Apple tests button to turn off ultrawide band location tracking

Apple has added a new feature to iOS to disable location tracking due to the so-called ultrawide band chip. Earlier, a security researcher discovered that Apple makes unsolicited location determinations because the uwb chip has not yet been approved everywhere.

It concerns location determinations via GPS on the iPhone 11 that are done without the user having the option to turn it off. Apple explained late last year that it is making these location requests because the ultrawide band chip has not yet been approved in all countries; by determining the location of the user, the chip can be switched off in the relevant countries.

Now Apple has built in a toggle in iOS 13.3.1 to disable such location requests. That feature is in the second beta version, so discovered Brandon Butch, who announced his find on Twitter. Apple warns that turning off the location requests for ‘networking & wireless’ will affect the operation of the uwb chip.

The iPhone 11 models have ultrawide band support thanks to the specially developed U1 chip, and use this for AirDrop, among other things. The technology enables precise location determination of the device, and of the device in relation to other devices with U1 chip, thanks to time of flight.

The location requests for the uwb chip were discovered late last year by security researcher Brian Krebs. Apple responded by stating that the location data will not be collected, and will remain on the phone.