Apple Slowing iPhone-$29 Battery / Google Tracking

[marurun]

iCloud backup means they can back you up right in the store. Only think it won't do is sync your music from your PC.

[samsonlonghair]

Considering the commute, good idea to install the upgrade and backing up your data. Depending on the tech, they might wipe it clean to factory, though could be left alone per customer request. Should be a one day job, maybe drop off as soon as they open?

It's a good idea, CRT, but it's not feasible. They open at 11am. I will be in the middle of work at 11am. I can't duck out for ninety minutes to drive there and back. I will need to wait till after work.

iCloud backup means they can back you up right in the store. Only think it won't do is sync your music from your PC.

I have an easier time restoring from a local backup on my Macintosh. I'm anticipating that I may want to roll back to iOS 10 after all is said and done.

Speaking of the iOS upgrade, I have lived with iOS 11 for a few hours now. Now I can judge the new operating system first hand. Here are my thoughts in no particular order:

I like that iOS finally has a file browser. That's something which should have been included since the beginning. All operating systems should include a file browser.

The icons have changed. They're neither better nor worse; they just changed for the sake of changing.

Apple pay is super obnoxious and intrusive. Every single time I get a text message, my iPhone harasses me to surrender my credit card number. No thank you, Apple. This is probably the worst part of the upgrade experience so far for me.

The battery really is shot to snot now. I was under the impression that iOS 11 would slow down my phone to save battery. Rather, I have experienced the opposite. My apps are reasonably snappy, and my battery drains twice as fast. Good thing I'm replacing my battery soon; I'm going to need it.

I made sure to connect to wifi before I started the update. I assumed that my iPhone would re-download the whole update, and I didn't want to use up all my data.

Guess what? It still used all my mobile data anyway.

[CRTGAMER]

They open at 11am. I will be in the middle of work at 11am. I can't duck out for ninety minutes to drive there and back. I will need to wait till after work.

The battery really is shot to snot now. I was under the impression that iOS 11 would slow down my phone to save battery. Rather, I have experienced the opposite. My apps are reasonably snappy, and my battery drains twice as fast. Good thing I'm replacing my battery soon; I'm going to need it.

I made sure to connect to WiFi before I started the update. I assumed that my iPhone would re-download the whole update, and I didn't want to use up all my data.

Guess what? It still used all my mobile data anyway.

I am trying to imagine your boss reaction if asked a day off to take care of your iPhone.

You brought up another irony in that iPhone automatic system update!

1. Updates bring in new features though a compromise of the bloat sometimes slowing down the system or in this case discharging the battery quicker.

2. The update working in tandem of draining the battery quicker slowing down the phone when the battery charge level drops.

Apple is evil for doing this knowing most consumers do not get into the "technicals" of disabling automatic updates or realizing the software slowdown when battery level drops.

Android Google just as evil SAVING LOCATION TRACKING history offline and sending back to Google once reconnected. Take a guess how many consumers will disable the automatic tracking or even aware of the settings below. The Activity Controls including Google Location, Web Activity, YouTube Activity and other History are buried a few layers deep in your Android Google Settings!

https://www.extremetech.com/internet/249770-google-can-now-track-offline-purchases

Google Can Now Track Your Offline Purchases
Google runs the world’s largest and most profitable online ad network, but the lion’s share of ad dollars still go to TV. The search giant is looking to change that by associating online ads with purchases in the real world — your purchases. Google has partnered with companies responsible for tracking purchase data, which gives it access to about 70 percent of all US credit and debit card transactions. This all comes off as a little creepy, but Google is adamant that it’s not creepy at all.

Google has the tools to track what you buy online, assuming you remain logged into your account and choose to share your browsing data. Offline, Google can do little more than track your location to guess at what you’re buying and peek at data from Android Pay. Google’s hope is that offline purchase data will confirm that the ads you see online do, in fact, influence what you buy in real life. That could tempt companies to increase ad spending online, which would be a windfall for Google.

