location permissions Archives

AppWizard

November 2, 2025

Tracking whatever you do: IIT study finds Android apps are gathering far more information than users think

A recent investigation by IIT Delhi found that Android applications with precise location access can gather extensive information about users, including whether they are indoors or outdoors, the presence of crowded environments, and details about room layouts and activities, without using the phone’s camera or microphone. The study, led by MTech student Soham Nag and Professor Smruti R Sarangi, utilized a system called AndroCon, which analyzes low-level GPS signals to detect user activity and contextual information. AndroCon achieved up to 99% accuracy in identifying surroundings and over 87% accuracy in recognizing human activities, including subtle gestures. The research highlights significant privacy risks, as applications with fine-grained location permissions can extract sensitive data without user consent. The findings were published in the ACM Transactions on Sensor Networks.

AppWizard

November 1, 2025

IIT Delhi study finds Android apps with location access can infer user activities and indoor layouts | Delhi News – The Times of India

Researchers at IIT Delhi, led by MTech student Soham Nag and Dr. Smruti R Sarangi, have developed a system called AndroCon that utilizes low-level GPS signal fluctuations to gather detailed information about a user's environment and activities without using cameras or microphones. The system can determine whether a person is indoors or outdoors, identify the structure of a room, and assess their actions with high accuracy—up to 99% for surroundings and over 87% for human activities. AndroCon can also generate indoor floor maps with a margin of error of less than four meters. The study highlights potential privacy concerns, as any Android app with fine location permissions could access sensitive contextual information without user consent. The findings were published in the ACM Transactions on Sensor Networks.

AppWizard

October 30, 2025

IIT study warns of privacy risks from location permissions on Android apps

A study by researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi revealed that Android apps requiring precise location permissions can access extensive information about users' environments and activities. The research introduced AndroCon, a system that uses fine-grained GPS data to determine users' surroundings and activities without the need for cameras or microphones. It analyzes nine GPS parameters to identify whether a person is seated, standing, or lying down, and can recognize specific locations such as being on public transport or in a crowded area. The study demonstrated that AndroCon could achieve up to 99% accuracy in detecting surroundings and over 87% accuracy in recognizing human activities. The findings raise significant privacy concerns regarding the potential for apps to infer sensitive user information.

Winsage

August 25, 2025

I tried a “kinder” Windows 11 experience with AtlasOS, and this is how it should be

Windows 11 has faced criticism for its telemetry features, mandatory Microsoft Edge inclusion, and resource-consuming background processes that can hinder performance. AtlasOS offers a structured setup process requiring a clean installation of Windows 11 with a local account. Users download the AME Wizard and Atlas Playbook from the AtlasOS website to apply modifications, including disabling Windows Security features and replacing Microsoft Edge with alternative browsers like Brave or Firefox. After installation, AtlasOS modifies the desktop experience, aligning the taskbar to the left and introducing a new wallpaper. It disables animations for faster application opening times and optimizes power plans for performance. Bing search is removed from the search bar, enhancing search efficiency. Privacy is prioritized by disabling telemetry services and location permissions. Performance tests show that AtlasOS stabilizes CPU usage and slightly reduces memory consumption compared to standard Windows. Benchmark results indicate minor performance improvements, with AtlasOS scoring slightly higher in Geekbench 6 but comparable in Cinebench 2024. Users should manage expectations regarding performance gains, as the primary advantage lies in an improved user experience rather than significant speed increases.

AppWizard

August 11, 2025

Google Wallet now wants your location before it’ll show receipts

Google Wallet now requires users to enable the “Precise location” setting on Android devices to access detailed maps and addresses on payment receipts, a feature that was previously available by default. This change, implemented in late July, prompts users to activate location access when viewing receipts that lack map features. Enabling location permissions will only affect new transactions and will not retroactively update past receipts.

AppWizard

August 10, 2025

Google Wallet now requires location permission for ‘detailed receipts’ with maps

Users of the Google Wallet app on Android are now required to grant location permissions to access detailed receipts that include merchant addresses and maps. This change, implemented in late July or early August, means that recent transactions only show the cost, date, statement, and transaction ID, without the map feature. A prompt encourages users to enable location settings to regain access to detailed receipts. To restore the map functionality, users must enable "Precise location" permission through the app, but this does not apply retroactively to past transactions.