Apple Says iPhones Don't Store Location Data
NEW YORK (AP) — Apple says the idea that iPhones store their users' locations is based on a misunderstanding of how the phones help determine where they are.
The company says the data file uncovered by researchers and publicized last week isn't a log of a phone's location, but a list of Wi-Fi hotspots and cell towers nearby. That helps the phone figure out its location without having to listen for faint signals from GPS satellites.
Apple also says a software bug causes the phones to keep the data longer than intended.
It's the first comprehensive response to allegations that iPhones store up to a year's worth of user location data. Those reports have drawn attention from Congress.
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