If you’re still getting the heebie-jeebies from this, Google does include ample privacy tools to limit what data it can collect and use. Swing by your Google Dashboard and log in with your account. You can turn off ad personalization and use your activity controls to stop Google from collecting data from searches, location, and more. Keep in mind, many Google services will be less useful if you turn these features off. Alternatively, you can simply stay logged out of Google unless you specifically need to access your account.

Oh Crap, maybe cannot disable?

https://qz.com/1131515/google-collects-android-users-locations-even-when-location-services-are-disabled/

Google collects Android users’ locations even when location services are disabled
Many people realize that smartphones track their locations. But what if you actively turn off location services, haven’t used any apps, and haven’t even inserted a carrier SIM card?

Even if you take all of those precautions, phones running Android software gather data about your location and send it back to Google when they’re connected to the internet, a Quartz investigation has revealed.

Since the beginning of 2017, Android phones have been collecting the addresses of nearby cellular towers—even when location services are disabled—and sending that data back to Google. The result is that Google, the unit of Alphabet behind Android, has access to data about individuals’ locations and their movements that go far beyond a reasonable consumer expectation of privacy.

Quartz observed the data collection occur and contacted Google, which confirmed the practice. The cell tower addresses have been included in information sent to the system Google uses to manage push notifications and messages on Android phones for the past 11 months, according to a Google spokesperson. They were never used or stored, the spokesperson said, and the company is now taking steps to end the practice after being contacted by Quartz. By the end of November, the company said, Android phones will no longer send cell-tower location data to Google, at least as part of this particular service, which consumers cannot disable.

The revelation comes as Google and other internet companies are under fire from lawmakers and regulators, including for the extent to which they vacuum up data about users. Such personal data, ranging from users’ political views to their purchase histories to their locations, are foundational to the business successes of companies like Facebook and Alphabet, built on targeted advertising and personalization and together valued at over $1.2 trillion by investors.

Google Map
Google for years has invested creating and continually updating Google mapping technology. The free powerful map service beneficial to the public maybe also at a privacy price?

EDIT
Okay now this is real creepy! Just watched a news segment talking about the passenger jet losing an engine cowling. When the news went to commercial break, the first commercial is about IBM Watson notifying airline mechanics to inspect a jet engine. I know it was a staged commercial, but wow talk about timing!

[samsonlonghair]

I just left the Apple store. The most unexpected thing just happened.

I just got a brand new iPhone for free. I’m typing this message with my new iPhone now. I will give you the full rundown when I can get to a keyboard.

[samsonlonghair]

Alright, here's the full rundown I promised last night.

I walked into the Apple store at the Short Pump Town Center to get my $30 battery replacement. I was feeling just a little bit apprehensive that something would hit a snag. This was the last day of my seven-day window, so if they turned me away or just slowed me down I would be s.o.l. I tried to make sure all my bases were covered. I made a backup of my iPhone to my Mac the previous day, and I took a screenshot of my confirmation email so I would have it handy.



First impressions: The Apple store is hopping. For a place that only sells expensive items, they seem to be SUPER busy. Apple clearly has a system to handle all this foot traffic. The moment I walked in the door, a sales rep greeted me. I told him I was here for my replacement battery. The sales Rep pointed me towards a customer service rep. I showed him my screenshot'ed confirmation email. He looked up my information on his iPad. Sure enough, I was listed in his database with information about my iPhone 6. He pointed me towards another table and told me to wait there for the repair person.

I waited at a table full of Beats headphones connected to iPod touches. Quick aside: I thought that Apple stopped selling their iPod line altogether, but apparently they still use the iPod to demo their Beats headphones. Go figure.

After a short wait, a third Apple representative came to greet me. She didn't look like a repair tech to me; she looked more like a public relations person. She wore heavy makeup with expertly plucked eyebrows. She asked me to make sure I had turned off "find my iPhone" in my iCloud settings. She asked me for my full name as printed on my ID so I could confirm my identity when I come back to pick up my iPhone. I handed her my iPhone and she told me to return ninety minutes later.



