele stories.
I find this claim doubtful...
> "The Oracle experts say phone owners’ data ends up being consumed even if Google Maps is not in use or aeroplane mode is switched on."
It's called "flight mode" on my android, and I highly doubt my data is being used when flight mode is activated.
With that said, Google does get pushy and invasive. Maps is annoying how it bugs you to go online and turn location settings on just to see a map. If I already know where I am, and only need to see a map, I shouldn't need to go online. Google have reluctantly allowed "offline maps" in recent times, but in typical Google fashion, the offline maps "expire" after only 30 days.
I'm pretty sure they are confusing things. When you turn on airplane mode and turn off GPS, Google will log all the wifi access points you come across (which only requires listening on the radio, not sending), and when you turn Airplane mode back off, it will upload that data to Google who can then go back and retroactively track your location based on their access point location database.
You're presenting a hypothetical as fact. The article doesn't mention anything about logging wifi access points, that's just you throwing another theory into the mix.
When Google location services is switched off, and your account is set to not track you or record history, there is absolutely not a "gig" of "secret spying" going on in the background.
Nobody forces you to leave wi-fi and mobile data on by default and everything set to default. Don't want to be tracked by Google? Then open settings and switch things off, it's not hard.
Like I said, grain of salt for News Limited articles. They hate Google, as do Oracle. The Daily Tele can't even write an article title without errors... "research showing Google users Android", bunch of amateurs.
> Nobody forces you to leave wi-fi and mobile data on by default and everything set to default. Don't want to be tracked by Google? Then open settings and switch things off, it's not hard.
Sorry, no. Turning on WiFi is not the same as consenting to be tracked everywhere. Your whole comment is all mixed up. First, you cannot disable Google Location Services. Period. You can turn off location, but you cannot, e.g. use GPS directly without going through Google Play Services. Second, you say the parent's comment was hypothetical, and yet, then you assume it is true and then suggest that using WiFi is consent to some hypothetical practice.
> Like I said, grain of salt for News Limited articles. They hate Google, as do Oracle.
1. I can turn off location settings on my phone.
2. I can also log out of Google maps app, and still use the app.
3. I can go into google maps app settings under "google location settings" and untick the box that says "access location".
4. I can disable location history for google location services from the same place in settings.
Like I said, you can uncheck a lot of stuff and still use the app.
I don't want to be tracked when I asked not to, but I'm not convinced that's happening from a clickbait tabloid article with spelling errors in headline, and vague details.
I also would like to use GPS without anything else for maps, so I tried Maps.Me for awhile, but as most people know it can take a long time to lock on when only using GPS. sometimes several minutes depending where you are, or whether moving etc.
> And then you attack the source! Geesh.
If you're implying the Daily Telegraph source is worth defending against ridicule, perhaps spend a bit of time on that site and see if you come away with any respect for their journalism. The Mod has changed the link anyway now to the Guardian, since the "source" prior to that was clickbait rubbish.
> Nobody forces you to leave wi-fi and mobile data on by default and everything set to default. Don't want to be tracked by Google? Then open settings and switch things off, it's not hard.
They track even when wifi is turned off, they still wake the radio to receive access point ssid broadcasts, they just don't send anything via wifi when it is off.
If you opt out of Google location services entirely then it won't do it.
I find this claim doubtful...
> "The Oracle experts say phone owners’ data ends up being consumed even if Google Maps is not in use or aeroplane mode is switched on."
It's called "flight mode" on my android, and I highly doubt my data is being used when flight mode is activated.
With that said, Google does get pushy and invasive. Maps is annoying how it bugs you to go online and turn location settings on just to see a map. If I already know where I am, and only need to see a map, I shouldn't need to go online. Google have reluctantly allowed "offline maps" in recent times, but in typical Google fashion, the offline maps "expire" after only 30 days.