Why Apple’s New iPhone Privacy Feature Is Flawed

https://www.forbesafrica.com/technology/2026/02/04/why-apples-new-iphone-privacy-feature-is-flawed/

Publish Date: 2026-02-04 23:28:00

While the update might be good news for those concerned about advertisers accessing their location, it won’t prevent police from getting relatively precise coordinates from cellphone providers. For years cops have been able to order the likes of AT&T and T-Mobile to provide what’s known as “E911” information. That’s the same location data that the carriers give to emergency responders, except cops can order it for non-emergency situations, typically with a search warrant. The data can be remarkably precise too, up to within five meters.

Apple explicitly states in its update that emergency location information will not be impacted—understandable, given that data can help save lives in getting first responders to a caller. However, cops’ use of this data may make it impossible for Apple to ever prevent police accessing precise locations of an iPhone in the U.S.

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