I come back right on time. I am asked to wait at the headphones table again. This time a different lady comes out to meet me. This lady looks like she is the real repair tech. She wears no makeup, just a plain grey Apple polo. She says to me, "So we had a little problem." My heart immediately sank into my stomach. The repair tech continues, "The machine we use to repair iPhones accidentally broke your screen."


I say to her, "Well, that's not alright." She agrees that it's not alright and offers me a brand new iPhone at no charge if I pay the original quoted price for the $30 screen repair. My skepticism kicks in because it sounds too good to be true. I say, "I need to ask you for clarification, ma'am. When you say 'brand new' do you really mean refurbished?"

The repair tech says, "Nope. It's not a refurbished iPhone or a used iPhone. It's a brand new iPhone with the exact same model, same storage capacity, and same specs as your old iPhone."

I remain skeptical. "So you're telling me that Apple keeps new old stock of three-year-old iPhone 6 models?"

The repair tech responds, "Not exactly. Apple keeps a stock of all the parts in an iPhone 6. Some of these parts are brand new; some parts may be re-manufactured, but the phone itself is brand new. This iPhone was not traded in by another person. This iPhone has never been in anyone's pocket."

I take a closer look. Sure enough, the iPhone is immaculate. There's not a single scuff or fingerprint to be found. The original plastic sleeve is still wrapped all the way around it. For all intents and purposes it really is brand new. The screen is perfect. The battery life is exceptionally good. I can't ask for a better outcome than that. I only paid for a thirty dollar battery, and I got a brand new iPhone for free.

After I get home from work tonight, I'm going to restore the backup I made from my Mac.

[marurun]

Apple covers their shit. When my old 5C started flaking out near the end of the warranty period, Apple replaced it on the spot after some diagnostics. They sent me home with a new phone that day. Got to hand it to their customer service.

[dsheinem]

man that story is gonna crush the "Apple is evil" narrative that was developing in this thread.

Good thing we have a "Google is evil" tangent already started.

[samsonlonghair]

Well, somebody's got to be evil!

Seriously though, I'm super happy that CRT told us about the thirty-dollar battery replacement deal. This turned out pretty good for me in the end.

[CRTGAMER]

The repair tech continues, "The machine we use to repair iPhones accidentally broke your screen." I say to her, "Well, that's not alright." She agrees that it's not alright and offers me a brand new iPhone at no charge if I pay the original quoted price for the $30 screen repair.

I take a closer look. Sure enough, the iPhone is immaculate. There's not a single scuff or fingerprint to be found. The original plastic sleeve is still wrapped all the way around it. For all intents and purposes it really is brand new. The screen is perfect. The battery life is exceptionally good. I can't ask for a better outcome than that. I only paid for a thirty dollar battery, and I got a brand new iPhone for free.

After I get home from work tonight, I'm going to restore the backup I made from my Mac.

That is awesome! Rightfully that Apple provided a replacement new phone due to the human error of accidentally breaking your phone. It is surprising that Apple did not just replace the screen, probably either out of stock or the increased down time. You were given a time frame and drove a long distance, good for the rep to honor that. Probably also due to the backlog of customers taking advantage of the battery service, glad it worked out for you!

Were there any feeds from the repair tech if the newer update later on will not only show when the system slowdown, but also allow an easy settings disable? There are mixed messages if just indicator or actual control allowed by owner of phone.

[samsonlonghair]

That is awesome! Rightfully that Apple provided a replacement new phone due to the human error of accidentally breaking your phone. It is surprising that Apple did not just replace the screen, probably either out of stock or the increased down time. You were given a time frame and drove a long distance, good for the rep to honor that. Probably also due to the backlog of customers taking advantage of the battery service, glad it worked out for you!

Thanks, CRT. This is probably the only bit of good luck I’ve had in a long time. Thanks for posting that link a few weeks back. I probably wouldn’t have pursued this had you not encouraged me to do so. You the man!

Were there any feeds from the repair tech if the newer update later on will not only show when the system slowdown, but also allow an easy settings disable? There are mixed messages if just indicator or actual control allowed by owner of phone.

I didn’t even know to ask such a question. I have no reason to suspect she was privy to any secret information.