India is considering a proposal that would require Apple to keep GPS location services permanently enabled on every iPhone sold in the country, (according to Reuters) .
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Under the proposal, smartphone manufacturers, including Apple, would have to enable satellite-assisted GPS on their devices at all times, without the option for users to turn the feature off. The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) argues that location data from cell tower triangulation is not accurate enough for investigative use and that authorities should have access to meter-level coordinatesprovided by GPS.
GPS is usually only activated when specific applications request location access or when an emergency call is made.
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COAI has also asked the government to require smartphone manufacturers to disable notifications that notify users when a provider is trying to access information location
Apple disagrees with always-on GPS in India
Apple has officially opposed the proposal. In a letter sent in July by the India Cellular & Electronics Association (ICEA), which represents Apple and Google, the companies warned the government that requiring GPS to be on at all times would be an overreach of regulations.
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The news comes shortly after India overturned a separate directive that would have required all smartphone makers, including Apple, to pre-install a government app and prevent users from disabling its features. The order was withdrawn after widespread criticism.
