Why So Many Apps Are Asking To Use Bluetooth on iOS 13

'Apple's new iOS 13 update adds a new privacy measure that requires
apps to get your consent in order to use your device's Bluetooth. From
a report:

After installing the latest version of iOS, trust me when I say you'll
be surprised by the number of apps asking for Bluetooth permission the
next time you open them. Some might seem very strange (like Dunkin'
Donuts in my case), but others probably won't make you think twice
about giving the thumbs-up. The reason Apple implemented this is
because Bluetooth has enabled companies to sneakily track your
location over Bluetooth by using beacons in stores, shopping malls,
and even on popular city streets if they're placed within range of a
place you'd walk by.

This is entirely separate from your iPhone's location privacy
settings, which makes it seem all the more underhanded. A beacon is
very easily able to detect your device's Bluetooth chip and log that
with a retailer or some other app on your phone. So getting more
strict about Bluetooth is a good move by Apple to prevent unwanted
tracking of its customers. Similarly, the company is also getting even
more transparent about location, showing you on a map how often and
where apps have recorded your position. This prompt is much easier to
understand, and will probably startle people into slimming down the
list of apps that can monitor where they are. As it should!'

-- source: https://apple.slashdot.org/story/19/09/26/1928204

Cheers, Peter
-- 
Peter Reutemann
Dept. of Computer Science
University of Waikato, NZ
+64 (7) 858-5174
http://www.cms.waikato.ac.nz/~fracpete/
http://www.data-mining.co.nz/
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