Google is taking far more data from your Android devices than you may think
Both Android and iOS phone home every five minutes even when idle
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
Researchers have discovered thatAndroid devicesare collecting far more telemetry data on users thaniOS.
The findings from Douglas Leith from Trinity College in Ireland were part of a project looking to quantify the data both Android and iOS handsets send to their headquarters.
Leith observes that even when the minimally configured handsets are idle both iOS and Android share data with the parent company on average every 4.5 minutes.
We’re looking at how our readers use VPN for a forthcoming in-depth report. We’d love to hear your thoughts in the survey below. It won’t take more than 60 seconds of your time.
Click here to start the survey in a new window«
Even more worryingly, he observed that both mobileoperating systemstransmit telemetry data, including the phone’s IMEI, hardware serial number, SIM serial number and more, to their respective HQs even when a user has explicitly declined to share such details.
Insatiable appetite
As he compared both Android and iOS handsets in various states, factory reset, with/without SIM, and more, Leith observed that “almost two orders of magnitude more data is uploaded by Android (3.6MB) than by iOS (42KB) during startup.”
Scaling up his measurements for all Android and iOS devices in the US, these figures translate toGooglecollecting around 1.3 TB of data every 12 hours as compared to 5.8GB for iOS.
Google has disputed the findings, saying in a statement toArs Technica. “According to our research, these findings are off by an order of magnitude, and we shared our methodology concerns with the researcher before publication,” reads Google’s statement.
Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter
Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed!
The Android developer reasons that the report is measuring the communications that takes place to ensure the operating system is “working as intended, and that the phone is secure and running efficiently.”
Via:Ars Technica
With almost two decades of writing and reporting on Linux, Mayank Sharma would like everyone to think he’sTechRadar Pro’sexpert on the topic. Of course, he’s just as interested in other computing topics, particularly cybersecurity, cloud, containers, and coding.
This new malware utilizes a rare programming language to evade traditional detection methods
A new form of macOS malware is being used by devious North Korean hackers
Arcane season 2 confirms the hit series isn’t just one of the best Netflix shows ever made – it’s an animated legend that’ll stand the test of time
