Re: Apple changed their documentation at my request but it proves they don't care about privacy

On 2026-09-07, Carlos E.R. wrote:

> On 2026-09-07 13:34, Carlos E.R. wrote:
>> On 2026-09-07 11:47, Nuno Silva wrote:
>>> On 2026-09-06, Jon Ribbens wrote:
>>>
>>>> The purpose of these databases of BSSID locations is to assist devices
>>>> such as mobile phones in locating themselves. Maybe the device is
>>>> indoors and cannot get a GPS signal, but also my understanding is that
>>>> GPS can fix an accurate location much faster if it starts already
>>>> knowing vaguely where on the planet it is.
>>>
>>> There was already a mechanism to do this at least since "3G" using
>>> mobile data connections, right?
>>
>> Yes. It was possible since GSM was invented, but somebody had to
>> figure out that, and design a methodology. Initially, it involved a
>> written request to the mobile network provider to do calculations
>> using dumps of logs from each tower that could be involved.
>>
>> And at some time it was automated, and phones could find their rough
>> location instantly.
>
> I asked ChatGPT for more info. Take with a pinch of salt.

(What you included is interesting too, but to be clear what I was
referring to is the "supl" APN type, which AFAIK is intended to be used
for positioning information? But it's not something I've researched at
all, the extent of my knowledge was searching to try to understand the
values in that comma-separated list many years ago.)

-- 
Nuno Silva